If only I had the TME Major Elimination Activity my first year…

When I came to UConn my freshman year, I was an Actuarial Science Major, and was completely sure that was the path I wanted to follow. I stayed with this major for my first semester, but as classes picked up again after winter break, I knew Actuarial Science was not the right fit for me anymore. I had no idea what to do next. I went to an academic advisor, dropped my major, and decided to pick any major that kept me in CLAS; I chose Economics.

I wish I had been able to use the TME Major Elimination Activity at that time, because it clearly lays out the variety of major options UConn has to offer. When accessing the Major Elimination Form, it can look intimidating at first with a list of over 100 areas of interest. However, I found it extremely easy to check off things I was not interested in at all, which made the process less daunting. At the end I was left with a solid handful of choices. One thing I loved was that this system broke down the majors by exploration groups in addition to grouping by school and college. After going through the activity I scored the highest in the Business and Social Behavior Sciences groups, which makes sense because now I am a senior majoring in Economics and minoring in Sociology.

This resource is not only beneficial to students in their first year, it can help anyone who is questioning what careers connect to their major. Even as a senior, the question that I get the most is, “What are you going to do next?” The truth is, I am not entirely sure. Based on the results of my exploration categories, my major falls under the Business and Social Behavioral Sciences groups, and leaves me wondering which direction I would like to pursue. One area I found the most helpful was the major profiles, because there were links that showed a wide variety of careers relating to a chosen major.

All in all, this resource can help any student at any grade level. It can help show first year students what majors line up with their passions, and even help seniors like myself research ideas of what careers they can connect to their major. I could have spent hours on this one activity clicking every link provided, like self-assessments and career assessments, and that is why I think I enjoyed it so much.  It allows you to continuously explore and learn more about a particular area until you decide that you are ready to declare a major and follow your passions out in the world.

By Emily Castagna
Emily Castagna