Freedom in College

Cody Uyeda | Daily Trojan

In some ways, college is the last time that students are given absolute freedom to explore their interests. However, far too often, we are blinded by the moment, running along like racehorses with tunnel vision just trying to make it to graduation, forgetting that college is as much about the journey as it is about the piece of paper you get when you leave.

One of the biggest struggles that students face along this four-year journey is deciding what they want to study. It’s the question every college student has heard, but it is also one of the hardest to answer. At a school such as USC with over 90 majors and 150 minors, the choices seem endless. Many students often become intimidated by the prospect of changing majors too, or start to second guess themselves or feel guilty when they begin to prefer classes that challenge or excite them personally, but have no relevance to their current major or degree.

My first few semesters here, I found myself in that same struggle — counting units to see if I would graduate on time, and second guessing myself over and over when trying to decide whether or not it was worth it to add that second major or minor. Like most students, I arrived at USC majoring in what I was comfortable with. In that realm of familiarity though, I was unaware of the opportunity around me and, as it turned out, unaware of what really interested me. However, as someone who began with a single major but eventually ended with a double major and triple minor, what I realized along the way was that the moment I let go of being afraid and went for what I was interested in was the moment when college really started to open up for me. Instead of feeling like I was just going through the motions to get a degree, I found myself actually looking forward to classes because I was finally learning about what actually interested and resonated with me.

When it comes to exploring your academic interests, there really is no step-by-step guide, because everyone’s interests are different. The easy part is picking a class that appeals to you. The hard part is finding the courage to follow through. Luckily, USC’s system makes it easy to try new classes and programs with grading options such as pass/no pass and audit, and by offering summer classes to free up student’s schedules during the fall and spring. However, as with anyone trying something new, I have definitely had my share of awkward experiences, from sounding like a dying cat in an Intro to Singing course, to feeling completely out of my element in a web design workshop. However, each experience, good or bad, brought me one step closer to realizing what I did and didn’t like. Ultimately, it helped me realize exactly what I wanted to focus on in college.

Some students see it as a setback to change majors or add another program of study. However, I see it as a benefit, because it shows that you’ve grown. It shows that you’ve learned and explored, and are better off because of it. One of the greatest benefits of college is being able to add a major, switch up a minor, drop it one semester, then change your mind and pick it up again because you realized it’s exactly what you were searching for. It’s been said by some that what you learn about yourself in the process is worth more than the degree itself, and in many ways, I agree. College is where you are given absolute freedom to explore, so take advantage of the opportunity, conquer your hesitations and add that major or minor you’ve been thinking of, because more often than not, it will enrich your college experience like nothing else can.