Ah, the first week of Spring term. Everyone is back from their lovely breaks and settling into their new schedules, looking forward to beautiful weather. I spent my spring break in Tucson, Arizona. The weather was beautiful and it was quite the transition going from 90 degree weather back to 40!! But there is so much to look forward to in Spring term so returning is a great thing. This will be the third term of this year, and as I start thinking about my Junior year coming to an end, it brings me back to my freshman year, and makes me think of some things I wish I would’ve known back then.
One of the biggest things for me is thinking about how I came in as a freshman completely undecided; I had no clue where I wanted my life to go let alone my major. So for those students who come into Lawrence with no idea of what they would like to major in, I’m here to say I was the same and it can actually be a blessing in disguise. It is hard to be surrounded by so many people that are dead set on what they want to do, and what they want their major to be. I was definitely not one of those people. I came in being so interested in almost every subject that I could not just pick one. It is so hard to come in at 18 and be expected to know what you want to do after school, but I am here to say that it is OK if you don’t know yet.
I knew that I kind of liked mathematics and so I made sure that every term I had a math class that I was taking, but other than that I had no clue of what direction I was going to go. This is such a blessing because if you do not know what which path to follow, then you have time to follow so many different paths! I was fully able to embrace the liberal arts education that we are offered here at Lawrence University. I took so many classes that were completely out of my major, in things that I really, truly enjoyed. During your first year, you definitely have some time to explore, and if you’re like me, you will eventually realize which subject you like the most, but there is no harm in trying lots of them.
Another thing I learned from being completely undecided coming in is that there are SO many people here that would be more than happy to help push you in the right direction, or just be there to support you. One of the best people to talk to is your academic advisor – a professor who teaches in your area of study. They are there to help you with any questions you have about majors or classes to take. Not only will they help you with signing up for classes but they are also there to listen to your concerns, or to help you decide what you may potentially like to major in. You can also look for help at career services, but also from your peers around you. I was introduced to many amazing classes through my fellow peers who were helping me decide which path to take, and they are always there to support you even when you feel like you have no clue what you want to do with your life!
This undecidedness is something I struggled with for a long time, and I just sort of stumbled into my major, but am lucky enough to have had so many other experiences that taught me way more than just what my major is, which in turn has educated me in so many different but crucial ways for my growth here as a student. So if you are worried about not having a certain career path, don’t be! You have time to figure it out; I am a junior and I declared my major this year, but I still don’t have a career path in mind. But I know that that is OK because I have so many people here that can help me find the right choice for me. Lawrence is such an amazing environment, with people who just want to see you succeed and will help you in anyway that they can. I sure am lucky to be a Lawrentian, and now a proud math major.