进入一所梦想的学校、就读适合自己的专业，毕业后找一份喜欢的工作是留学生梦寐以求的。其实，不论就读怎样的学校，一定需要选择一个合适自己的专业，你的兴趣是什么？你想学习什么？这才能主导你毕业的方向。在美国75%的学校提供专业undecided选择，同学们有充分的时间选择，海外升学教师Dakota作为"过来人"，来看看她有怎样的建议？

　　Looking back at my high school self, I have to laugh. I truly believed I had my life figured out completely. Studying journalism at Columbia University and becoming a distinguished investigative journalist was all part of the plan. Needless to say this couldn't be further from reality - I found myself in Iowa's cornfields studying Anthropology and realizing my passions for Latin American history and cultures. Now I'm a Counselor in China.

　　This mini anecdote serves to show that picking your college major is a process. It can be a daunting process, but it doesn't have to be. It should be an exciting decision because maybe for the first time you have the chance to study what you want. Perhaps this freedom is overwhelming and you don't know what to do with it. Relax, because you and about 18 million other American college freshmen are undoubtedly feeling this way. This is why about 50% of students enter college as undecided and close to 75% change their major at least once before graduating (Pennsylvania State University 2013).If this is the case, keep some factors in mind - interest, learning style, courses, and opportunities.

　　A major is your program of study in college, or put simply, your main academic focus. Examples include Business, Computer Science, Sociology, and Theatre. You will take roughly eight to ten classes in this major alone out of about 32 classes that you'll take in college. This may not seem like a lot, but you will be spending a lot of time in these classes. Also, there are a lot of majors to choose from; some schools have over 200 available programs. So, how do you sort through them and choose?

　　My first piece of advice is to take a deep breath and think about your interests. What you don't want to do is to randomly pick one. Think about what you like to study. Take some time to think about which subjects you have enjoyed so far in your school and why. Maybe, for example, you really like Physics because you enjoyed doing experiments and seeing how things work. Or perhaps you loved Music or Math because you were just good at it. The classes you like will help you better understand yourself, and help you select a major. Think about your strengths and weaknesses and whether or not you want to continue with subjects you've taken.

　　Further, think about what you like to do in your spare time. Do you like to draw? Dance? Take pictures? Read comics or about Kobe Bryant and the NBA? What about fashion and what Taylor Swift is wearing? These small bits of interest actually mean something. What you are interested in outside of school is important. Pay attention to what makes your heart beat and get excited and go do that. The beauty about college is that you have the power to take classes that you want. They can be totally unrelated - such as Marketing and Biochemistry or Dance and Geology or even Fashion Design and Spanish. Many college students realize they have many competing interests and aren't entirely sure what to do with them. Therefore, many decide to double major - choose two areas of study, just likes those mentioned earlier. You can do that because most schools are pretty flexible. So don't worry.

　　This is the time to consider your interests and what will make you happy, nobody else. Perhaps your parents really want you to study Economics, but you are really feeling Psychology or Media Studies. This can be tough, but ultimately it's your decision and your four years at school. If you study something you don't really like, you most likely won't do well because you're not happy. Trust me, those classes can be ten to 15 weeks long, so you want to like what you're studying. You could also double major and study Economics and Psychology and get involved with the Campus Broadcasting team in between classes. All schools will have an array of clubs and organizations to give all students a chance to try new things. However, think about what you like. That's what matters.

　　Next, figure out what kinds of courses each major offers. Look into what kinds of jobs are related to the major. What can you do with this major? Use College Board's Big Future site to figure out what each major is and what kinds of classes you'll take. Did you know there are about ten different types of business degrees? Get familiar with them and start exploring which ones interest you. Also, I would highly recommend using Coursera or edx to try out some college classes. You can take courses like Intro. to Sociology or the Science of Happiness from schools like UC Berkeley, University of West Australia, and Georgia Institute of Technology. From these videos, you'll learn about the major, how to read a syllabus, and what professors are like. It's any easy, fun way to learn about majors and practice your English.

　　Lastly, think about your personality and learning style. If you know you'd rather be in a lab testing different theories than reading about them, maybe social sciences are not for you. Social sciences tend to be very heavy in reading and writing. Labs however, require a lot of attention to detail and time. Humanities take a lot of practice (languages, music, arts). Think about how you learn best and which major will be best suited for you. For example, I love writing and reading about various things, so Anthropology played to my strengths.

　　Additionally, I would suggest taking classes in things you never knew about before. I never thought I'd be in a theatre production, but it was a great decision because it moved me out of my comfort zone. College is about trying new things and getting to know who you are. The best way to do that is to try new things and to take risks with your learning. Most likely you'll change your major at least once and that's okay. I changed from Spanish to Psychology, to Anthropology. By taking different classes, I found what I loved. Last but not least, remember that your major doesn't define you or your future career. Almost half of college graduates have jobs/careers completely unrelated to what they studied in college. Trust your instincts and follow what you love doing.

　　Author-Educator Howard Thurman said it perfectly: "Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."