Dear Chip,

I’m a senior in high school planning on graduating this spring. However, I’m starting to worry about my plans for the future. I plan on going to college, but the thing is, I have no idea what I’m going to major in. Throughout my life, I have never been very passionate about anything, at least not enough for me to pursue it as a career. It’s nerve-wracking for me to suddenly have to choose something that I could be doing for the rest of my life. I have ideas of what I want to major in, but none of them are solid enough to stick with me. On top of all that, my mom has been breathing down my neck about the whole situation. I get good grades, so she wants me to put them to good use and study something that will test my intellect and land me a high-paying job. She has also been nudging me to apply to a university, specifically Kenesaw State University, which is 2 hours away and would cost a lot of money. I’ve already expressed to her how I want to attend a cheaper community college close by, but I’m starting to suspect that she might disagree with my choice. Long story short, I have no clue what I want to do after I graduate high school, and my mom is not helping the situation. Any advice?

Sincerely, Anxious Senior

Dear Anxious Senior,

I completely understand the pressure of having to choose what to major in college. As a fellow senior, I also am not 100 percent sure what to major in, but I think college is a learning experience that will help us figure out what we want to do in life. To make you feel better I think you shouldn’t stress yourself too much about choosing a major right at this moment. You should do some research on the majors you might be interested in and the college you want to go to offers. You aren’t required to declare your major until a couple of semesters into college, so there is still time! You should use those first couple of semesters to explore electives and try different things you may be interested in.

As for the situation with your mother, my thoughts are that you should do what you believe is right for you and better suits your needs. If you believe what’s best for you is going to a community college, then you should do that! I believe your mother should respect your choice because it’s your future and she has already lived this era of her life, she should let you do the same. You shouldn’t live your life for others, and this is a decision only you can make. So, I think you should have a conversation with her and explain to her how you feel.

In conclusion, I feel like most of us seniors feel that bit of uncertainty and fright for what the future has in store for us, so you’re not alone! I believe you should take everything one step at a time and use college as an opportunity for self-discovery. I’m not an advice expert but I hope this letter has helped you out in the slightest or at least made you feel a little less alone in the matter.

Sincerely,

Chip