This is the final issue that will be published by the Volume 105 staff, which makes this the final editorial from the 105 Ram E-Board. In the past, this space has been used as a place for the board to voice a collective opinion on issues both within our Fordham community, like the implementation of a new, labor-based grading system, events within the broader New York City community, such as the emerging migrant crisis and controversies within the broader U.S. like calling for an end to gun violence in our schools. This final opinion from us to our community will take a slightly more reflective tone than in the past. 

College students are entering a time of year that acts as a double-edged sword where the holidays promise a break from school and a time to relax as well as bring the dread of reconnecting with family and friends who have one question on their mind: have you figured out what you’re doing with your life yet?

These questions come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from have you picked a major, what do you want to do with that, have you thought about an internship yet, do you have a job lined up after graduation, etc. They come from a well-intentioned place, but on behalf of all college students, please stop asking these questions at a family holiday dinner.

All these questions cause is panic among students that they are falling behind and that they need to make their minds up at 18 with what they want to do and are then stuck. All of this, in turn, takes away their ability to relax, which is the point of the break in the first place. Trust that your question was not the first time that a student has thought about their future, it did not magically lift a veil off their senses and remind them that they need to figure out their life. 

And just to calm those fears and feelings of panic for students, 80% of students change their major at least once and the average amount of times to change a major is three. And as it turns out, students who change their major have a higher graduation rate at 83% compared to 79% for students who never change their major. 

Furthermore, out of a pool of 817 college graduates, 61% would change their major if they could go back. Reasons range from having different job opportunities, being dissatisfied with their current position or, the most answered reason for changing, wanting to pursue a passion. A majority of college grads would change their major if they could go back in time, so don’t fret about doing it now.  

Looking past major decisions, a large number of people will eventually change their careers at some point in their life. The most amount of times a person will change their career will be between ages 18 to 24 and the average rate of that change is 5.4 times. This rate will decrease with age, but for college students, this stat can provide solace that changing their career a few times is to be expected. This is why Career Services is a lifelong service for Fordham grads and does not expire once we graduate. They expect that there will be some turnover whether from burnout, wanting a new challenge or just looking for different opportunities, Career Services already knows we’ll be back. 

Life is not some rigid experience where everything goes according to plan so then why does college, an experience that is meant to prepare students for the realities of life, have to be? College is a unique experience of more independence without many of the responsibilities of adulthood so focus on the fun of right now instead of fretting over the worries of the future. Ferris Bueller said it best: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” 

Whether it is because a major did not pan out the way it was expected to or an internship opened up the reality of what was once a dream position to one you dread going to, it is not only okay, but expected that there will be changes to the life plan during this time period. Don’t put too much stock into the prying questions this holiday season and take comfort in the fact that everyone is in the same boat trying to navigate the rough waters of impending adulthood.