The major you choose when attending college is a pretty impactful choice; the jobs you qualify for and the workforce you join will be heavily determined by the degree you graduate with. You don’t need to be sure about the major you choose when you first begin school, however, it is a choice you’ll need to make not soon after starting.

Choosing your major can be pretty stressful, however; you may find that a lot of things interest you and a fair amount of career paths are appealing! So, how do you go about narrowing down your decision when the time comes? Below are some tips for choosing a major that should be helpful.

What are your passions?

Consider what drives you. What’s most important to you? What do you think about often? What incites passionate feelings in you? The answers to these questions will be different for everyone and can really give you some insight into what field you might do best in and find long-term happiness in. Are you someone who enjoys working with children? You may want to consider being a teacher. Do you have a soft spot for animals and enjoy being around them? Perhaps veterinary science is the place for you. When you enter into a field that you are passionate about, chances are you’ll find success there. We’re always at our best when we are happy!

What are your interests/hobbies?

Sometimes your interests or hobbies may be the key to what major you should choose as they can be a good indicator of what you’re good at. Do you enjoy writing? Maybe a career in journalism would be a good fit. Maybe you’re good at debating points with your friends and family and enjoy a passionate and reasonable conversation - consider law. Enjoy solving math problems? Maybe a major specializing in finances is key for you.

Seek help from a trusted or school advisor.

It’s always good to seek outside opinion and guidance from those who have more experience and insight into the matter. Consider speaking to a teacher about your college major decision. You could also check into speaking with an advisor at your college and seeing how they can help. Sometimes an outside viewpoint will show and lead you to things you wouldn’t have otherwise seen, thus making your decision a little clearer.

Test the waters.

Consider taking some introductory courses and sitting in on some lectures in a major you are considering so you can gain some insight on what you might expect and see if it’s a good fit for you. This way you aren’t fully committing to a particular major yet, but you can better decide if it’s what you want to continue with. This is also a good time to speak with other students in the classes and ask questions of the professors in order to get a good feel for everything.

Will careers in the major you’re considering work with your other goals?

Your career is not the only thing tied in with your life goals, of course. So, while considering what learning and career path you’d like to take, it’s also important to think about how careers tied in with your major might work with other goals you have set for yourself. While often times you can still make your personal and career goals work together, even if not so easy, you can run into some stressful situations. Be sure to consider how you plan to balance your different goals together so that you can achieve what you set out to both professionally and personally without many setbacks.