Making the most of your major
Throughout your undergraduate degree, there will inevitably be a moment when you question the program you are enrolled in, and whether or not you fit. Perhaps you aren’t enjoying the classes as much as you thought, or maybe the dreams you had of promising future career prospects are dwindling—either way, it is crucial to recognize that it is perfectly reasonable to question your direction.
For some students, the path through university is straightforward. You are enthralled by your classes, and you are happy with the potential career opportunities provided by your program. However, even when all seems to be well, it is important to question your program and ask yourself, “Is this right for me?”
Begin by looking into individual classes. During your first and second year, your classes are typically scattered across multiple disciplines. For example, in my first year as an English major, I took classes in sociology and botany, and an unorthodox class on the doomed future of literacy. From all of these classes, I learned how to become a better student. And no, it wasn’t because I learned the origins of ginseng, but rather, it was because taking classes outside of your major can help reinvigorate your passion for learning as a whole.
Essentially, during these first few classes, it is easy to get swept up in the content of what you are learning, as opposed to what the classes are subtly teaching you. Just because you are a psychology major, it doesn’t mean you should complete your statistics course just barely scraping by—instead, try to focus on what skills you can take away from the course. Sure, it may turn out that you find statistics to be the most boring subject on the planet. However, I would argue that even though the content may not be up your alley, you could still learn a tremendous amount—like how to organize data, understand confusing analytics, and visually communicate complicated ideas in an accessible way. This kind of open-minded thinking can prepare you and help you gain a stronger grasp of whether or not you’re on the right path.
One tactic that may help you identify if you’re enjoying your program is variety. If you’re a zoology major, don’t be afraid to take a philosophy class—you can end up learning a lot more than you bargained for.
While it is important to gain as much knowledge and experience from individual classes as you can, it is equally crucial to not feel obligated to your major. This idea may sound silly, but you’d be surprised at how many individuals feel stuck in their program. At the University of Guelph, there are multiple opportunities to transfer programs and switch majors, given that you have a broad foundation of first and second year undergraduate courses. That being said, there are circumstances where switching majors is incredibly difficult. I would suggest speaking to your program counsellor about making the transition.
While this article may offer some advice on evaluating your academic path, it is not meant to provide an immediate remedy for those who feel lost or confused with their program. In a realistic world, your path will lead to difficult classes with boring subject matter. However, if you want to persevere through your time at university, it is important not to place blame on boring classes. Instead, it may be worthwhile to re-evaluate your motivations—because not only does completing your program involve excelling through what you enjoy, but also, it involves finding the right motivation for what you don’t.