By Ramisa Ahmed, Chief illustrator & staff writer
COLUMN
Let’s be real here, if any of us hear one more thing about majors or college, we’re all going to cry, which is exactly why I’m bringing it up. Cruel, I know, however, there are many misconceptions about choosing majors that may have led you to choose the wrong one. Sometimes, perfectionism, procrastination, and unclear goals can interfere with choosing a major. Although picking a subject is an important decision to make, it’s not as life-or-death as we make it out to be. Here are some common myths that may help you make better decisions in the future.
Myth No. 1: Picking a major and career are like the same thing.
Fact: Many people assume that students who major in humanities, arts, and social sciences don’t qualify for any jobs or think that their majors limit their choice of careers. In reality, students who do major in humani- ties, arts, social sciences, and other similar majors may nd their career in business, research, human resources, teaching, military, and many other occupations.
Myth No. 2: My major will determine what I will do for the rest of my life.
Fact: One out of ve students doing their undergrad will change their major up to three times. People change; careers change. The connection between the major that you choose now and the career that you’ll nd yourself in 10 years from now is likely to be very small.
Myth No. 3: Changing majors means a student won’t graduate in four years, and student debt will add up in a way that it wouldn’t have if he or she declared a major in freshman year.
Fact: As long as college students choose a major before the end of the second half of junior year, students (and their parents) wallets won’t be any emptier than they would have been if they chose a major during their rst two years of school.
Myth No. 4: When making my decision about a major, I need to make sure that my parents or guardians agree with my choice.
Fact: To many teenagers, this myth may be impossible to wrap their head around, but at the end of the day it’s about your happiness. This choice is for you to make. It is often helpful to talk about your ideas with others, parents included. But ultimately, this is your education and you need to take ownership of your decision.
Myth No. 5: It’s not OK to be undecided.
Fact: Being undecided is perfectly normal. Engaging in the career de- cision-making process can be a wonderful experience, leading to making an educated decision. At some point, however, you do need to make a decision and begin working on obtaining your career goals.