Published February 9, 2026
From side quests to boss battles: How to stop settling for your major and start falling in love with your path.
Dating and falling in love with your major sounds silly, right? But think about it, how often do you spend time with your major?Â
- Have you joined any clubs tied to it?Â
- Have you taken your major out for a coffee… or at least a walk?
- How about dinner and a movie?Â
- Signed up for an internship or a job shadow?Â
Often, we decide on who we will be without really looking at all the pieces. We spend more time scrutinizing romantic partners than we do the career field we hope to join once we graduate. I’ve seen many of you get through degree requirements only to realize, uh oh—this isn’t it.
When I started at USM (and yes, it’s been a hot minute), I chose Social Work because I wanted to help people. Full stop. I didn’t look much deeper than that. I quickly realized it wasn’t the right fit. And no, changing my mind didn’t mean I failed. It meant I paid attention. Here’s the thing: there’s no right or wrong path. But there is your path, and it deserves some main character energy. Sure, there will be side quests. And yes, you’ll hit a few mid-boss battles. But when you explore what actually interests you, the challenges feel more manageable, the work feels more meaningful, and you start finding your people, friends, faculty, staff, and future colleagues who help you thrive.
So don’t take your major (or your future) at face value. Get curious. Visit the Career & Employment Hub. Join a student group connected with your interests. Study with people who push your thinking. Most important of all, talk to your faculty in your program. Learn what their life experiences are that helped bring them to this important part of their life – sharing the expertise and knowledge that you are going to use to be the best version of you. Take your major out on the town, spend some real time with it. Fall in love. ♥️
