Студентка из Миссисипи доказала, что выбор специальности не должен быть поспешным

Three girls at freshman orientation asked me what my major was. When I told them I was undeclared, their expressions changed. They already had clear majors, clear plans and, seemingly, clear futures. I had none of those things. Until that moment, I had never thought being undeclared was something I should be embarrassed about. At the time, I did not think being undeclared would be such a big deal, but I learned quickly that everyone who found out would have opinions on my decision, or lack thereof, when I told them about my choice. By the time I sat in for class registration 5 hours later, I felt a pit in my stomach before my advisor even asked. Believing everyone would react the same way those girls did at orientation, I chose a random department and claimed I was looking into it, instead of admitting I had no idea what my future held. When I decided to attend Mississippi State, I was set to major in elementary education. In fact, that was what I planned to do since middle school, and I never thought in a million years that anything about what I pictured my future would look like would change. Luckily, in high school, I got the opportunity to work as a student teacher with classes in the same district I grew up in. I quickly realized that, despite years of planning, I was not suited for the job, and I needed to find something else to do with my life. I looked into criminology briefly because of my interest in sociology, then pivoted to law and became interested in becoming a paralegal. I finally understood that when I registered for classes in college, my major would read as “undeclared.” As soon as it showed up under my name, I was consumed with shame, and I knew that the expectation from adults and peers would be that I should find out what I want to do in life and accomplish that as quickly as possible. I decided it was easier to switch my major multiple times than to constantly battle the overwhelming judgment that came with being undeclared. I knew far more people around me changing majors than I did people continuing as undeclared. Furthermore, an article published by Research.com reports that NCES found about 30 percent of undergraduate students change their major once, and 10 percent change it more than once. It seemed that trying different majors until I found the right one was a better choice than plainly saying I did not know what I was doing. The word “undeclared” weighed me down, and dread filled me each time someone asked the question, “What’s your major?” I did not know what I wanted to do with my life, and I had to broadcast it to every class I attended while everyone else seemed to have it figured out. Although I had a helpful advisor, he only advised similar students who were undeclared, which made me feel more isolated amongst my peers who had advisors within their departments. That same advisor put me in classes that not only fulfilled my general education requirements but also enrolled me in a career planning class. I did not like the sound of the class, but looking back, I am extremely thankful it exists, as it was one of the most valuable classes I ever sat through. For many students, career planning was simply an easy A, but I got so much more out of it. Not only did I walk away with a personality portfolio and skills that extend beyond my career path, but I discovered all the options I had as an undeclared major. Instead of feeling rushed to make a decision, I was able to take a breath and recognize that I do not have to choose from the limited options I knew of before the class. Walking into classes on the first day of school may have felt intimidating or daunting, but it was worth it to choose my field of study with as much information as I could receive. Undeclared majors might be stigmatized as not being able to make a decision or not knowing what to do in life, but the very things that made me feel at my lowest career-wise lifted me to absorb all I could about my new major: public relations. I felt like everyone around me knew their exact career path, and I did not think there was a support system in place. However, I found resources piled on top of each other, from the career center to undeclared advising. Going back to my first advising session at orientation, I realized there were people and places at Mississippi State who could point me in the right direction to discover what I wanted to be. Beyond that, I decided to pick up minors in the fields I found in my career planning class, develop interests in psychology and business, and continue pursuing hobbies I already had. As I reflect on my major and the stigma around what I came in with, I realize that students who come in undeclared can figure out who they are as a person first, then determine what they want to become. Despite the urgency I felt from my peers and, in turn, myself, I did not mind taking a semester in college to choose my field of study. In a paper from the University of California, author David Spight explains that students should not focus on the time they spend undeclared, as his findings showed no effect on their academic or professional careers, and institutions should support students taking time to figure out their future. I felt that I took the time I needed to, and that, if necessary, I could comfortably take more time. I did not feel pressured to figure it out, and my courses did not start on the public relations track until this semester, a full year and a half after I decided on my major. Students who judge others because of what they chose, or might not have chosen yet, need to recognize that it is not a bad thing not to know what they want to do; it welcomes growth beyond a job and allows people to become something beyond a major. I do not regret my choice to come in as undeclared, despite feeling that I would, and it should not be a stigmatized topic. To any students currently undeclared, know that there is no rush and there are resources made specifically for you to thrive at Mississippi State, from the Career Center and academic advising to all the different departments and colleges and their collective faculty. I have found that the faculty wants you to ask questions; they have so many things to say and you are exactly who they want to talk to about their job, their field and what their day-to-day looks like. You do not have to know everything at 18; take time to work on yourself and who you want to be. That is what matters most.