Major Exploration Night on Oct. 22 was an interesting event on campus. Many majors were displayed and introduced to freshmen, which helped them to navigate and figure out clearly about what major they want to choose in the next four years.

We, Hamline first-years, came to Major Exploration Night not only to know more information about the available majors at Hamline but also understand which major will benefit and fit our interests.

However, some first years are still worried about our major and minor. “What should I do to declare my major? I don’t know what my original interests are.” It is difficult to choose a major, and it is very confusing to fill the gap “major” on CommonApp. Entering college without a major, many of us will be afraid that an undecided major will put us behind our classmates or delay the degree, as well as affect negatively in the future.

“I feel shame because other students have already declared their major, but I haven’t,” first-year Delina Yihdego said.

But calm down, being undecided major is not such a bad thing. In contrast, an undecided major brings a lot of advantages for us.

Open major has a huge advantage that other decided majors cannot have. It is freedom. We are free to choose any class which makes us interested without being worried about its influence on our current major.

It is such a great feeling when you come to a class, wonder which lessons you will learn today, and realize that any subject or any class you choose can be your major in the future. Therefore, you have no pressure. Everything you have when entering college with an undecided major is many great experiences. You can feel free to explore various subjects from the sciences to women’s studies. You can learn diverse lessons from different professors from different fields.

“To me, I believe the benefit of an undecided major is that I’m open to try things,” first-year Gaofoua Evelynn said. “I take classes that may be out of my comfort zone to see if I enjoy it.”

Having the freedom to explore doesn’t mean wasting time. Because we are free to choose any class we want, we will be responsible for our choices. We can get a good GPA even though if we decide our major or not, this thing makes us put our efforts to try our best in any class we choose.

Most students who have an open major will choose their classes depending on their interests. Therefore, the interests in every class we enter will reflect ourselves effectively. Furthermore, experiencing different classes also help us cultivate our skills and improve them. The thing we need to do is take an honest look at our school day and think of our favorite part, then investigate how that interest could become a career.

“Take your time,” senior Oubeida Ouro-Akondo said “You have plenty of time to choose what you will learn in four years at Hamline. Therefore, don’t rush.”

An honest look also helps us to check what we do not like. Do you hate formulas or machines? The engineering major won’t suit you. And if you fear blood,going to medical school will not be a good choice. In other words, an undecided major gives us more chances to understand thoroughly ourselves and consider carefully the pros and cons of our interest field before deciding. Therefore, it’s safe to say that open major is a wise selection for the Hamline students in particular and other students in general who do want to be regret or choose the wrong path for their future.

It is possible to feel comfortable when you haven’t decided on a major. You will be guided by other older students, your professors as well as career development staff. I’m sure that they will be great mentors for students to choose their right major, which will be helpful for them in the future.

Don’t be scared if you have an undecided major. It is a great opportunity to be out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself. Every class you take will give you a broader viewpoint about this world. Take your time and experience this chance. You won’t regret it when you leave class.