Courtesy of Maggie Gibbs

Maggie Gibbs during her internship in the summer of 2021

There’s a huge misconception that you need to follow a “safe” path to secure your future, even if it drains you, but, if you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, how can you expect to excel in it?

Success is about persistence, but it also should be about aligning with what you truly care about. If you’re dreading every class, every assignment, maybe that’s not a challenge to endure – maybe it’s a sign. Sometimes, it doesn’t have to be failure that spurs change.

By my junior year of high school, I had my entire life mapped out. I would be a premed major with minors in English, business and Spanish. English for better publications, business for a level head and Spanish for application in the hospital. Medicine seemed like the logical, secure path, but the reality I didn’t understand back then is this: success doesn’t come from following a plan that makes you miserable. 

In my first two and a half years of college, I pushed through my STEM classes because I felt it was what I should be doing. I told myself the misery was just part of the process, a test of my commitment. I convinced myself that the only “real” way to succeed was to suffer through what I thought was the “right” path, even if it drained me.

Here’s the truth that took me too long to realize: being miserable isn’t a requirement for success. Just because you can push through something doesn’t mean you should, and just because something sounds prestigious doesn’t mean it’s worth sacrificing your happiness.

One day, I took a hard look at my classmates. They talked about medicine with genuine passion, with the kind of excitement I only felt in my English courses. It hit me that their path was right for them, but it didn’t have to be right for me. I realized then that success isn’t about forcing yourself through a field you don’t enjoy just because you think you should.

Switching to English wasn’t a step back or an escape route. It was a step toward what I genuinely loved. People often think of “soft skills” like communication, empathy and critical thinking as less important than technical skills, but these are the abilities that build real connections, foster leadership and fuel creativity. Choosing a major that nurtures these skills isn’t about taking the easy way out; it’s about embracing your strengths and passions.

Changing your major isn’t giving up; it’s stepping into a life that suits who you actually are, not who you think you should be. Success doesn’t come from suffering through misery, but from finding the courage to pursue what makes you feel alive.

Maggie Gibbs can be contacted at [email protected].