Deciding the rest of your life right out of high school: Is it realistic?

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By Rachael Lundy

Students have been preparing their whole lives for this transition from home life to college life – this moment in time of gaining an independence all their own. This is the beginning of a new era, one in which incoming freshmen evolve into independent, young adults who have chosen a path of dedication – dedicated to a higher learning. This is an exciting transition for all incoming students, as it is their time to step out on their own and find one’s self on this dynamic LSU campus, where students are sure to find a niche of their own, friends for a lifetime and a lasting education.

With this freedom comes the responsibility of making some of the most important decisions any individual can make. Choosing what to study can be overwhelming to those who are on their own for the first time in their lives, but there are resources offered by Louisiana State University available to help those in this position.

“UCFY [The University College Center for Freshman Year] is the academic unit for most new freshmen and some transfer and re-entry students,” explains the UCFY website. “It exists primarily to prepare incoming students for success at LSU and to help define their academic and career goals.”

“We serve as a resource of information to aid students in their adjustment to the academic life on campus,” said Paul Ivey, Associate Dean of University College. “We work closely with students as they aim toward meeting the requirements to enter one of the degree-granting senior colleges on campus.”

As incoming freshmen, students may question whether or not they have had ample life experience to assist them in choosing their correct major, and the burden of this decision weighs heavily on all incoming university students.

“Many freshmen come to college with an idea of their intended major and others readily admit that they are uncertain about this and thus enroll as undeclared majors,” said Ivey. “One of the reasons UCFY exists is to give students that first year to confirm their original choice of major by allowing for some time for exploration and discovery. Oftentimes, students change their majors – some say as many as 50 percent – and those coming undeclared can use campus resources to assist them in that decision. It is important for students to make their career and major choices based on sound decision-making tools and with a clear idea of the many options available to them.”

As Ivey points out, students are free to change their minds regarding their majors. It is not imperative that incoming students immediately discern how they would like to carry out the rest of their lives, upon entering LSU. It is, however, imperative that students take ample time, during the course of their freshman year, considering this issue, as this is probably one of the most important decisions students can make while attending a university; it is the sole academic purpose of attending a university. This is the time to take advantage of the many available resources LSU offers for this reason.

“The academic counselors in UCFY are good resources to begin when searching for career information and to learn of the many degree options available at LSU,” said Ivey. “A general conversation with a counselor can be the beginning of a process of defining career goals and declaring a college major. The Office of Career Services is an excellent resource for students to utilize. A number of career-decision-making workshops and assessment tools are available to students. These workshops and assessments can help students learn more about themselves first, and then to take that information and match it to careers and majors. Things such as personality traits, interests, values and skills are important considerations to equate to career choice. LSU offers students opportunities for internships and co-operative work experiences to ‘test the waters’ in their fields of career interests. Involvement on campus with professional and service organizations are valuable tools for career discovery. Students can take advantage of service-learning classes and volunteer activities to hone their skills and learn if there are certain types of work environments that are compatible with their personalities, values and interests.”

It is vital for students to remember that oftentimes, college degrees simply mean that an individual has the dedication to earn a degree focused on one sole subject and that external experiences will certainly assist those degree-earners in finding occupation upon graduation.

“Students cannot assume that a college degree is their ticket into the world of work upon graduation,” said Ivey, when offering one piece of advice to incoming freshmen. “It is important for freshmen to begin developing a personal resume that reflects some level of work experience as well as skills and traits that have been attained. Being able to present yourself as a viable candidate for a job upon graduation involves not only the knowledge and skills learned in the classroom – that provide students with practical examples of their work ethic – but also their application of their knowledge gained in the classroom and their personal traits that can be related to the work environment that would make them a good candidate for a position.”

While transitioning into an LSU tiger, take time to experience all there is to experience on campus. It is essential that students become well-rounded individuals, both in their social lives as well as their educational and professional lives. This is the purpose of campus life. Go to an LSU football game in Tiger Stadium in full purple and gold LSU attire, have fun hanging out on the parade grounds and experience the novelty of Chimes Street. In the midst of it all, grow as an individual, take time to focus on one’s self and declare a well-fitted major in which to focus upon until graduation as an LSU alum.

Originally Published: Issue 701 - August 19, 2008

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