Spotlights

"I originally chose to major in International Studies upon entering DePaul. I've always had global interests and intended to study abroad and pursue a foreign language. Truthfully, just from the name of the degree, I presumed it might be a good fit.  

As a Sophomore, I began to take the first sequence of courses for INT. I remember sitting in class on the first day with a pit in my stomach. I decided the best thing to do would be to take the class as planned, but be incredibly reflective of how I felt along the way. The gut feeling did not go away. I spoke to friends, former professors and family who helped me reach the conclusion that I simply was not happy.

I began exploring a different path of academia on my own. I spoke to close friends majoring in the College of Communication, and immediately found our conversations interesting. After my own deep dive on the college's website, I realized what I was missing from INT might be there. That's when I decided to contact OAAS.
 
More than anything, meeting with OAAS was an experience of emotional validation. The faith that the office's advisors had in me was liberating. I left OAAS and the feeling in my stomach had subsided.
 
Yes, my OAAS advisor helped me decide what academic path I would pursue. But more importantly, our rapport alleviated the fog that clouded myself from seeing…me."

"I started undergrad with a major in Animation. I chose this major because, ironically, I felt pursuing Studio Art was too uncertain and scary, and somehow I told myself Animation was easier and more stable. I began reconsidering this decision in between my 2nd and 3rd quarter of my first year. I began learning about the competitiveness of Animation, the reliance on technology, the clear gender imbalance of males compared to females, and the expectation to live in a large city to turn this into a career. While I was skeptical, I felt like it was easier to just "stick it out" and see if it would grow on me after I learned more about Animation. I'll never forget taking 3D modeling at the start of my sophomore year -- this was the class that officially made me realize there was no "sticking it out" and I needed to make a big, scary, difficult decision: Changing my major!! I felt like changing my major was this taboo topic, and I think this misconception is why I stayed in a major that didn't suit me for as long as I did. Looking back, I wish I would've listened to my instincts and the support I had around me who would hint that they felt like a different major would suit me better. I was fortunate that my professor worked in the Academic Advising office and was a direct contact for me during this decision. 

My Academic Advisor from the OAAS office allowed me to realize this was not a decision I needed to make on my own, and he suggested different major options that gave me the space to consider the best major for me moving forward. We had conversations about what I disliked about my current major, what I wanted to gain in my new major, and even made sure my potential majors fit the timeline of my 4-year plan. This led me to select Studio Art as my new major, earn my BFA within my 4-year timeline, and go on to become an Art Teacher today. 

While it seemed scary and maybe even shameful to access on-campus resources, I would stress to all weary students: Have the tough conversations. Ask for advice. Use your resources. Know it's okay to change your mind. The ease I felt after switching my major was worth all of the uncertainty, anxiety, and stress that preceded my decision."

What was your major when you started at DePaul?

I started at DePaul as a Media and Cinema Studies major because I’ve always been interested in media, storytelling, and the entertainment industry. At the time, it felt like the right fit because it connected to a lot of my interests and gave me a path into film and media work. 

What happened that made you start to question your major?

I started questioning my major gradually rather than because of one specific moment. As I got further into classes and gained more hands-on experience, I realized I was more interested in the communication, media production, and storytelling side of things than some of the more academic or theory-based aspects of Media and Cinema Studies. It wasn’t necessarily that I disliked the major; I just started discovering areas that fit my interests and career goals better.

While I was able to talk about it with family and friends, which helped a lot, many of my peers and family members would often end conversations with “You have to do what’s best for you.” While that was supportive and reassuring, it also left me with a lot of unanswered questions about what was actually best for me and what direction I wanted to take.

Because of that, I also met with the Office for Academic Advising Support to talk through my options, possible pathways, and how a change could affect my academic plan. Having those conversations gave me more structure and helped me think beyond just whether I wanted to change majors and focus more on why I was considering it.

Changing direction can feel stressful because you spend time building a plan and imagining a certain future for yourself. But being able to talk with family, friends, and academic advisors made it easier to reflect on what I actually wanted and the kind of work and career path I saw myself pursuing. 

What did ‘exploring majors’ look like for you?

Exploring the idea of a new major was a process that took time, and it involved a lot of reflection and research. One of the biggest actions I took was meeting with the Office for Academic Advising Support to discuss different options, understand degree requirements, and figure out how a change might affect my academic timeline. Those conversations helped make the process feel less overwhelming and gave me a clearer picture of what was possible.

I also paid closer attention to the classes I was taking and the experiences I was having outside the classroom. Through my classes, internships, student media work, and involvement in sports organizations, I realized I was becoming more interested in communication, media production, public relations, and sports media than I was in the traditional Media and Cinema Studies path. My experiences helped me see where my strengths and interests were developing.

I talked with family, friends, peers, and advisors throughout the process. While family and friends were supportive, talking with advisors was especially helpful because they could answer the questions that encouragement alone could not.

Emotionally, it was a mix of excitement and uncertainty. I was discovering new interests and opportunities, but there was also pressure because changing majors can feel like changing the plan you originally created for yourself. At times it felt overwhelming, but it also felt empowering because I was actively trying to find a path that matched my goals rather than staying somewhere just because it was familiar. 

What major did you ultimately choose? 

I ultimately changed my major to Communication and Media because it aligned more closely with both my interests and my long-term career goals.

What appealed to me most about Communication and Media was how versatile the field is. It allowed me to combine creativity with practical communication skills and gave me opportunities to explore different areas of media rather than focusing primarily on film studies and theory. I also felt that the major connected more directly to the type of career I could see myself pursuing in the future, especially within sports and entertainment media. 

Looking back, what was most helpful to you while you were in the exploratory stage?

Looking back, the most helpful part of the exploratory stage was having conversations with the Office for Academic Advising Support. Those meetings helped turn a lot of uncertainty into actual direction. Instead of just feeling like I was “considering options,” I was able to understand the majors I was looking to change to and their requirements, which made the decision feel more concrete and less overwhelming. Hands-on experiences, like classes, internships, and student media involvement, were also really important because they showed me what I actually enjoyed doing day-to-day, not just what sounded good in theory.

What advice do you have for other students who are starting to question if their major is the right fit?

If you’re starting to question whether your major is the right fit, don’t feel like you need to figure it all out right away. That kind of uncertainty is pretty normal, and it usually just means you’re getting clearer on what you do and don’t like, not that you’ve made a mistake.

It helps to get specific about what’s actually bothering you. Is it the classes themselves, the workload, the type of assignments, or even the career paths you’re hearing about? Pinpointing that makes a big difference, because not every frustration means you need to switch majors.

From there, try to explore things in real life instead of just sitting with the thought. Talk to advisors in the Office for Academic Advising Support, and pay attention to what kinds of projects or experiences actually keep you engaged. Sometimes internships, jobs, or student orgs tell you more about fit than classes do.

And don’t just rely on friends or family for answers, they’re great for support, but advisors can actually help you break things down and see your options more clearly, especially within OAAS.

At the end of the day, it’s okay to change your mind. You’re not falling behind, you’re just figuring out what actually works for you.