In high school, I felt that I was very much in the same place as I was as far as career decisions as I was in kindergarten when I wanted to be a professional soccer player and policewoman.  I could name a couple careers off that interested me in high school, as could my classmates, but they would change from day to day, and were easily influenced by my peers.

After my junior year of high school I completed a marketing internship at a successful construction company in my area, and because I had many of the same interests as Head of the Marketing Department, he would often recommend books and websites to me.  I read a book about running (the new barefoot running trend was just starting), I was introduced to a new cooking site I had never visited before, and I read Tony Hsieh’s book, Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose.  The book begins before Zappos, the now famous online shoe company had even begun, and ends after the company had become wildly successful.  It still is extremely successful, and probably in a large part due to the cultural values that Hsieh, the CEO of Zappos, makes sure the company follows.

In today’s world, companies are often plagued with expectations about production numbers, salaries, how they’re helping society, and a variety of other problems, making maintaining a conducive corporate culture often falls by the wayside.  Yet, Zappos’ corporate culture is one of the things that I think really leads to its success, and many other Zappos customers agree with me.

When I arrived at Scripps, I was set on majoring in something business related. (Just like I was set on being an architect 2 months before, or being a baker 4 months before…. But, nonetheless).  I first decided I would major in Media Studies because I was sure I could use that in LA-type business (movies, music, marketing, advertising, etc.).  Then, a Media Studies major with an Organizational Studies minor.  Then, just Organizational Studies as my major (And, no, organizational studies doesn’t mean you’re majoring in knowing how to organize…….)

Organizational Studies looks at how organizations function and affect society.  Hsieh’s book about Zappos gave me my first look into that diverse ways of running organizations.  I had never been introduced to the concept of corporate culture or the difference in the way organizational structures are set up. And it intrigued me.

The process of searching for your major is by no means a similar process for everyone.  Each person I’ve talked to decided on their major at a different time than me, for a different reason, and may be more or less sure about their choice than I.  So, when I’m leading tours for the Scripps Admission Office and someone asks me how I decided on my major, I say that I knew what I was interested in, and found a major that would allow me to take the exact classes I would if I could take any combination of classes I desired. Hsieh’s book introduced me to ideas and thoughts I’d never experienced before.  The business world and diversity of organizational structures got me thinking, and pretty soon after, I had decided on my major.  Pursue what you’re interested in, what intrigues you, and a subject that you want to learn more and more about every day.  That’s my advice for choosing your major.