The struggle is real when it comes to deciding a college major.

I mean who knows what they want to be doing for the rest of their life at 19 anyways?

Whether it's having a too broad interest or not finding the perfect fit for you, choosing a major can be seriously stressful and cause a lot of anxiety.

As someone with anxiety, I've found that journaling is the best way to slow down racing thoughts and get to the root of the problem. Journaling to find some clarity can be even more helpful when you're trying to make a major life decision. This where bullet journaling can help

Here’s what you’ll need:

A blank piece of paper
A pen
Silence
An open mind

The best thoughts come to us in absolute silence so you'll want to work out some one on one time with yourself to have this deep internal discussion. You're more likely to get the answers you need if you limit distractions.

Now that you've gotten everything, you'll want to break up your journaling in three sections

Part 1) reflecting

Part 2) analyzing

Part 3) accepting

Reflecting:

What a hobby that you enjoyed as a child and do you still do it? If not, why?
What's something you've been told you're good at and how did that statement make you feel?
If I wasn't in college and money wasn't an issue I would be doing
What dreams or goals have you ever had that you've thought are unrealistic (past or present and why?
How does thinking about the major options at your school make you feel and why?

Analyzing:

If I could drop/skip one class what would it be and why?
I get excited when people ask me to do ...because…. (fill in the blank)
I've always thought I wasn't good at…
The worst part of school is
If I could create my own school what would it teach and why? (get creative with these questions)

Feeling stuck? Here’s a post on how to be successful in college

Accepting:

I'm going to school because…
What are you looking forward to in the next academic year
My biggest fear in college is…
What do I think will happen if I pick the wrong major? and how would I handle that?
Everyone thinks I should pick…but….. (Fill in the blank)

After you've gone through these questions you should have some clarity about 3 of the biggest issues plaguing undecided students

Not enough major options at your school
A lack of interest in college in general
Feeling overwhelmed with options

The goal of these questions isn't to get you to instantaneously figure out your major, but it’s supposed to untangle the feeling you have around picked a major and get you to let your guard down enough to realize WHAT is blocking you from picking the right major for you.

This is just the first step

Reflection brings clarity but you'll need ACTION to get results. Really acknowledge your feelings and find practical solutions that work for YOU even if it means taking the step to transfer, taking some time off or start taking some new classes.

As I always say, DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE PIVOT.

Happy Studying!