The glory of college is not in finding out what you are good at but what you are truly interested in. I am a self-diagnosed overachiever, and I fully embrace the fact that I have done a lot of things to be praised. For the past three years I had the mindset that I can and will do anything anyone asks of me­. I wish I knew as a freshman that just because I can do something does not mean I have to. 

My sophomore year, I declared a minor in biology because I worked out that if I took the exact right classes and did not breathe or have a social life, I could make it to graduation. Why? Two reasons: My parents work in the realm of science, and all my friends are STEM majors. These two pressures had me thinking that because I could keep up with the competency level needed for these classes, I should alter my career path. 

I knew from eighth grade that I wanted to study abroad, so why did I not look into a minor in international studies before my senior year? Because I was too busy trying to find ways to make my degree look and feel as academically stressful as I thought it should be. I thought that the stereotypes surrounding communications majors meant I needed to overwork myself to prove to the universe I was not “just another dumb student.” Coincidentally, this power move made me a dumb student. 

Going abroad helped me break this cycle. I spent last semester at Soonchunhyang University in Asan, South Korea, and made so many amazing friends and memories. Being abroad was a break from my regular coursework, and it forced me to evaluate why I was doing what I was doing. My classes were easier, and I also began to think about what I wanted to do after I graduated. 

I learned that I really loved teaching by being a teaching assistant for an intermediate English class. I realized I would not be able to finish my biology minor, and that I did not want to anyway. I decided to apply for a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship scholarship, and it is my new goal to go back to South Korea. 

Do not be like me and think that you need to be under constant stress to validate your degree path. Instead, make a list of things you enjoy doing, what careers your major provides and note where these two interact. 

If you make these lists and there are no connections, change your degree. Do not compromise what makes you happy for what you think is the right thing for you to do. If anything you are doing does not relate to your goal or make you happy while doing it, stop doing it. No amount of validation is worth hours of tears and stress. 

If what you like to do is write stories, edit papers, take photos and/or work with people, you should join The Slate staff. We have open positions for new writers, editors and photographers, and you do not need prior experience to join. 

I joined as a freshman, and unlike some of my other experiences, I do not regret a minute of my involvement. Everything I have done in The Slate has related to my career goals and has been fun. As a copy editor, I learned how to edit grammar without erasing the writer’s voice. As an opinion editor, I got experience using Adobe InDesign and learned to be accountable for what you write. As a managing editor, I learned to delegate tasks and how to manage a staff without micromanaging. 

Finally, as the Editor-In-Chief for the 2023-2024 academic year, I am learning the ins and outs of running a full-time operation while also not burning myself out before graduation. I cannot overstate how much I love this organization, and I would not have continued to move up the ranks if I did not enjoy what I was doing. Email me, Elizabeth Peters, at slate.ship@gmail.com if you are interested in getting involved. 

You are worthy of being happy while you are working on your degree. Do what you love to do, not what can break you in the process. 

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