“Congratulations! You have been accepted into the University of Texas of the Permian Basin.” When I read that line, I was clearly excited, but then wondered, what now? So many thoughts rushed into my mind. Will I make friends? Will I enjoy college? What will be my major? I had numerous things to contemplate. While there were social concerns, I wanted to focus on my academic concerns because these were things that I had control over. So, I spent hours researching in front of the computer, brainstorming different degree plans, comparing how they connected for my future aspirations, and eating tons of sweets to keep my stress tolerable. At this point of my life, I only knew two things: one, I was going to college; and two, I wanted to become an attorney. In fact, my dream career was to become an immigration lawyer. However, what was my major in college going to be?
I knew what subjects I liked and what I didn’t like. I knew that physical science was not my passion; English was interesting. History intrigued me. But would I be happy for four years in those majors? Probably not. What was left? The only one I thought of was government. That is what I craved. When I was checking the list of majors along with their degree plans, I kept my goal of becoming an attorney at the back of my mind. I knew that all majors were accepted by law schools, so no major was more desirable than another. It was my choice on what field of study I wanted to spend the next four years. I asked myself a few questions. What was I most interested in? What will best prepare me for law school? What if I do not want to become a lawyer anymore? What will be my backup plan? After all this thinking, I solidified my decision to major in political science.
With my goal of becoming an attorney, I knew that studying government would be beneficial. Majoring in political science interested me because I felt that it would give me a foundation of what would be the beginning of my future career. I knew that this major was perfect for me when I took the course Constitutional Law: Civil Liberties. This class was one of the hardest classes I have ever taken, but it expanded my knowledge on every level—political, social, and personal. Despite its difficulty, I knew in my gut that I made the right choice.
Today, I can truthfully say that I made the right decision. Studying political science in college made a positive impact on my goal to be an attorney. Without making this decision, I would have never been able to intern for a federal agency, study and prepare for the LSAT, and start applications for law school. So, I would like to say, trust your instinct and be informed as you follow your dreams.
Crystal Guerva is a graduate of The University of Texas of the Permian Basin and she was a Fall 2017 U.S. Department of Education intern.
