What to Do If You’re Doubting Your Major Choice

You may have chosen your major with a particular career goal in mind or due to a love for a certain subject. Alternatively, you may have been unsure what major to pick and settled on whatever you figured you’d do best at. Whatever your situation, it’s not uncommon to doubt your choice of major at some point, especially when times get tough. Before coming to a final decision about what to do, here are some tips to help you assess your situation carefully.

Determine Whether It’s Really Your Major That’s the Problem

Perhaps it’s not the major itself that’s a problem — completing a degree is difficult. You need to be prepared for a big step up from high school and realize that any major will require hard work. At times, it may seem like friends taking other majors have less homework, face fewer exams, or find it easier to gain good grades. However, it’s more than likely that their classes are just as challenging as yours at other times. Besides, it’s more important that your major leads to a job you find fulfilling than you have an easy ride at university.

Accept You Won’t Love Everything About Your Major

There may be times when you love your major and other times when you can’t stand it. Often, this will come down to the classes you’re taking, particularly if a certain class is not relevant or interesting to you. Whenever this happens, try to push through and find enjoyment wherever you can — whether that comes from discussing ideas with classmates, interacting with your professors, or finding new ways to apply your knowledge. Joining a study group or finding a tutor can be especially helpful.

Keep the Big Picture in Mind

When you’re struggling to stay motivated, avoid thinking about what you dislike at the moment and focus on your long-term goals. Remember why you chose your major and how you hope to use your education after you graduate. If you can, take action to start working toward your goals now. For instance, you could search for a part-time job in your field of interest, apply for an internship, or attend networking events.

Switch Majors

Your major may simply not be what you expected. Perhaps you discover your passions lie elsewhere, none of the classes resonate with you, or you decide you’d prefer to pursue a different career path. In any of these cases, your best option may be to switch majors. This is less problematic if you’ve only recently started university — if you’re further along, you may need to choose something related to avoid losing too much credit.

If the main problem is that your major is difficult, the solution is to make studying easier. You can’t expect to be able to focus when you’re sharing a room and constantly facing distractions. Your best option is to move into off-campus housing. Ottawa students can find a new home at 1Eleven. You’ll be living just steps from campus, meaning you’ll be able to make it to your classes easily. Plus, as well as studying in your fully-furnished suite, you can use our dedicated study spaces. Book a tour to check out all our modern amenities.