You might’ve had it all planned out.
It’s your first year in college. You show up to your first advisor meeting, four-year plan in hand. You sit down and nod along to your advisor’s suggestions, but you’re unconvinced. You already know what you want to take.
You’ve always known who you wanted to be, and you’ve always known exactly how you were going to get there.
Classes start and everything’s running smoothly. You’re enrolled in two classes for your major, your primary writing requirement, and a free elective. You study hard for your required courses, and you realize you’re doing all right. You got this!
But all of a sudden, you realize that although you’re doing the work for your major, you’re not enjoying any of it. You find yourself enjoying every moment of your free elective. Then, it hits you. You have discovered a new interest. You’re actually into visual arts and not physics or chemistry. Or maybe you’re into both — you’re a scientist and an artist.
When you’re in college, changing your mind should be the norm, and you shouldn’t ever feel bad about it. When you’re faced with so many classes, fields you’ve never heard of, and fascinating people from around the world, you’re bound to be intrigued by the newness of it all.
You’re often told that changing your mind is equivalent to making the wrong decision. You’re called indecisive for declaring a minor at the last minute or not smart enough for leaning towards non-STEM majors. You start focusing on what people think of the future you’re building for yourself, rather than focusing on what you want for yourself. In those confusing times, try to remember that you are the only one who’s going to deal with the consequences or rewards of your own decisions.
It’s alright if you reprioritize your ambitions, or if you take a step back to focus on what really matters, like your physical and mental health, your friends, your significant other. Take advantage of having so many options around you. Try it out.
You’re never wasting time when you’re doing what you love.
