Have you changed your major?

[Tucker]

Reading all of your stories up there makes me sad. My University was all small and dumb. It was probably the worst decision in my life to go there. I really would have loved doing an Anthropology major, but small university = no program. We didn't even have concentration really within the English program either. If I could have focused on Arthurian legends I would have maybe actually enjoyed school.

[callmeishmael]

First Armadillo post! Woo!

I'm at a community college right now, and I started off as an English major, and applied to schools as such. Then I decided I wanted to go into neuroscience, and spent this last semester taking chemistry and psychology classes.

I quickly learned that neuroscience was not for me, and I went back to English, which is lucky since I was accepted to schools as an English major. So I am once again an English major, even though I'm now considering Mesoamerican archeology as a side interest.

My dream in life is to become an author. I love reading and literature, but I'm also interested in certain types of history. Basically I have no idea if I should truly be an English major, but I relate to most of the blog posts, so I guess that's a sign.

[Wayfinder]

May 30, 2011 12:39:23 GMT -5 Dodger Thirteen said:

I'm taking Arthurian Literature next spring, despite the fact that the professor terrifies me. She's a very intense woman. I need to decide what to do for my final study, though....

The closes thing we have to Arthurian Literature is English Literature in the Middle Ages. Half the course was about Arthur and his knights.

[yellehs]

When I was in college the English major totally intimidated me so I majored in international studies. Later on after Naval service I went back to school and made up an English major. After that I got a Masters and then pursued an ill-fated PhD experience. I wound up in public information and PR, having taught myself the journalist's style. At long last I am writing. I am an aspiring author at a very late stage. History tells me I might have been better off like Melville and stayed at sea --- writing. I try not to dwell on might have beens. If you're going to do it, do it NOW. I mean write, write, write and know that you will have to be your own marketer. I have a lot of experience to draw on, but the writer's market is brutal. Nevertheless, coming back to an English major has given me nothing but pleasure. Nothing is better for the criticism of life than literature.

[andreaisabbbw]

I was going to be another brainless business major because it appeased my parents, but I declared English as my major like I originally intended. I don't regret it and I love it.

[devilishlybookish]

I always wanted to be an English major but my Mother insisted it wasn't practial, so when I started college it was as an Education major. A year of being miserable later, I changed universities AND majors. I earned my BA in English about a month ago now and I regret nothing.

...But if anybody owns a business and has need for someone with an English degree...>.>

[pjthefey]

I was a psychology major before switching to English and it helped me to realize my love for character development in fiction writing. I'm currently thinking about adding an individualized studies "Second Language Education Studies" degree as a double major.

[casey]

I started out as a Media Arts & Studies major until I realized that basically all I was doing was glorified English. I don't want to spend my university time basically in trade school learning about equipment and FinalCut and things that will be totally defunct or changed 5 years from now. Also, the media majors were INSUFFERABLY stupid. I'm not kidding. It was difficult to try and elevate the conversation and then I just looked like a pretentious asshole. The teachers were also mediocre at best.

It was a huge decision for me to change to English, but once I did, I just felt so liberated. It is just RIGHT. All the English professors I had here were amazing and they were the only truly stimulating classes I had taken. People think English is impractical for anything but teaching, but I am not really plagued by that misconception. As far as I'm concerned I'm developing better communication, persuasive, and analytical skills than anyone I know. I can do whatever the hell I want, TV, PR, publishing, law school, grad school, whatever.

[yellehs]

For my BA I originally majored in international studies: Latin America focus. I had a roommate, Phi Beta Kappa eventually, and brilliant fellow. His satchel was always full of intriguing titles. I was very intimidated by the English Major --- John in particular. After the Navy I went back to school, made up an English Major and went on for a Masters and even had an ill-fated shot at the PhD. I thought being an English professor would be the finest ever career. I was mistaken. For the most part they are researchers, not teachers. I wound up in public relations. All that writing was good for the PR field. I was fortunate to discover PR. Looking back I would do it all again, at least through the Masters. By the time I finished my MA, literature had become part of my fiber. It might have been wiser for me to have then gone to j school or into education/communications, i.e. something with a pragmatic application. I am a lifelong student, but not a scholar of esoteric and effete matters. If you're interested, there's a blog at
www.thetortoisefactor.com about the PhD Octopus and more really. I have much respect for all of you so dedicated to the humanities. My career has been a chess board, but I have had no better mentor than all the literature I have experienced.

Best regards to all of you. I wish you fair winds and following seas.

[inarikins]

I started out as a Veterinary Technology major basically because my mom was like 'let's go visit this school' so we did and I kind of ended up doing it because I felt like I needed some sort of college education. Took two and a half quarters, then dropped out because I realized I didn't actually want to be a vet tech. Plus, at the school I'm starting in the fall, I can live in the dorms two hours from home and eat there for the price of living at home and just paying tuition at the other school.

Granted, half my trust fund is gone now, but... Hopefully I'll have a job after I graduate that's not teaching (because I really don't want to teach, unless I can get a job teaching writing somewhere) so I don't end up moving back in with my parents at 25 and having to work minimum wage just to pay off my student loans. /sobs

[Inquisitive White Rabbit]

Actually, I'm currently considering to change to English Literature. I entered my University under pre-med because my father brain washed me into thinking I wanted to be a pediatric doctor. However, I quickly realized I had 0 interest in becoming a doctor at all, much less having to work with other peoples bad behaving children. So I stayed in pre-med with the hope of swapping to a Biology degree and then getting my masters as a Lab technician. It seemed like a good idea, but classes are a pain in the ass to get in my institute. They don't offer enough sessions to meet the demand. In fact, I'm going to my 6th year and I still haven't had the chance to take Organic Chemistry, and that's a second year class.

Anyways, the point is that it's been so frustrating I've begun to wonder if it's really worth my time. To be honest I'm not passionate about science. I like it, but i don't LOVE it. What I DID love was the one literature class I did manage to take: Modern British Literature. I fell in love with that class. Thomas Hardy, Oscar Wilde, Vera Brittain: all these authors motivated me in a way like no other class ever has. They really made me realize that my passion lays in literature. Not just that, but I really wish to share that passion with others. I've tried talking to my friends, I really have. There's just no way to make them understand, not without starting at the beginning. Which they never have time for.

I have to admit I'm really reluctant to make the change: what with my father being all "You should be a psychologist!!!" and what not. In fact, he went as far as to blame the institute for my failing grades in the math classes. I know I'd be an excellent literature professor, and I actually like the idea of giving a high school class. At least, I hope I'd make a good professor/teacher.

I'm so scared of making a mistake or wrong decision, and yet I don't want to be in college for ten years only to graduate with a degree in Biology that I loath!. I'm scared, confused, and just plain lost. So I'm actually asking my fellow Armadillo's for counsel: what should I do? I'd really appreciate opinions.

[serpentheart]

I started off doing a Bachelor of Visual Arts. Major in Drawing and minor in Art History.
I enjoyed history so much that I took the plunge after one year and changed to a BA at a different university in my city (we have three). So far I've changed from a major in History to a double major in European Studies and English.
Though right now I'm considering adding a second degree to complete at the same time, Science. I really want to do Physics, Evolutionary Biology or Geology. Maybe maybe...

Where I live, Australia, you apply to degrees up front (Like my UK friend up there ). Luckily, I have 7 years of full time study available to me paid by the government (I pay it back in taxes when I earn enough). So switching degrees isn't much of a pain. And my boyfriend went to my current university so it wasn't too new and scary. XD