From the time we’re little, we’re always asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
You might want to grow up to be an astronaut, the president, maybe a chef, but then you start high school and the questions get more serious. Every year, you are asked the same questions, but you may not have the answers just yet.
Starting college without knowing what you want to major in is not the end of the world. There’s plenty of time to explore classes and figure out what you like. Dixie State University offers a multitude of classes students can choose from to explore their interests and possibly find their passion.
I’ve known what I wanted to do for a long time, long before I graduated high school. I love writing and I always have, so I thought it was the best thing for me to go into. I came to DSU because they had a major specific to what I wanted to do: media studies. Even if I had decided it wasn’t the right major for me, I had plenty of time to change it if I wanted to.
Tyree Hale, a freshman general education major from Riverton, came to DSU not sure what she wanted to do. What she did know was that she loved the ocean. So, she enrolled in an oceanography class that took a trip to Southern California to learn more about the ocean.
“I knew I’d want to do something related to marine biology as I got older,” Hale said. “That trip really helped solidify what I wanted to do for my career.”
She knew when she found what she learned interesting it would be something she would enjoy working with.
Learning about your interests, taking different courses and looking into majors is important when choosing your major.
“This time in education is a time to imagine,” said Asha Stapley, career coach. “Imagine what life could look like in a variety of careers.”
Stapley said it’s important to understand college, and the process of becoming an adult is to actively engage in the learning process. By taking courses on things that interest you, and engaging in the learning process, it can make it less stressful when deciding your major.
Nataly Dockstader, a freshman general studies major from Tooele, decided to start her freshman year by taking multiple classes in different fields of study. She found what she did and didn’t like and explored those fields further. It was important to her she majored in something she loved. She came to DSU because she wanted to do the career she loved.
“Based on my classes, I decided what I liked and didn’t and I am now going to be a ballroom dance major,” Dockstader said. “It is a career I would love to be in and will enjoy for the rest of my life.”
DSU makes it easy to choose your major, and Career Services offers resources for students struggling to decide. Students can meet with career coaches to talk through their decisions, make an appointment or go online to take a Focus 2 assessment.
As an incoming or current student, it’s OK to not know. Come to college expecting to try different things and find what you love. There’s no rush, so go at your own pace.
