When I first entered UMass, I was on the SBS Exploratory Track. I had no idea what I wanted to major in, or where I saw myself in the future. I took a variety of courses my first semester, and I still was confused. It felt like all of my friends who were declared in a specific major were farther ahead of me. I had a difficult time and felt pressured to keep up with everyone around me.
Before I went home for winter break, I met with my advisor to discuss what courses I should take in the spring. One class that I was advised to take was COMM121, Introduction to Media and Culture. It was this communication course that made me realize what I wanted to study. I declared my major as Communication by the end of that spring semester. Half of my friends who entered the University with a chosen major ended up changing it either at the same time or after me.
My biggest lesson from this experience was that if you enter the University unsure of what direction you want to take, you are not behind students who are already declared. Everyone’s path is different and is not linear. Take advantage of all the different courses UMass offers, and focus on what interests you. It is also important to understand that it is ok to change majors, it happens all the time and you are not alone. There is an ample amount of support and resources that the Pathways center offers to their students. We have Peer Advising drop-in hours for advice, Academic advisors, and our website (just to name a few). Feel free to stop by Thompson 128, we would love to see you!
