Before college, the biggest decisions I had to make revolved around choosing what to wear, do, and say. Most of the time, my parents had a pretty great influence on the decisions I made, letting me know what I should and should not choose to do. They let me know which friends I was not allowed to hang out with, which jobs I needed to apply for, and how much money I should budget into my savings. Without realizing it, I sacrificed learning my own opinions, because I trusted theirs (whether I wanted to or not).
Suddenly, I found myself applying for college and being asked by friends and strangers alike, "What do you plan on studying"; a question I did not know how to answer.
The problem is, I want to study several things. I mean, here I am, a young adult being thrown into an incredible institution where I am surrounded by experts who are excited to teach me what they know. Quite frankly, I cannot understand how anyone can select just one field of study. I take a political science class and I am at awe with the insights my professor shares with me. I think to myself "Hey! Politics would be really neat and it would give me so many opportunities to truly change issues I am passionate about." And then I take a neuroscience course, and suddenly my mind is electrified with learning. It excites me that I am capable of memorizing the parts of the brain and it thrills me to learn as much as I can about how it works. I begin to fall in love with the idea of becoming a brain surgeon and dedicating my life to understanding a part of me that is crucial to my existence while helping others triumph over diseases that have plagued their minds. Next I have a communications course. While I am unsure what type of career I would want with a communications degree, I find myself registering for courses in the field simply because they sound fascinating. As my semester continues, I find that I cannot simply pick one area of focus, because almost every single class I take, I fall in love with.
When the time comes to declare a major, I know it will feel half-hearted. While I will likely choose whatever I am most passionate about, it saddens me to know that I will be missing out on so much additional education that is so close I can feel it! I suppose my problem is one that some people, those who cannot find anything they enjoy, would be envious of. I owe this passion for pure learning to all of my years of fantastic teachers and thrilling professors. It will be interesting to see how the next year plays out, but for now, I am happy to learn as much as I can.
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