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My decisions
Archive for August, 2009
Tips To Help You Decide on a College Major
Whether you are a freshman about to start classes or a junior who has switched majors three times already, if you are a college student who has not declared a major, trying to decide on one can feel overwhelming (especially if your roommate has been set on his major since middle school). Don’t worry, I’ve got your back. Here are some tips for making this “major” decision:
You better shop around. Most colleges give you until the end of your sophomore year to decide on and declare a major. You should take advantage of your first two years by taking classes in any subject that even mildly interests you. You may fall in love with graphic design or decide that biology is just not for you—you won’t know until you do some experimenting!
The older, the wiser. I’m not talking about asking your great-grandmother for advice on how to break into computer programming! Ask an upperclassman or a recent grad for the inside scoop on academic departments, professors, and majors. Older and wiser students are a great resource because they know the ropes firsthand and they can afford to be 100 percent honest with you—they have nothing to lose!
Gauge your goals. Do you have specific career goals? Are you hoping to figure them out later in your college career? There is no wrong answer—plenty of college students graduate completely clueless about their next step and that’s perfectly fine! But, if you do have a specific goal, you should decide on a major that will help you achieve your dreams. Consider meeting with an adviser to learn which academic majors match well with specific career paths.
Don’t forget to breathe. I promise–you will get through this. Don’t get me wrong, choosing a major is a big decision. But you’re not giving away your first-born child here. If you have a change of heart and it’s not too late in the game, you can always decide to make a switch!
Helpful College Major Links
For those of you who have already been through this process, what other tips would you give?
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Decide to Take Care of Yourself During the Decision Making Process
We all consider other people when making important decisions. Family, significant others, and friends all play roles in our choices, especially when our choices impact others. Sometimes we are too nice for our own good! Make sure that you decide to make your own happiness a top priority, or you’ll risk driving yourself crazy.
I’m not giving you permission to decide to be a total jerk. If you’re considering moving for a new job and dragging your spouse and children cross-country, then you should decide to factor in their best interests as well as your own. But if you are deciding on a boyfriend or presidential candidate, don’t get bogged down with too much external pressure. Your family and friends may give you their two cents, but you’re the one who has to live with your decision, so don’t forget to take care of yourself. You’ve probably heard it a million times, but if you don’t put yourself first, who will?
Follow Let Simon Decide on Twitter for Decision Tips and Resources!
Hey all you addicts! I just want to make sure that all of you know where to find me on Twitter. My name is (pretty self-explanatory, I know).
I am having a blast following great resources for all your big decisions–college, career, and finance experts, plus regular people making the same decisions as you. It’s really cool to be able to give advice to people who are trying to decide and also to get advice from people who know more about a certain field than I do.
I look forward to being followed by and also following the whole Simon community! See you on …