Dear freshmen,
Congratulations on your first step toward independence! If you’re anything like me, your bags are now unpacked, and the excitement of college threatens to overwhelm you at any moment. You’re ready to conquer the world, to make something of yourself. Nothing could possibly bring you down.
Yet.
There are many questions you’ll face throughout your freshmen year, but none as frequent or pressing as one: what is your major? At first, “undecided” will seem like a perfectly acceptable response, but as your friends and peers gradually drift closer to their future, panic will inevitably set in. The longer you remain undeclared, the more you will begin to question yourself and God.
I struggled more with my lack of a major freshmen year than anything else. Daily, I prayed God would send a divine sign, a grand gesture of some sort that would steer me in the right direction. When He didn’t, my faith began to dwindle.
Little did I know then that I would remain undecided until the last semester of my sophomore year. As time wore on, I grew more comfortable with God’s silence on the matter and slowly came to peace with the situation, simply because I had no other choice. Had I trusted God’s perfect timing from the start, I could have spared myself four grueling semesters of heartache and confusion.
So if God does not call you to political science or elementary education on the second day of school, don’t panic. Save yourself the stomach ulcers, and remember that His timing never fails. I know that’s far easier said than done. When anxiety begins to wear on your faith, check out these helpful verses: Jeremiah 29:11, Mathew 6:26, 1 Peter 5:7 and Philippians 4:6.
You only have one freshmen year, so don’t waste it worrying about a future God may not yet reveal. Enjoy the wonderful opportunities He has already prepared for you, and savor every second. Spend your first year of independence learning to be dependent on God, and the rest will fall into place.
Best wishes on your new journey!
Sincerely,
A senior