Choosing a major is one of the most important decisions in one’s college career. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the first choices students are pressured to make. And the ramifications for selecting a pathway inappropriate for you vary wildly, from adding on a semester to catch up on classes, to going back to school years later. Therefore it’s critical that you decide on a major that both satisfies your interests and secures your economic future. In my case, I simply lacked the experience to say for certain exactly what I was interested in. My parents were willing to support me in whatever career path I chose, which was very kind but ultimately placed greater responsibility on me to enroll in a program that was compelling and feasible. I ended up selecting a major that aligned with where I believed my skills lay, namely, English—with the caveat that I would return to the matter after my first year at UD.

Over the course of two semesters, I managed to explore a variety of topics within and beyond my selected field of study. I took classes in subjects that had always interested me but were not offered in my previous schooling, all the while fulfilling a collection of breadth requirements I would need to complete regardless. By the conclusion of this investigative period, I had finally landed upon an avenue of study that I had always trended towards, but never thought to pursue: Computer Science. However, the idea of altering such a fundamental aspect of my college education appeared quite daunting. I feared that I might go about this process incorrectly as a consequence of my own ignorance, hindering my ability to take required courses or even delaying my graduation date. I wasted valuable time mulling over my decision and attempting to research the necessary steps. Continue reading