Wichita State University
Lin Lindstrom at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.Photo courtesy of Lin Lindstrom
Lin Lindstrom
Lin is from Derby, Kansas and is studying psychology and biological science with minors in women's, ethnic & intersectional studies. They are an Honors student and a student assistant for the Office of Admissions.
Lin Lindstrom at the Georgia Aquarium.Photo courtesy of Lin Lindstrom
In third grade, the question “What am I going to be when I grow up?” felt so easy. You just said, “I want to be a fireman!” or “I want to be an astronaut,” or in my case, “I want to be a stay-at-home mom!” But now, as you enter college—and with the current economic climate making it much harder to stay home with the kids—you’re forced to revisit that question: What do I want to be when I grow up?
Picking a major is possibly the most daunting task as an incoming college student. Each major has so many intricacies, requirements and classes, with all different focuses and topics. It's hard to decide what to study, and it is even harder to decide what to do with that degree. But, for now, let's tackle the first question: how do you decide on a major?
The first step to deciding what you want for your major is to look inward. While it may sound cheesy, you are your own best friend. You know yourself better than anyone else in this world. So, as you are picking your degree plan, discuss these questions with yourself.
What Interests You?
What makes you want to learn more? Was there a particular subject in school that you loved to learn more about? A specific topic you liked to research?
And if not in school, what posts do you see online that draw you in? What makes you want to know more? These are the types of questions to think about when discovering what your interests are.
For me, it was sharks! I loved to see posts of sharks online, both the informational and silly ones. After learning more and more about sharks and marine science through apps like Instagram and TikTok, I began to read books and take more classes on environmental and marine biology. Now I plan on devoting my future to becoming a shark biologist. These interests don’t have to be rooted in your education, they can come from anywhere!
What Are Your Hobbies?
How do you spend your free time? Do you prefer indulging in the arts or physical activity? Do you like to spend time with friends, or do you prefer to be alone? Do you like working with kids? These questions will help guide you in picking what major will be the most fulfilling for you.
You want your major to be something you enjoy doing. If there is no passion in the degree path you pick, finishing the degree will be much harder. And the biggest thing is make sure you are picking a major that YOU want, not one your friends or family might have chosen for you. These people want the best for you, but they are not you. College is your time to begin discovering who you are and what you want to do. So, if you like painting more than engineering, don’t feel pressured to choose the one that isn’t true to you.
Lin Lindstrom, center, with a shark at the Georgia Aquarium. Photo courtesy of Lin Lindstrom
What Does Future You Look Like?
Now going back to that age-old question - What do you want to be when you grow up? Consider what career field you want to go into. Do you want to be in healthcare or research? Do you want to be a doctor, dentist, biologist, teacher, politician, engineer, sculptor, etc. And if you do not have a specific career in mind, consider what you want to do more of in the future. Do you want to devote your time to helping people? Do you want to become engaged in politics? Do you want to start your own business? These questions can help build a foundation for what you want your future to be, and help you find a degree path to get you there.
Even if you have no idea what you want for your future, that is ok too! College is a time for exploration, and you will find many career paths you had no idea existed. At Wichita State for instance, the Shocker Career Accelerator (SCA) often hosts career fairs for students looking for new job opportunities. If you are looking to discover some of these programs and businesses, feel free to stop by! Getting connected with SCA also provides support in your college journey. Through their PathwayU program, they guide you through a personalized career exploration process to see what degree and career fits you best.
If you are undecided, do not feel like you need to rush into finding a major or degree plan. Wichita State offers several opportunities to students who are undecided on a major to discover what major is best for them. As a first-year student coming in, you are welcome to start as an undecided student. Throughout your first year as undecided, you can take many different classes to discover what degree path may be the best for you.
If you struggle on deciding just one program, we also have other degree paths for just that! Our Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences offers a General Studies major where you can choose one main area of study through LAS, and two additional areas from any other department or college. The Cohen Honors College also offers Honors Baccalaureate. In this program, you can choose two to three concentrations from at least two academic colleges and create your own plan of study. Not deciding a major does not mean you are falling behind, it means you have so many more opportunities to explore!
Now that you are all grown up and headed off to college, you are likely beginning to realize that the “What do you want to be when you grow up?” presentation wasn’t actually as simple as your third-grade teacher made it seem. There are so many different possibilities, careers and studies out there for you to choose from, and it can be a lot of pressure. Just know, you are not alone. No matter where you go or what you do, you will always have people in your corner to support you and help guide you along the right path. You don’t need to decide your future now, you have a whole life ahead of you. And who knows, maybe someday you could live your childhood dream of being a stay-at-home mom!