Throughout my time at Texas State, I have changed my major and minor five times; shifting from disciplines like Business to Political Science to finally settling into Public Relations. Even now, I am considering swapping my major and my minor in Public Policy. So, how did I fortify these decisions and figure out what areas of study suited me best?
I knew I wanted a major in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication because one of my first semester professors, Rita Gomez, made her communications class enjoyable and showed the impact of interpersonal communication skills. Determining which major in the school proved to be a more difficult decision. The first thing I did to help me narrow down my major was make a pros and cons list of every major I was considering at the time.
Here is my makeshift list of potential majors.
After writing out my potential majors, I took a plethora of quizzes and analyses online to try to guide me in the right direction. Unfortunately, the end results for these examinations always came back as something I had zero interest in, like Criminal Justice or English, and were always different from each other. Taking these quizzes introduced me to a major I had not considered: Public Relations. By keeping an open mind when browsing through potential majors, you can find an area of study you did not previously give attention to.
Here are some of the quizzes I took:
- https://www.princetonreview.com/quiz/career-quiz
- https://www.luc.edu/undergrad/academiclife/whatsmymajorquiz/
- https://www.cabrini.edu/blog/2017-18/what-should-be-your-major-quiz#R11012136-629a5665
Since Public Relations peaked my interest, I went to CatsWeb to see what classes were involved in Public Relations and look at the Degree Plan. The classes aligned with everything I was interested in; it was then when I realized Public Relations was the ideal major for me. Questions still ran through my head: What type of job can I get with this major? What is the projected job growth? Is this a “useless major” or a “blowoff major”?
To appease my qualms, I once again turned to the internet. This time, I watched countless YouTube videos all about Public Relations from current students, graduates and professors. Learning about the major from unique perspectives helped cover all of my concerns and ultimately solidified the confidence in my decision.
One unrelenting thought in the back of my mind was that Public Relations was an “easy major” that would not guarantee me a job following graduation. I internally cringe when I tell someone my major and they let me know how futile a major in Communications is. While Public Relations may not require as much science or math as other majors, I wholeheartedly believe it is still a significant major and graduates of this degree possess certain skills that are necessary and applicable to the work force. If Public Relations was a meaningless degree, it would not be an option at all. Don’t let what other people think about your major dictate your own feelings and opinions. If you are drawn to a certain degree and passionate about it, you should pursue it because that is ultimately what will make you feel fufilled.
In conclusion, when choosing your college major, research and exploration is essential. If you keep a narrow mind while browsing through possible majors, you can pass over your ideal major. While confirming a major can be intimidating, taking classes specified to your perspective major help guide you to decide if it is really a subject you want to pursue. Lastly, remember that it is okay to change your major and have doubts. Like I previously mentioned, I changed my major five times and each time I was certain that the major was perfect for me. College is a time for self growth and discovery, so just make a decision that you are confident in and truly interests you, regardless of what others think.
The Bliss in Independence 