What should I major in?

If you are either at the very beginning of your college career (and yes, it is indeed a career in many ways), or else nearing the end of your second year of study, it is likely that you are thinking about your major pretty seriously, if you haven't already. Now, it's true for sure that many folks go into college from the beginning knowing exactly what they want and how to get there. This is especially true for many returning students who are, in some ways, more focused, both by life experience and by life circumstances, than younger students.

But for many other students, college opens unanticipated doors and opportunities. One never knows when an amazing lecture will come along in English class and make you think about being a literature major; one never knows when a caring professor will take some time and encourage you to believe in a dream you've had all your life but always disparaged. College is so chock-full of experiences that even students who enter knowing exactly what they want to do often change their minds completely.

Take me! I was dead-set on becoming a mathematics professor. Dead set. I had it all planned out, the school where I'd teach, the house I'd live in (close to campus, of course), the kinds of inspiring classes I would teach. Well, I hadn't anticipated on taking a European History class with a professor who was phenomenal. I mean, beyond the beyond. She was incredible, and made me so interested in European history that I switched majors within a month and never looked back. Of course, eventually I got sparked by the writing bug, and since that never went away, that's where I've remained, in academic writing. But you see the point: college introduces students to things, subjects, ideas, which sometimes they never even knew existed -- or certainly never knew were anything to pay attention to.

So, definitely think about what you want to major in; there is nothing wrong with walking through the doors on your first day with a plan. Don't discount those lurking dreams, even if you dream of becoming a famous artist; there are so many niches in every world that college will surely lead you to one that will work. But don't close your mind as you take classes, read books, and talk with fellow students. Keep open to other possibilities, other areas of focus. After all, this is your life: you might as well spend it doing something you love if at all possible.