Think back to when you were 17, staring at your very first college application. You were probably nervous, just like everyone else, staring at a web page that could change your life. You filled out the basics, your name, your age, your address, but then you reached a harder question: what is your intended major?
Some people might have it figured out before they get to high school. Some people figure it out right when they send that application. Some people may never figure it out, and that’s okay. Some people never send the application at all, and they go on with their lives without ever having to ponder this question.
But once you hit the submit button, did you feel like you were trapped?
A lot of people that I knew in high school were anxious to send their applications and receive their decisions, not knowing what the future held. Would they like their school? Did they want to be that far from home? Did they like their major?
Now that we’re in college, we’re supposed to have our lives together. We’re supposed to know what we want to do, where we want to live, what job we want to have and how much money we want to make. Some of you may have switched majors, some of you may have transferred schools, and some of you may be in the process of both of these. But overall, we’re supposed to have it together.
There’s some people, though, that want to make you feel bad for not having it together. Some people make their major their lives, and seem to look down upon those who aren’t so sure. We know the stereotypes, those who live and breathe their major and do nothing else. But what about us, the ones who aren’t fulfilled by just the core curriculum?
I personally feel this way. I love my major, the classes I take, and the people I’ve met. I used to think that all I would need out of college was my classes, and that was all I would learn from. However, I think that limiting yourself is a severe waste of your tuition money.
Those who only focus on their classwork are limiting themselves to the possibilities of college. Sure your classes are important, but taking on the passions that you may not be studying are also important. A lot of these things brought us to where we are, and even though they may not be the thing that we chose to pursue as a career, they are still important.
For example, I liked to write in high school, but I knew early on that I wouldn’t do that for a career. I was sure that my writing skills could never improve enough to write in college, let alone for a career. Lo and behold, here I am, a Journalism minor and Opinions editor for The Outlook. If I had just stayed in my lane with my Music Industry career, I would have never opened my eyes to possibly pursuing music journalism as a career.
Many people I know have seen career opportunities and internships open up because of clubs, and have even changed career paths because of it. A club that takes an hour out of your week can truly inspire you, especially if you are surrounded by like-minded people who share those same interests with you and push you to pursue them.
There are so many clubs on campus that are severely underattended because people outside of the attached major aren’t attending. WMCX, Hawk TV, Sports Industry club, Blue Hawk Records, The Outlook, and almost every other club on campus is open to every major and gives lots of opportunities to its members. Club outings, guest speakers, internship opportunities, and more are available to you, but only if you take the leap of faith and join.
These clubs usually will never come to you and ask you to join, and they won’t do so if you don’t show interest first. It’s up to you to take the hour out of your day, step outside, and join a club, even if it’s one no one would have guessed you were interested in.
