And So It Has Finally Happened…

I think I want to change my major.

Yikes.

A terrifying, yet not at all uncommon revelation for most college students.

I can easily say I did not see this coming, not one bit.

My senior year I finally landed on Journalism as my intended major, and as I began scouring the website of my college (at that time, University of New Mexico), I found the perfect degree plan. It was called Strategic Communications, and was a lovely mashup of journalism, advertising, PR and all that good stuff. It seemed perfect for me, and I was so exciting for all the options of classes I had to choose from. I was even planning on throwing in a few photography and creative writing courses, and then I would have the perfect education, in my mind.

Flash forward to summer, when I found out I would no longer be able to attend UNM due to financial reasons, and would be transferring to University of Houston and moving back home. At UH, their communication majors were all separated out, instead of combined like at UNM. I opted for advertising, as I dreamt of drinking whiskey in my future office Mad Men style (joking- kind of). Advertising never felt quite right though; I found myself often looking at the degree plan for it, and wondering where was the room for the creative classes? Why are they all focused on things like account management? Can’t I learn web design and photography with this degree?

This morning, I decided to finally start registering for next semester. I have been meaning to take a real photography class, so I figured next semester I might as well sign up for it! However, I quickly came to find out only Art department majors can take art classes… which is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. That was sort of the catalyst for everything. I started looking at the Art department page to see if there was a minor I could take that would let me enroll in art classes. From there, I stumbled upon the page for the Graphic Design major….

It caught my eye like no other. I was reading some of the class descriptions, and they sounded so cool. Plus, as an art major, I could take photo classes! I was thinking about the sorts of things I would want to do in the future, and what jobs I would want to have. I have always known I wanted to do something creative. Graphic design just made…. sense, all of a sudden. Graphic design, with a minor in advertising seemed like the perfect education, now.

I will be honest- it freaks me out that my career goals have changed so much over the past year- to the point where I want to change my major. I always thought I was so dead set on Journalism/Communications in general. I still love the field. I can still work in the field as a graphic designer. But I can also get my creative fix.

A girl I work with is a graphic design major, so I intend to talk to her and do some research and soul searching before I commit to this decision… but graphic design has me excited in a way that advertising hasn’t in a while…

To be continued..

Have you ever changed your major? How were you certain you were making the right choice? Let me know in the comments!