One of the scariest questions that a high school senior or first year undergraduate can be asked is, “what do you want to study in college?” You are supposed to know what career path and what area you hope to study over the next 4 years. I mean you have a million and one things on your mind: Prom, AP courses, classes, papers, and whatever else ends up on your student to do list.
So, what do you say? What are you going to study? What are you going to do when you grow up?
I want to share with you my story about my undergraduate major and what I eventually chose as my career path.
In the spring of 1994, I was focused on studying the natural sciences, specifically Biology. I wanted to be a Medical Technologist. I realized in high school that I liked little organisms and investigating what made them “tick”. I did well in science and math in high school, so naturally everyone supported my desired and “intended” major. I began my undergraduate studies at a small Liberal Arts College in the Midwest. When I began, I tentatively declared my Biology major. After the first year of school, I realized that my passions also lead me to Theater. I started taking more Theater classes alongside my required science courses. As time continued, I realized that I had in fact started two major tracks one in Biology the other in Theater. By my third year in college, I declared my second major, Theater. In time, I also discovered Philosophy and how much I enjoyed the Eastern Philosophies something that I was not introduced to during my high school years. I would have been on track for a third major, but time ran out and I remained with a minor in Philosophy. So, in the spring of 1998, I found myself with two majors and one minor and no job!
What do I do? Where does this lead me? What’s my career path? I no longer wanted to be a Medical Technologist and I enjoyed theater but I was not going to be the next start on Broadway.
So, what does one do with a Biology and Theater major with a minor in Philosophy? Well, I say in all seriousness, you become an Admission Counselor. I found in my first two years as an Admission Counselor that the two seemingly separate worlds of the arts and the sciences worked together beautifully. Being an Admission Counselor, I had to present and be creative. I had to write out a script, read the audience, and improvise wherever necessary. In turn, I needed to be organized, methodical, and proficient in analyzing data. In addition, the two majors provided me with two varying styles of written and oral communication which gave me the opportunity to change my styles to accommodate different audiences. The Liberal Arts experience provided me the resources and tools to be a strong communicator, critical thinker and problem solver.
In the end, through my passions I found a love for education and a desire to share that love with students and their families. Twelve years later, I constantly use what I learned from my Undergraduate experience and apply my majors to my career whenever and where I can.
So, the next time someone asks, “What do you want study?”. Perhaps you can say, I want to study my passion which is…and let the conversation go from there. Best of luck and most of all enjoy!!!