Majors

I declared a major in both biology and Spanish the summer before starting my freshman year in college with the hopes and aspirations of becoming a dermatologist and somewhat bilingual. The profession of dermatology had always fascinated me, so I based my biology major on what I wanted to be in the future. I didn’t really have a strong science background in high school but I knew I wanted to be a dermatologist.

Freshman year came, classes started, and I got my first dose of the pre-med lifestyle by taking the honors biology and general chemistry courses...and they weren’t so bad! I got high As on my first chemistry test and biology practical (after studying tons of course!). As the semester went on, the courses definitely got harder and I found myself studying more than ever. And the more I studied, the more I realized how much I disliked learning about the material presented to me. Learning about plants in biology was especially painful—I mean, why would I ever need to know the function of xylems and phloems??

First semester of freshman year was coming to an end and I was feeling more and more unhappy about my biology major as the days went by. I’ve always had some interest in art, so I talked to a few of my friends who were graphic design and interior design majors. I even met with professors within the departments to learn more about the programs. After finding out that both of the majors were 4-year programs and that I had already missed out on the first semester, I decided not to switch.

Christmas break came at a perfect time; it let me relax, de-stress, and think about my goals. I remembered how badly I wanted to become a dermatologist and this instilled a new passion in me for school—even if I didn’t like my classes. I finished up freshman year (it was rough!) and signed up for my sophomore year biology classes.

Sophomore year began and, once again, I dreaded my science classes and envied how much my roommates loved their own majors. I began shadowing my dermatologist at home to get a better perspective of the profession and, I’ve got to say, this was probably the best decision ever. I found that I could never do what she did on a daily basis, and this realization finally convinced me to do something about my biology major. I nervously told my parents about my decision to find a new major; they were surprisingly supportive! I then went to career services, where I took a bunch of tests. My top major choices based on the test were marketing and strategic communications (advertising and public relations). I decided to go with strategic communications since I could fit it into my degree plan.

I am currently pursuing a degree in strategic communications and Spanish with a certificate in international studies and don’t plan to change. I’m still in the early stages of my new major but so far, so good! I like going to class and have learned so much already. I’m even excited about taking the upper-level classes and extra electives (something I completely dreaded for biology)! I’ve learned that when making important decisions I should always go with what my heart is telling me; I’ve learned not to doubt what I feel is right and I think this has helped me become a better “me.” I finally acted on what my heart was telling me to do, even though it took two years, and couldn’t be happier!

“Listen to your heart. It knows all things, because it came from the Soul of the World, and it will one day return there.” The Alchemist