College students are lost. Plain and simple. From the time they start looking at a colleges until the end of their sophomore year, students have virtually limitless opportunities in what they choose to study. While this may be a great opportunity for many, it can also be devastatingly overwhelming. At Villanova University students do not have to wait around and test classes before getting one-on-one interaction with departments. On October 3rd, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences put on a majors/minors fair open to all students. This event provides students with the opportunity to discuss a major or minor with both students and faculty with experience in that department and learn more about what is involved. Many students feel pressure to choose a major or minor simply for job prospects; this fair allows students to explore their interests in many ways and learn more about what is available to them. For example, a Finance major in the School of Business may feel like she is limited to the other departments in her school. However, a trip to the fair can change that trapped feeling, and allow her to pursue her passion in theater by exploring the minor. College students have to take advantage of all the opportunities available to them, and the majors and minors fair can help make students aware of all their options. Personally I found much success at the fair trying to decide what minor to pick up. After speaking with the sociology, psychology, mathematics, and communications department representatives, I knew I had come to a decision. For a year I was trying to get off the fence about which minor I was most interested in. And after attending the fair and seeing what sort of work was involved in each minor, the choice was easy. I encourage all college students to do the same. If your school has one of these events – GO TO IT. If your school doesn’t have one of these events – VISIT THE DEPARTMENTS. Exposure is one of the most crucial parts of college, whether it be to the outside world or to another part of campus. By opening yourself up to all the possibilities within your reach, you will likely find your best match for study. Being able to talk to students and professors in different departments one after another allows you to really see the positives and negatives to each option you are considering. And who knows, maybe you will fall in love and study something you’ve never heard of! Take the 30 minutes out of your day to do some exploration. It can only benefit you. And if you don’t think it does, then you only lost 30 minutes out of your day. But it is through events like these that students set themselves on the career path they were meant to be on. Spending time on the wrong major because you didn’t know about one, or thought one would get you a better job than another is not worthwhile. So instead, do something that is worthwhile, and find the major or minor that is right for you and will set you on your track.
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