Did you know: 30% of college students will change their major at least once¹? Deciding what you want to do with your life after college can be difficult. Maybe you came to college thinking you knew exactly what you wanted to do after graduation, but now you’re not so sure. Or, maybe you’ve completely changed your mind. Don’t worry, this is normal, and here are some ways to navigate your changing perspective:
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Keep an open mind.
Keep your mind open to different opportunities and learning avenues because, what you once thought you were uninterested in, may become your new life passion in a few short months. As long as you continue to learn new things, you will always be evolving as an individual.
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Take a variety of classes.
College is a great place for discovery because there are so many different topics you can learn about. Don’t shy away from that ceramics class just because your major is in Business Administration, you may find that you can find joy in both (or, better yet, find a way to combine both into a unique career path for you).
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Try new things.
There are few other places in your life where you’ll be surrounded by such a diverse cast of individuals with a wide variety of interests and hobbies. Use your time in college as an opportunity to join clubs and organizations on campus that seem interesting to you; get to meet these people and learn about what they do, you might learn something new about yourself.
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Seek opportunity.
Are one of your clubs sponsoring a trip to Des Moines? Go! Explore the space around you and take advantage of the resources available to you. Any chance that you can take to learn new things is a chance to learn about yourself and what untapped interests you may have.
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Volunteer (or do an internship).
Help your community and learn about a job all at once, volunteering and internships can give you real-world experience without the commitment of a major career move. It may be helpful to know that some colleges, like Iowa Wesleyan, require students to complete an internship in their major program as part of their degree.
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Make a list.
Once you’ve taken the time to try new things, take 15 minutes to list your 10 favorite things to do, 10 things you want out of your career, and 10 jobs you’re interested in. Find how the items on your lists can connect to a major (and, eventually, a career) then get excited: you’ve found a major for you!
References: 1. https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2018/2018434.pdf
