Colin McKnight
August 2017. COM 240 in the first floor of Caldwell. It’s the first day of the new school year, and I’m sitting there in class 45 minutes before it even starts. From the outside, I look like a bored, uncaring second-year who is barely awake. In my mind, however, I’m a disaster.
About 5,000 thoughts are flying through my head. But it’s not because I was nervous about the new year; in fact, I was excited to no longer be labeled a “first-year” student. No, the fear and uncertainty stemmed from the fact that this was my first semester as a communication major with a concentration in public relations, and I felt like I was in foreign lands.
There was nothing objectively wrong with my previous major, criminology, but it just wasn’t for me. And while that might seem like a small problem, the idea of spending the next couple decades of my life on a career path that I had little to no interest or passion in caused me to have more sleepless nights than I’d like to admit.
The Change of Degree Application (CODA) process seems more than just intimidating. To many, including myself, the idea of hitting that big reset button is downright terrifying. So much of the progress you just spent the past few semesters accruing might become pointless.
Now, I realize that the way I just described the CODA process did nothing to help those of you who are currently on the fence; in fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if some of you are now even more hesitant or reluctant. However, I figured that in order to convince you to chase those dreams of yours, the best way would be to predict some of the thoughts that will inevitably keep you up at night, because they kept me up too.
If you’re completely confident that the new major you’re looking at is what you truly want to do, then the CODA process is worth the work and stress.
Take Kayleigh Gordon, for example. She is currently a second-year student excited about majoring in art studies with a concentration in visual studies; however, it wasn’t always this way. Previously a computer science major, she did not feel excited about her current college plan. In fact, it made her miserable. She found the CODA process simple and easy, and didn’t have to wait too long to hear back about her acceptance into her new major.
Of course, I understand that, depending on what you want to CODA into, the process might be easy or a bit difficult. You may have to go out of your way for a semester or two taking extra courses for the required or preferred criteria of your desired course, and the wait time will probably vary per major.
It will probably take a little while longer than you’d prefer, but most likely you’ll get in (and, of course, you can always try again if things don’t go your way). It’s what comes after the CODA process that is rather more frightening. You’ll probably feel a bit lost and directionless, and your degree audit will have more red X’s and blue stars than the green checkmarks you used to have. This means, most likely, at least one extra semester and perhaps some summer sessions.
But this is where the long-term rewards aspect comes in. I encourage you to do what I did, and try to visualize your future. Ask yourself: “Do I want spend eight or so hours a day, every day for the next 40 or so years doing what I’m currently doing, but on a much more professional level?” It’s a very difficult question to answer, and requires a bit of soul-searching.
So, with that being said, the rewards of switching majors, as long as you are sure it is something you want to do, far outweigh the effort required. As I mentioned previously, the CODA process is not about making your life easier now, because it definitely doesn’t do that. Rather, it is about making your life easier, happier and more passionate in the future.
If you’re still undetermined about that CODA, do one very important thing for me: weigh the extra time and tuition it might take now, and weigh it against how satisfied the you ten years from now will be. I completely understand that for many, the CODA option might not even be on the table due to circumstances such as finances and time restrictions. But if you don’t enjoy your major, and you have the opportunity to change, then take it.
And if you still don’t believe me, take Kayleigh’s word for it: “The CODA process is not as stressful as staying in a major that you hate.”