It's add/drop week. A time for frenzied planning, and for making decisions that will have permanent ramifications on your future.* …and for begging the professors of your wait-listed classes to please, please, please let you in. (because i am a good student, who contributes in class, and would really benefit from knowledge gained in MUSC 1346-1.)

*not true

In honor of add/drop, I wanted to throw out some advice. So, dust off that old baseball/softball glove (we're gender inclusive here at Trinity) and get ready to catch this tidal wave of knowledge that, if used appropriately, will never leave you out to dry, up a creek without a paddle, or “Just Around the Riverbend":
(i apologize for the sentence above. when you are a master of the written word, you find it nearly impossible to suppress the unremitting geyser of intellectual expression that animates your privileged understanding.)

anywho.

The funny thing about college…well, one of the many funny things about college is that the world feeds students contradicting messages regarding when you are supposed to have it all figured out…you know, your classes, your schedule, your major, your career, your life, your future.

Some say you have as long as you need. Many of our parents still don’t know what they want to be when they grow up, so for goodness sake take your time. You don’t have to pick a career in college.

Others complain about students’ indecisiveness and lack of dedication. These are the folks who tell college kids to declare their major as soon as possible, to prepare for the future, where real life is not all fun and games.

These messages are straight-up wrong.

(Disclaimer: the views expressed here represent one student’s extensive research and experience on the subject matter, and are not necessarily true for every circumstance no matter how qualified, reputable, intelligent, and attractive the author of such views may be.)

Here’s the bottom line: In college you don’t have to decide exactly what you want to do for the rest of your life. You should just try to find out what you are interested in. Major in the department you are most fascinated by. …and it may or may not have something to do with your eventual career.

Moms and Dads, by a show of hands tell me how many of you out there are still pursing the profession you chose when you were 20 years old?
(okay, i hope you didn’t actually raise your hands because i can’t see you. i apologize for tricking you; i understand you baby boomers harbor a certain resentment against your technologically advanced children in this computer age. but we can’t help it if we are smarter, faster, prettier. however, that is beside the point… actually it’s nowhere near the point, but it needed to be said.)

now, back to the point…
My advice to students: Take the common curriculum or basic requirement courses until you have an idea of what sparks your interest. Then check out the requirements for the major in that department. If your still interested…bam! There’s your major. (not your career, not you life, not your future. It’s just a start.)
Experience can tell you that it’s really easy to fall to the unnecessary pressure of having to make a premature decision. I have taken a lot of classes in pursuit of a major I wasn’t interested in, so I changed my mind (and my major).
In summary…
1. Don’t officially declare a major until you have to.
2. When you do, make sure it’s interesting.
3. Finally, don’t be afraid to change your mind.

YOU: Why should I listen to this kid?
ME: Because I have a confession to make: Yesterday, I dropped my business major, and, being a second semester Junior, I kind of freaked out…but now, I can take the classes I really enjoy - classes that I would have missed out on.
YOU (slightly confused expression): …
ME: And because I am an all-knowing genius.
YOU (completely satisfied, appreciative, and subservient expression): Thank you so very much!
ME: You are welcome.

that is all.
madoutofmymind