Did I college the right way?

This post might take me a minute to write. I think my life

has made a lot of twists and turns ever since the day my college roommates and I took this photo to your left. Throughout my four years, I made wonderful friends, I explored a new city, I worked at a great restaurant, I met my wonderful boyfriend, I picked the wrong major. Wait, what? Repeat that last one?

Let me explain.

I never knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. I picked a major for the sake of picking a major and telling people I had one. I picked marketing - before I even knew what it was or what I could do with it. But stay with me. After I took an economy class, I absolutely felt like I was in the wrong field. I got my first "C" ever and was discouraged from going the business route. I knew health and wellness had always been an interest for me. I loved staying active and eating healthy so I found a major that didn't have anything to do with blood or needles or treatment. I found community health education. A major surrounded by prevention of disease and illness. A major I knew was beneficial to the world and would really help me help others with their health struggles. I learned all about programs, advocacy, human behavior, and policy. What I didn't learn was how to create things and come up with ideas. I already had that all figured out. I loved marketing material for programs and the clubs I was in. I loved reaching out to people and connecting with them to make them feel comfortable, happy, and excited about their major. I was serving a purpose of being a motivator and a leader for my classmates and club members. Anytime a project would come up surrounding social media, content design, or reaching out to the community - my mind already started to race about how I could get it done and what I could do to reach an audience with my creative skills. I felt like I was going to do something for the communities I served to help them improve their health and wellness.

So little did I know that in the middle of my required internship to earn my degree, I would have a mental breakdown on my choices at La Crosse. Did I really love my major? Or did I love what my major allowed me to do? Create things, use my ideas, and communicate with real people. Maybe I did belong in marketing. Maybe my freshman "C" shouldn't have discouraged me and I should have kept up with something I wasn't even sure I loved. Nope! I followed my head and my heart when I chose public health.

I'm beyond happy with where my major brought me. Although I have changed my mind, I haven't changed my passion and drive for a better future for people. Marketing ties to all things we see and do. It connects us as consumers and keeps us up to date with the ways of the world. I think my major led me in the right direction and subtly advised me on what I want and do not want in my future.

All I'm trying to say is that your major doesn't have to define you. Only you have the ability to change your life and take a chance on something you may really love. I picked a major I could explore myself with and grow and most of all, I picked the right state of mind. I always adjusted my life to go in the direction of something I really loved. Whether it was health or wellness or a future opportunity in the marketing field. There isn't a right way to college if you are learning and growing and having fun to create a future you will one day love.