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I entered my freshman year as a chemistry major on the Common Application, thinking that I would have my life mapped out by the first day of classes. The plan was simple: After college, I’d go to dental school to become an orthodontist, then open my own practice. It felt foolproof.

My first year, instead, was full of unexpected stresses, self-doubt and uncertainty, none of which had a place in my four-year vision. I convinced myself I wasn’t working hard enough or smart enough, that I just needed more grit, that everyone else must be struggling the same way.

By the end of my first semester, that mindset had worn me down. I wish I had entered the year undeclared. But I sought another route the next semester.

In my second semester, I enrolled in 17 credits that had little connection with my declared major. I took various policy studies and political science courses, experiencing genuine interest for the first time at SU. I learned that academic success and intellectual interest were not mutually exclusive. That realization was unexpected, but deeply rewarding – and by the end of the semester, I had earned all A’s and made the Dean’s List.

Still, I held out hope........

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