[music playing]

I want to explore a lot of the different majors. So I sing. I do performance. I make clothes. I like student government. So I like working with other people and working on trying to find my specific area in life that I want to go into.

I have always thought about teaching and working with kids. I really like writing and reading as a hobby. I do a lot of creative writing. I decided that that was the path I wanted to take in specifically teaching. And I thought being an English teacher might combine those things.

You might have an idea of what you want to do when you come in, but you change. Things change. We grow as individuals, and our views change. So you might have a different idea of what you want to do from a month from now, from a year from now, from two years from now. It's always different. So definitely keep an open mind and don't shoot something down just because you don't know what it is or you don't understand it.

A lot of people come into Montclair declaring their major just for them to change it five more times. But when you come in as an undeclared student, you have that time to experience other departments and just play around with it a little bit, and then finally get an idea of what it is that you really want to do with your life.

We sat down. We really talked about what I wanted to do. We talked about the potential of a musical theater major. We talked about if I was a voice major, or if I went to business, marketing. And we sat down, and we went through NEST, and all my requirements, credits, everything, just laid out.

They would hear the things that I was saying and how I wasn't sure of myself. And they would suggest certain things, like maybe you should do this. Maybe you should look at this. Maybe you should take this course. Maybe just keep an open mind in different things. And with their advice or their guidance, they have shaped me to be the person I am now and the leader I am now. And again, I'm forever thankful for them.

I really appreciate child advocacy. It's hard, but it's very emotional. And I feel like it will help me challenge myself to control my emotions, to be that kind of person that, if someone is going through a tough time, if someone is going through hard times, they can come to me, and I can be their rock. And I can be that person that they lean on. So it's challenging me. And I really – I appreciate the major.

I learned quickly that yes, I can be good at something, but it's not my passion. It's not what I want to do.

I worked within the Center of Student Involvement, where I got a taste of higher education. And with that, I went for it. And I've been doing it. And now, that's what I want to do. I want to get my master's in it. And I want to continue schooling and hopefully become a professional.

It's all exploration of yourself and all about what you love, what you're passionate about, what are your goals in life. And you'll figure it out as you go along. But what you've done is something to really be proud of and congratulations.

I now know that some things are off the table. Some things can still be possible. Some things will take a lot of work. Some things I can just jump into. But having that clarity and that understanding of what I can do is really liberating. It's really helpful.