Coming into college knowing exactly what you want to do with the rest of your life post-graduation is a rarity, and students are told countless times throughout the duration of their time in college that it’s perfectly okay not to know. As a graduating senior, I am here to tell you yes, it is actually okay to some extent not to know.
However, coming into college I knew that I had strengths in writing and communicating with others, so my process of picking a major was fairly simple. I declared my major in journalism upon enrollment during the spring of my senior year of high school and have not once second guessed my decision. Having a general idea of what you want to study is important. College is expensive, and a time to master your skill set in one area in hopes of getting a career in that field upon graduation.
Here at Lasell, students typically take two or so classes in their major as a first-year. Taking these lower-level courses, along with general education classes gives students the perfect opportunity to try out a major and then switch it if they no longer see it as a fit. The process of switching your major during your first or second year seems to be fairly simple, so long as you communicate along the way with your academic advisor. Majority of students who do switch their major in a timely fashion end up graduating on time.
However, the process of being an undeclared student comes with no penalty, and is fairly common. Not having a declared major allows for students to explore a wide variety of interests without the pressure of committing to one major. Undeclared students are able to take classes that students with a declared major may not ever have the opportunity to take. The goal of this is for students to find their passion through their classes and then make an informed, and confident decision when it comes time to declare a major.
At the end of the day, if there is something you are at all curious about studying, take the risk and declare it. It is okay and normal to change your mind. Just know that regardless of what your decision may be, you will be backed by a great support system on campus to find your passion.