You might be in a major you are not too fond of, or questioning if your major aligns with your future goals. Phrases such as “It’s too late,” “I’m not sure if I want to do this for graduate school,” “My parents expect me to take this” or “I don’t like this anymore,” plague the minds of many college juniors and seniors. However, this is not the end.

Your major is not a ball and chain, nor should you view it that way. Shaping your identity is part of your journey here at Clemson University. You may expect to do one thing, but end up following a different path. Do not let your major define you; rather, see it as a stepping stone into a greater world.

Everything feels clear as the end goal is obvious for incoming students: study, party, graduate, find a job, get married and retire. The line becomes hazy near the end of college as your experiences shape your perspective.

It can be threatening and often terrifying to take that next step, especially if you’re unsure about your major near graduation. This common feeling is known as senioritis, where a lack of spirit and uncertainty can be overwhelming. These feelings are okay, but being consumed by them creates an overshadowing fatigue for the semester. From personal experience, it’s not fun — make your last semesters memorable.

For graduating students, don’t be scared or regretful; take this time to find yourself in the madness. Seek hobbies and fascinations you only dreamed about. Degrees wield a power that reveals an experience emerging only once — or more, depending on whether you want to go back and pursue another undergraduate degree. Students experience community, new friendships, exploring opportunities and creating a block to a pyramid of a long-lasting identity.

Karis Easler is a senior world cinema major from Greenville, South Carolina. Karis can be reached at [email protected].