Confession #1: I am overwhelmed by not knowing what I want to do in my future.

Confession #2: Confession #1 renders finding a solution virtually impossible.

Last week Scripps students registered for fall 2013 classes. As a first-year, I felt I was taking a big step. As I planned out my fall schedule, all I could think about was that I have a two-semester buffer between where I am now and where I will be when I declare my major after my sophomore year. Two semesters. And I should probably make those semesters count, as I’ll be halfway through college at this time in 2014. GEs, major and minor requirements, double counting courses, and making everything fit into one schedule–how does it all work out? And what makes the most sense, since I still do not know what I’m working towards yet?

I decided to go with Core III, two required introductory courses for the potential minor and major I am considering, my final semester of French, and a course that can double count for my Gender and Women’s Studies and Social Science GEs. While this load should suffice, registration reminded me once again of the fact that I cannot evade the decision that awaits me. What do I want to study, and what do I need to be doing to help me decide?

Thankfully, for all the Scripps students who are in the same irresolute boat as I am, we have the chance to experiment a bit. The ten GEs required to graduate from Scripps are very helpful to any undecided student. Not only do they help give us a well-rounded background, but they force us to take classes in disciplines that we may (or may not) like enough to pursue further in the future. They work in the opposite way too; a once-declared student might redirect their future studies after taking a GE course and discovering another passion.

Uncertainty is tough to face alone. Again, another benefit that Scripps and the Claremont Consortium boast is the intimacy of the education offered to us. I have found that talking to as many people as possible has been the single most reassuring and worthwhile activity to ease my anxieties over being undecided in my future endeavors. Professors, peers and upperclassmen, career advisers, family, colleagues, everyone. You never know what advice they may have, what personal experiences they might share, what information they can provide, what opportunities they can offer that might help you figure out what you want your next step will be. Talking with professors and peers with a myriad of interests has really helped me determine which classes to take and when, formulate a three-year plan, and generally just make sense of the many interests I have that might lead somewhere in the future.

I think about The Great Unknown (my future) often. Rather than channeling my fear about it into stress by wallowing in anxiety and self-pity, I have found proactivity to be much more conducive. No harm can result from being as aware as possible about everything from classes to take to out-of-school activities to try. Accept the challenge of conquering the unknown aspect of the future with gusto, and be adventurous (and that 4:00 registration time will become a lot less disheartening)!