Students have quite a few factors contributing to their decision to pick a major.

Society shows money gives us everything we could ever need, so getting a job with a high salary is the way to go. When asked why they picked their major, students often respond with “because I need more of those.” Mommy and daddy want their children to learn from their mistakes by picking a more elite field to, in the end, make more money. Money. Money.

Unfortunately, with this mentality, students can find themselves in a pickle halfway through college.

It’s easy to see dollar bill signs and annual salaries online, but when students are in their junior year and struggling in classes they cannot even pronounce, it is almost too late to look back.

Why work hard and dedicate so much time to a career you are going to hate for the rest of your life?

Yes, money is useful and having enough is always nice, but it should not be something that directs a life-changing choice.

I know telling everyone to pick a major by passions and not survival is easier said than done.

I did the bare minimum in high school. I was not involved in extracurricular activities and am so wishy-washy when it comes to making decisions I wanted to major in something different every day.

I stumbled upon journalism. I took my first reporting class my sophomore year in a somewhat desperate attempt to find a suitable major after having changed it four times.

I finally have found something I belong to. This is what I was meant to do and have not thought differently since.

Taking a class that is out of the norm of the core courses can actually be helpful. By taking courses that sound interesting than ones that go off of salaries, people may find they actually enjoy school.

Yes, college is expensive and extremely time-consuming, but taking a course that may be off the beaten path of the straight core classes could help someone decide if that subject is worth pursuing as a career and could actually save more time and money.

Do not look back and regret choosing a path that will not put a smile on your face when you wake up in the morning.