Changing majors is normal

In my junior year of college, I am faced with the idea of changing majors once again. After switching from majoring in psychology to social work, and now double majoring in journalism and psychology, I still find myself considering other career paths. I continue to go back and forth between psychology or social work, and still question if either would benefit me in the future.

According to the California Learning Resource Network, about 70% of undergraduate students change their major at least once. 

In my first semester of college in another state, I enrolled as a psychology major because I wanted to better understand people and eventually become a licensed therapist. 

At the time, I hadn’t given too much thought about what that career would look like for me. I was interested in psychology, and I needed to choose a major before enrolling. 

I’m unsure of whether it was the campus environment or the classes themselves, but I struggled to maintain an interest in psychology during my first semester.

When I transferred to Alaska my second semester, I felt like social work aligned more with my future goals. Last year, I decided to change my major to social work over winter break, and officially made the switch. However, the more I learned about the field, the more I realized I did not want to pursue it either. I dropped social work and switched back to psychology. 

When I settled into life at UAA, I became interested in learning more about journalism and applied for a reporter position at The Northern Light. I genuinely enjoy writing, so I switched for the second time, this time to a journalism major. 

Still, studying journalism didn’t feel like enough. I have a toxic relationship with psychology and couldn’t give it up, so I decided to double major in psychology and journalism. 

As a journalist, I talk to a variety of people who come from different backgrounds. As each individual shares their stories, I often wonder what it would be to do their jobs and what it took for them to get there. Their stories often leave me questioning my academic choices. 

With so many career paths, it’s easy to get caught up choosing which direction to take. Finding something you enjoy is an important part of feeling fulfillment when building your career. 

Do the research, learn about your options and be kind to yourself, even if you find yourself changing your major more than once. It’s worth taking longer than expected to graduate if it means finding a career path that’s right for you.