Why you should be excited if you're undecided.

Though I’d met plenty of people that were also unsure about their major, I was initially stressed coming into freshman year without a clear idea of what I wanted to study. My pre-major advisor told me to use the College’s requirement system as a roadmap to explore a variety of subjects offered within the College. I ended up taking a range of classes from intro to Astronomy to American Political Thought. Very quickly, I got an idea of which classes and departments I was passionate about. In not knowing my major, not only was I checking off graduation requirements, I was finding my place in the College. Being undecided meant I could look at each class as a new opportunity to find my “thing,” and quickly my stress freshman year had turned into excitement at all the options available to me. For example, I took Intro to Psychology to fulfill the living world sector, not expecting it to become one of the best classes I’ve taken at Penn. I plan to take another class with the same professor before I graduate, not necessarily for any kind of requirement, but just because it’s something I’m excited to learn. Exploring classes in the College also allowed me to meet so many people outside my major, many people who have remained my friends today. While I’m absolutely thrilled about my major now (ask me about Penn English!), I’m so grateful it took me a little while to find it.

- Sami H.