Freshman year of college is one of the most exciting times in your life. You are away from your parents, you’re making brand new friends and you’re able to start making decisions for yourself. You’re taking the first step to becoming an adult.

One of the hardest decisions in college is picking your major. There are so many different subject areas to choose from. At one glance, it may seem nearly impossible to pick the one that will be right for you. I’ve been there. It’s a scary task! I read something online once that said, “One second we have to raise our hands and ask to go to the bathroom and the next second we’re supposed to decide what we want to do for the rest of our lives.”

This statement seems very true and relatable for most kids leaving high school–whether heading off to college or not! However, it’s not so scary when you start to narrow down your selection and see what really interests you.

Know your strengths and weaknesses.

When I was figuring out what I wanted to do in college, I knew there had to be some sort of starting point. For example, I am terrible—and I mean terrible—with math and science. I dislike both subjects and have never been good at either (both probably go hand–in–hand). Right off the bat, I crossed off so many majors that didn’t interest me whatsoever. Pick a topic in school that is least appealing to you and use that to start your process of elimination.

See what awesome programs your school has to offer!

Some people decide to go to a school based on its location, size, or school spirit. It’s okay to not pick a school based solely on majors. Take a look at what programs your school may have. You may find a program that really interests you; like internship opportunities, study abroad options, or accelerated programs that relate to your interests. By looking into programs like these, you may find yourself interested in fields that you never would have thought to even check out.

Go undecided.

I know this part is confusing. I’m telling you how to pick your major and then saying start off undecided. In reality, going into your first year of college ‘undecided’ is actually really helpful. Your college will most likely require you to take some type of general education, such as math, biology, and English. Core requirements can give you a taste of so many different topics you can go into moving forward. Starting off college undecided can really clear your mind and lead you in the right direction.

Choose something that you’re not only going to enjoy, but will also grow your interest, and help you mature. School will be miserable if you don’t like your major. College is supposed to prepare you for getting a job later on, so if you hate what you’re doing, you’re never going to be happy in that field, or be qualified for a job you’d be more interested in. Explore your options and see what suits you best. The possibilities are endless!