When you enter your college journey, you immediately come face to face with many exciting questions.

What clubs will you join? 

How will you decorate your dorm room? 

What’s there to explore on campus?

But one of the most exciting questions you’ll get to tackle will be: what will you major in?

Unlike in high school, in most colleges and universities, only some courses are required. The rest is decided by you, and can speak directly to your interests, curiosities, and passions. This is the beauty of the major. Ultimately, you get to take on more of an active role in crafting your schedule, and in turn, your future.

In my experience, before even stepping foot on campus, I had decided I was going to be an English major. But in reality, I hadn’t made this decision off of anything other than my true love for reading and writing.

But after getting to take classes in various subjects, I realized there was a lot more to consider, and several questions to think through.

(In the end, I decided to major in psychology. As it turned out, the bulk of my assignments and homework in psychology consisted of reading and writing. Moral of the story: don’t rush your decision!)

Below, we’ll walk through some important things to think about when getting ready to declare your major.

1. Consider your interests when declaring your major

Have you ever felt like you were forced to engage in work that you didn’t really want to be doing? Trick question. Of course you have.

It’s safe to say that at some point or another, we all have. And for students, there’s often no way around this.

Maybe you’re in high school and feel like you’re finally developing your passion, which happens to be sustainable interior design. You’re ecstatic, because it feels like you’ve hit this milestone, where instead of spending time wondering who you’re going to be, you’re firmly grounded in your newfound interest.

But of course, you have to go through the motions of analyzing Animal Farm, memorizing the periodic table, and mastering trigonometric functions.

As mentioned, one of the best parts about college is that you get to take on this new level of independence. And while this might seem scary initially, it’s time to reframe what this independence really means.

Redefining independence

Sure, this new independence means you have to take on new responsibilities that seem…well, less than appealing (paying for meals, getting to class on time, making financial decisions, etc.).

But, at the same time, this also means that you get to start designing your life around your passions.

If you feel completely lost, start by making a master list of your interests. And write down all of them — even if they don’t feel “academic” in nature. It’s important not to box yourself into any categories, especially if you have the privilege of exploring different fields before declaring your major.

While it can be scary to jump into something completely unfamiliar, now is your chance! You have the opportunity to dip your toes into all sorts of new spaces, and you may have limited chances to do so in the future.

Think about every topic that crosses your mind on a regular or constant basis.

Some questions you can ask yourself:

  • What sucks you into deep internet dives?
  • What are you doing when you’re procrastinating?
  • What do you daydream about?
  • What keeps you up at night?
  • What could you talk or read about for hours?
  • What is a recurring topic you choose to immerse yourself in?
  • What are your favorite conversations about?

2. Consider your goals when declaring your major

Beyond your interests, consider: what does a happy, fulfilling life look like to you? What are you hoping to accomplish throughout your time on this earth?

It may be tempting to declare a major that has a reputation for being “easy,” but it’s important to instead look at your options carefully in order to identify which major can best help you achieve your goals.

Personal Goals

If you’re not sure of your personal goals, that’s okay! More than okay, it’s exciting to have your entire life ahead of you, and the chance to define who you want to be.

That being said, it can certainly be difficult to know where to start.

Tips for identifying personal goals

  • Create a list of your interests, passions, and curiosities.
  • Identify what you want to accomplish in these areas.
  • Consider the resources that are currently at your disposal, and how they can help you.
  • Take note of obstacles that you currently face (in regards to your goals).
  • Define realistic, achievable goals that you can accomplish in the short-term and long-term.

*Short-term goals should reflect those that you can achieve within about a year (or less). Meanwhile, long-term goals are those that you anticipate taking much longer.

Once you’ve determined your personal goals, think about the different major options available to you. Which of these could potentially align with your personal goals, or help you achieve them?

Career Goals

Although it can be great to live in the moment, college can also be a great time to start thinking about what you’re going to do after you graduate. And having a ton of college courses at your fingertips is such a privilege, since it gives you the opportunity to explore so many different possible paths.

If you think back to your earliest memories, you can probably pinpoint a few periods where you were fixated on the idea of a certain career path. For example, I was certain, around the age of six, that I would one day be an astronaut. Later on, this became veterinarian.

Okay, years and years later, I don’t have an interest in being a vet or an astronaut. But, looking back on young dreams is a great way to open your eyes to career possibilities that may not have entered your mind.

Tips for identifying career goals

  • Think about the type of work you enjoy doing (i.e., writing, reading, analyzing data, public speaking, persuasive writing/speaking, visual design, etc.)
    • Think about the work you dread. Saying no to certain disciplines or areas can be useful, too!
  • Consider your personality. Are you a people person? Or do you work better independently? Are you stubborn, or more flexible?
  • Identify your strengths and weaknesses.

Once you’ve taken some time to reflect on all of what makes you you, you’ll have a much better idea of where you might want to go after graduation.

Note: It can be helpful to actually write down the answers to these questions. Once you have the information in front of you, you’ll feel more prepared to tap into the resources at your disposal (i.e., the internet, your school’s career office, your friends/family, your teachers, etc.) in order to gain more knowledge about the potential career field for you.

Try to ask yourself as many questions as possible — having more insights about yourself can help you narrow down and ultimately make your decision.

3. Consider your strengths when declaring your major

It is incredibly liberating to take classes that truly align with your skills and interests. Because really, it’s incredibly frustrating to feel like you’re constantly falling behind because you’re forced to engage in something that you’re innately not good at.

When you get to college, you have the chance to really tap into and further develop your strengths.

And once you’re in a place where you feel like you can apply your strong suits, you’ll develop an entirely new perspective on what “work” really means, and a whole new appreciation for school.

In my case, I went from feeling weighed down by daunting calculus exams and incomprehensible trigonometry homework to feeling refreshed with the daily writing, reading, and research grind required of psychology majors.

Think about the work that comes naturally to you. Is it numbers? Or reading and writing? Drawing? Maybe debating?

Keep in mind that your true skills might not align with traditional school subjects, like science, or history. Maybe your best skill is public speaking. Or maybe it’s being a friend. The cool thing about so many colleges and universities is that they provide a huge range of fields that you can major in.

You likely have an array of possibilities at your fingertips. And it’s in your best interest to truly look inward at your unique skill set instead of choosing something simply because it seems the most convenient or popular option.

4. Talk to the experts

By experts, we just mean all of the people that came before you. That is, by simply connecting with some older students, you can easily gain a ton of helpful information.

If you have upperclassmen friends, take advantage of any potential tips and advice they can provide. For instance, if you have connections with people that are enrolled in different majors, find out a little bit about each of their experiences. But specifically, focus on learning about the courses that excite you the most.

In this case, knowledge really is power. Armed with new information about the different majors and what they entail, you’ll be able to narrow down your options and come to a more informed decision.

Final thoughts

Declaring your major provides you with the opportunity for you to step back and recognize that you are in a new stage of life. And in this stage of life, you hold the reins.

Remember: declaring your major is a privilege, not a chore.

So take a little time and effort to leverage this amazing opportunity and as a result, start creating a solid foundation for the rest of your life.