Going into your first year of school can be a really tough adjustment. Not only are you adapting to an entirely new learning environment, making new friends and getting used to your classes, but your peering at the finish line already. What lies for you at the end of your university career can be an unsettling thought. However, find comfort in the journey and the fact that many of your fellow peers are equally unsure of what lies at the end. Taking the right steps to ensure that you go into higher education with the right amount of preparedness and self awareness is very important. What you’ll be spending your time studying is just as important.

The first step to deciding a major that you’ll love is self-analysis. Taking the time to reflect on what classes you were excited to take and what subjects interested you is key. With that reflection comes insight on what type of thinker are you? Do you like to break complex problems into easier systems? Perhaps engineering is the one for you. Are you a good communicator and can you maneuver through issues by conversation? Maybe political science or communication is for you. Or if you like to look at situations through the numbers, a major involving finance or business could best suit you.

Many students in retrospect will explain that majors can be ranked from easier to harder. There is some degree of truth to this, in the fact that some majors are more study-heavy than others. Going into college with the right foundation to approach your major is key as well. If there is a major that you’re passionate about, but are concerned about the amount of education you have to tackle it, thinking of doing an extra foundation year would be a good choice. Think about the sacrifice of one year of preparation for a career path you’ll be on for 20+ years.

A quick activity to do would be to rank your priorities in terms of a career and sort them out accordingly. Do you want to travel a lot? Do you want a solitary job or one that deals with people? How often would you like to be on the computer. Even thinking about the time and financial investment needed for post graduate school all plays a part in your decision. Should it be your first, or second year, of school, you can always go in undeclared and figure it out by enjoying the bevy of educational paths your school may offer to you.