The best advice I can give to anyone is this: don’t be afraid to explore, even if it doesn’t fit perfectly into your DARS four-year plan. Trying new classes, even the ones outside your major can help you figure out what you actually want to do for the rest of your life because choosing a lifelong career at 18 years old is just a tad bit overwhelming.
I didn’t officially choose my major until the end of sophomore year. Now, I’m double majoring in Consumer Behavior & Marketplace Studies and Information Science, with minors in Computer and Data Science, and Digital Media Analytics. It sounds like a lot, but it was all a part of my journey to finding out my passion.
I started college completely undecided. Then I chose nursing because it felt like a good career path. I started with Chem 103, one of the prerequisites and it made me realize that it was not for me. I struggled through it and hated it and I did not stick around.
That summer, I tried out CS 200 and I actually liked it but I wasn’t sure it was the right major for me. I took a few consumer behavior classes and something finally clicked. That’s when I realized that figuring out your major is a process, and it’s completely okay for that process to take time.
Your major might not come to you right away, and that’s okay.
Here is a link to all of the UW-Madison majors and minors to help you explore.
An image of the Wisconsin Guide to Majors, Minors and Graduate Studies.