the upside of “undecided”

some people enter the college admissions process with a clear idea of what they want to be when they “grow up.” they know what they want to do, where they want to go for grad/professional school (because that’s where most people end up!), where they plan to live… their lives are completely mapped out. in their heads, at least. they don’t have to go through the ‘oh crap, i need to pick a major’ panic attack that hits the majority of high school & college students when it comes time to make that decision. making that choice is tough, even if you have an idea of what you want to do. that act of writing it down and making it official is what gets a lot of people all riled up.
at columbia, we had to formally declare our major at the end of sophomore year, and i remember my roommie having a series of minor breakdowns at the thought of declaring, even though she knew exactly what she wanted to do. i, on the other hand, never took it seriously, and officially changed my major like 5 times before graduation and didn’t truly realize what i wanted to do with myself until almost a year after i graduated. this may sound weird and flaky (and it kind of is, i’ll admit it), but it worked out because all of the trial and error helped me figure out what i didn’t want to do.
this option often goes unused, with students thinking that once they make a choice they have to stick to it… or else. which is completely not true! trying different things and ruling out the ones that don’t work gives you a foundation for making an informed decision when the time comes. and even if you choose something that turns out to be a bad fit, there is always an out. in a way, choosing a major is a lot like dating: you don’t marry someone on the first date; you have to see what they’re like and if you really like them. if not, you’re just setting yourself up for an unhappy time.
it is important to remember that nothing is set in stone. ever. the ‘intended major’ that you put on your application can be changed once you get to campus. the ‘declared major’ that goes on your official papers can be changed, usually until a semester before graduation. keep in mind that making changes later in the game could cause you to have additional coursework and perhaps add extra time to your undergraduate career, but don’t let that stop you if it is something that you really want to do. happiness is key, because there is nothing better than doing what you love. trust me.