As a senior in high school, I can be the first to admit what’s supposed to be “the best year of high school” is bombarded with pressure and choices. As a freshman, I could not wait for my “easy as a breeze” senior year, a time to just have fun. Sadly, I was very incorrect.
Here I am four years later and let me tell you it is not easy. Seniors are constantly deciding which AP or college classes to take, as well as continually being asked the hated question, “what’s next after high school?” It seems as if there is an unspoken pressure on seniors to makes one decision that will will be permanent the rest of college and their life.
The idea of college can be fraught and full of anxiety because of the thought we have to make our career choice right now. When in reality, changing and shifting majors is more common than people think. Whether their passion changes, or they just become uninterested, college students are frequently changing majors. In fact, the U.S. Education Department’s National Center for Education Statistics found that one-third of first time college students change their major once within three years.
Although it may not sound like the most appealing idea, and yes it may take some extra classes, it is important to know changing majors is an option. When you decide, it doesn’t have to be final, and there is room to be flexible and change your mind. If seniors understood that it is not mandatory to have your life exactly planned out by seventeen and eighteen years old, maybe college would sound more exciting.
So seniors, stop fretting and worrying about every little move, find your passions and understand they may change when you get there. Think and prepare for your future, but also enjoy your last year in high school, and make it count.
