Deciding on what to major in can be a tough decision. You may have a lot of interests and don’t know how to narrow them down. Or you are completely unsure of what you want your career to be in. 

A good thing to keep in mind is that your major will not define your life. It is a big decision since you will be spending years studying, but a lot of people end up taking completely different paths in their careers than the ones they first intended.

However, you do want to consider what really interests you vs. what would be a profitable or a meaningful career for you. Therefore, take your time in choosing your major, and meanwhile check out our tips on how to approach this big decision. 

List Down Your Interests & Skills

Of course, you want to study something you are passionate about. That’s great! Take a piece of paper and write down your hobbies, interests, and also what you are skilled at. If those do not jump at you with an obvious major option, think more. 

How can you incorporate them together? Is there a career you didn’t consider so far, but can connect your interests?

In case you are unsure if you do want to pursue a career connected to your interests, e.g. you love singing and listening to music, but know that you couldn’t possibly build a career in the music business, think further. What about a music career behind the scenes? A music producer, for example? 

Talk to a Career Advisor

If you are not sure about your true passions and interests, that is totally fine. Then how to proceed? 

Set up a meeting with a career advisor! They are professionals in their field, and by simply talking to you or giving you specialized tests, they can figure out what would be the best career choice for you. This can help you tremendously in choosing your major. 

The career advisors can sometimes get to know you better than you know yourself and tell you unexpected career options. Even though some of them may seem impossible to you, think them all through.

Give Yourself Time

Maybe the most important advice of them all – give yourself time. Do your research, learn about different majors, find out more about classes and professors. Don’t rush the process, clear your mind, and the right option will come to you.