Major Changes

A lot of students come to college not knowing what they want to major in, but I did…or I least I thought I did. When I applied to UAlbany I wanted to be an accountant, so when I came as a freshman in the fall, I was an Intended-Accounting major. I was also very interested in math, so I planned on minoring in mathematics. Once at the University, I started taking courses directed toward my major. I was enrolled in Macroeconomics and Business Law which both are required for an Accounting major. These classes bored me and if a class does not excite me I will not pay attention. They ultimately turned me off from accounting.

Second semester, I changed to being a Mathematics major with a double minor in communications and education. I still loved math, and even though my Calculus professor’s teaching did not engage me, it came easy to me. When I started Calculus 2, I was excited. Not many people are really excited to take a math course, but I was. I had a great professor, but no matter how hard I tried, I could not grasp any of the concepts. I went to office hours and the library all the time, nothing helped.  I had such a hard time and tried every way possible to learn the material. Calculus 2 made me start to question if I really wanted to major in math anymore.

Another thing that made me realize math was not for me was when my friends asked me for help with their work. I would often get frustrated when they would not understand my explanation of a problem. My minor was education and I wanted to be a math teacher. If I got so easily frustrated with my friends how would I handle rowdy students? I am glad my friends asked me for help because it helped me too, It made me realize that I wouldn’t be happy being a teacher. I was not patient which is a key trait for a teacher. I knew I could not give the same help and understanding my professors have given me in the past.

“Don’t let the fear of change stop you from realizing a new skill or interest.”

One good thing that did happen that semester was taking a communications course. I was enrolled in Speech Composition and Presentation, a course based on public speaking and speech writing. I love public speaking, so I was eager to start. We learned about some of the greatest speeches ever given, such as the Gettysburg Address and the “I Have a Dream” speech. We learned about the content as well as why the speeches were so powerful. It amazed me how someone’s words could impact another in an emotional way and how they could even change laws or opinions. I also had a very outgoing class and an amazing professor that helped me enjoy the curriculum and feel comfortable speaking in front of an audience larger than just a few friends. This course finally made me realize what I want to do, I wanted to major in Communications. I wanted to know all about how people interact and how they change depending on their environment. I also researched on what types of jobs there are for communications majors. There are hundreds of options for a career in Communications and although I don’t know exactly what I want to do yet I know I want it to do with Communication.

Changing my major was one of the hardest changes I think I had to go through so far at college. Picking a major is picking your future career path and I want to enjoy my career. While picking a major I was stressed out, I felt I wasn’t smart and that I learn anything, that I reached full capacity. However, maybe my problem was that I was not in the right classes for myself and once I figured that out I became more confident in my work and started doing better overall. The most important thing is to remember that changing your major is okay and a normal thing, so don’t let the fear of change stop you from realizing a new skill or interest.

About the Author:

Kate E. 
Class of 2018 
Major: Communication 
Minor: Journalism and Philosophy
Spring 2016 Blog Theme: Metamorphosis

• Click HERE to check out the “What Can I Do With This Major?” website.
• Visit the Office of Career and Professional Development for more information on preparing for and selecting careers and internships.