College Advice

Stolen from this wonderful, thoughtful man - I wish someone had been around to tell me this when I changed my major back here.

Okay, that isn't totally fair - many of my friends were supportive (although I had to almost always tell them reasons - only Mary was nonjudgmental, from what I can remember), and Pete's family was very supportive. My family, on the other hand, well...not so much. People told me it was okay, but I wish that I had had a counselor that said these things.

Dear College Students:

You picked your major and determined the course of your professional life before you were really ready to do so.

Please don’t be offended by this.

Some of you were ready, because your passions aligned correctly.

But most of you picked what you thought would be best, well before you understood what it would mean in the decades to come.

Some of you are already discovering this to be true. I’ve worked and taught on a college campus for over a decade. I see it all the time. That’s okay.

You can change your major.

For those of you that didn’t just close this window:

Yes, it will suck. A lot.

But so will the lifetime you may otherwise invest in something you do not love.

Follow your gut. Especially when it is aligned with your heart. This especially goes for you creators. The drive to create will never go away.

Don’t do anything crazy. Don’t drop classes this minute. Talk to a counselor. A good one. One that loves what they do. If you don’t get one, make another appointment until you do.

Make it work.

Your future is worth it.

Hey, college students - from a person who's been there - this smart man is right. Don't finish just to finish. You're in college, finish it with something you love.

I have to say, the last three days at work have been a bit overwhelming but I am so glad I am doing that and not teaching. It would have been awful - not just for me, but I'm pretty sure for the students and my fellow staff as well.