You’re a first-semester senior.  You stare dead-eyed into your laptop and your good friend, The Common App, stares you back.  Your mouse hovers over the “major” category where you will pick what you want to study for the next four years. You have no idea what to choose.

Too many seniors are faced with this daunting decision.  How are inexperienced 17-year-olds expected to decide on a major?  What can students do to gain a better grasp of what they want to do?

This lack of specialization in students stems from middle and high school, where we are exposed to several different areas of study by certain graduation requirements.  90% of Americans have graduated high school so that generalization of knowledge has become a standard. But when students are applying to colleges, surveys cite that 20-50% of freshman apply as an “undecided” major.  An estimated 75% will also change their major during their tenure at college.  This implicates the general knowledge learned in middle and high school does little to help with major and career planning.

I feel for those students who are confused and stare disoriented at their Common Apps. But I also ask them this question.  Did you put in the effort to discover your major? For those who may answer no to that question, I offer you this advice. Do not do only what is required of you in high school.  Attempt to engage. And where students seem to really engage in their studies and clear the fog when selecting a major is through elective courses.  

I am a strong advocate for students taking various elective courses in high school, especially with the brilliant and diverse programs available at LFHS for myriad reasons.  The energy in elective courses runs differently than in gen eds. Instead of a classroom of kids who are only present for the credit, elective classes are usually full of kids who either have a general interest in the subject at hand or are brave enough to try something new.  

“Outdoor Ed is one of the only classes where you get to know all of the kids,” said senior Jack Nemickas on his favorite elective.  “It is so different and more interactive than all of my other classes.”

There is an ocean of courses to sift through- 35 to be exact. That is 35 opportunities for personal investments.  Having this much variety ensures that there is a class fit for everyone who is willing to try. Yet so many students are so content with 2+ study halls!  I correlate this nonchalant attitude towards education toward the lack of direction when picking a major.

Senior Porter Weisberg is taking his favorite elective class to the next level at Stanford next year.  

“I was always interested in Computer Science and the elective at the high school allowed me to test the waters,” he said. “Through Mr. Aronson’s class, all of my friends and I really developed our interests and prepared us for Comp. Sci. in college.”

Elective courses spark interest within kids who have had their creativity suppressed through years of general education.  Electives allow for venturing off the beaten path. Unless you coincidentally and passionately love the exact coursework that the state requires you to complete, then I implore you to try an unfamiliar class.

Early on in high school, I took Graphic Design with Mrs. Bielski for two semesters as a freshman.  As a nervous freshman in a mostly upperclassmen-filled room, I felt completely out of my element. But that is the point.  Uncomfortability often leads to growth. I walked out of that class with a tangible skill and absolutely no regrets.

Another elective I have high admiration for is the New Media program.  Every student sitting around the extensive center table in that classroom wants to be there, and I can speak from three semesters of experience.  Every year the program pumps out passionate film majors like a factory, and these kids are not a fluke. They are supplied with the necessary tools, the proper guidance, and the trust and space to figure things out on their own.  

Yet so many brilliant and creative minds may never get to discover their potential or passion in classes like these because study hall seems more convenient.  

I currently take two English electives, Journalism and Humanities, which have been my favorite two classes as a senior.  Humanities has broadened my world view and perspective on life and Journalism has taught me to better research, write, and express my opinions.  These classes are meaningful to me, but I would have never come across them if I didn’t seek them out.

These are just a few of the electives that fit me, but I have also taken some electives that I was not too fond of.  I survived, I promise. Taking various courses is like answering a tough question on a test. When you are stuck, the process of elimination comes into play.  Many of the answer choices will be wrong, but you still have to think through them in order to eliminate them. Many courses you take you will not like, but in experiencing them you gain a clearer vision of what you do enjoy.

So to the underclassmen and juniors who may not have tested the waters of electives yet, I urge you to sacrifice a study hall.  Explore the catalog of class options available to you. If you do so, I genuinely believe that in the decision of choosing a major in the next coming years, your expanded education will help you navigate the way.

Michael Pasquella

Journalism/Electronic Media major, University of Miami