How do you know when it's time to change your major? Are you having feelings that your major isn't right for you?
When it’s Time to Change Your Major
When you first chose a major, you probably chose something that suited you at the time. The truth is that picking a major isn’t the easiest thing for a high school student or even a college student.
Switching majors isn’t easy, either.
You don’t necessarily wake up knowing what you want to do. Picking a major is a tedious task when trying to apply it to the rest of your life. But, when you finally pick your major, that doesn’t always mean you need to stay with it. You might not know when to change your major. Luckily, there are different ways to know when it’s time for a change.
Tip #1 Consider your why
It’s kind of cliché, but Simon Sinek’s advice to identify why you want to do something isn’t a bad idea. Think about the “why” behind the courses you’re taking.
Choice at the crossroads of life
One day you’re sitting in class and learning about the different courses that were made to fit your major. As you continue to go to these classes each week, you get the feel of what goes into your major. If you get the feeling that you don’t know why you’re in the class, this could be a red flag. When you’re learning more about your major through your university, it might not be what you expected.
You may feel lost in the idea of you wanting to pursue this major, rather than actually wanting to do it. Knowing this, it could be one of the pushing forces to change your major. You should be excited to be in classes that are important for your major!
Tip #2 Consider your engagement
Going to class as a college student can be annoying and time consuming. (We get it!) But, your classes should interest you when you get to pick the main focus. Going to class surrounding your major should keep you focused and ready to learn, not snoozing away during lecture.
It’s understandable if you don’t like a professor or surrounding peers, but your curriculum should keep you engaged. Engagement is a big deal when it comes to your own major. If you aren’t engaged in any of your classes, maybe you should take a step back and ask yourself why. Asking why will have you questioning if you can actually see yourself in your future career. If you can’t see yourself that far, and you’re not engaged, this is a sign for when it’s time to change your major.
Tip #3 Focus on outcomes holistically
Sometimes when people don’t know what to do with their future career, they pick jobs that have the highest paying rate. It may sound like a great way to decide your major at the time, but this can create future issues. The paycheck that comes from your future career isn’t worth the hate you have for what you signed up for.
You are in charge of where you end up in life and a major based upon income can definitely lead you somewhere you don’t want to be. This decision also puts you in a position of taking classes you don’t understand -or like- at all. Choosing the right major comes from your own personal interests and strong suites. Not from how much money future you could possibly make.
Tip #4 Explore something new
When going to college, you learn not only about your own major, but other majors as well. You meet people, get to know what they’re doing at your university, and this could spark an interest. You meet so many people when going to college and maybe what they’re doing here interests you greatly.
Say you hear of someone becoming a teacher, or dentist. This crosses your mind and now you’re focused on becoming something else. This is very common for students struggling to figure out their future. A student isn’t in love with their major, and then they hear about different opportunities. Before you know it, they switch their major. While it’s a very common thing to happen, it can also be a positive thing! Becoming curious about different career paths can show you that there’s more opportunities for you out there.
Tip #5 It’s just not clicking with you
The last sign to know when it’s time to change your major is when it’s not clicking with you. This means you don’t understand your major. This could also mean you don’t understand your classes, how you feel about your major, or you aren’t excited for your future. Once you start feeling this way, you should explore different options. When it’s not clicking with you, there isn’t much you can to try and make it click. If you aren’t excited or don’t have a feeling this is for you, it probably won’t change when you graduate with that degree. If you think about your future career and you truly don’t see yourself being happy, this is one of the many signs to knowing when you should change your major.
It’s okay to change majors
Whether it makes you stressed or not, change is good when it comes to your future. Change can be a time for growth. There are many changes and challenges people face when growing up and changing your major could be the growth opportunity you needed. In the end, getting through this change will make you a stronger person for your future career.
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