When I tell people that I’m majoring in Classics in the College of Arts & Sciences, the most common follow-up question is what my favorite classic book is – i.e., English literature. While this is a lovely question, the idea that I’m studying English is a common misconception.
As I was applying to college, I was mortified about locking into a “major.” The blank space I was pondering over in my Cornell application was intimidating – after all, what I choose is going to define my future, right? Am I defining the rest of my life, through this one choice? How could I make such a weighty decision with a click of a button?
Often, people believe that working at a research lab looks a certain way: lab coats, microscopes, and vials. However, research can range anywhere from fieldwork that allows you to travel the world and work with animals to behavioral research where you work with people to computational research where you work with code. I’ve met people who conduct food science research with cheese, and one of my friends gets to work with animals at Cornell’s Veterinary School. There is so much diversity within research at Cornell that I truly believe that there is something for nearly everyone!
Fun fact: I spent four years learning how to fix planes in high school. When people come to learn about my experience with aircraft maintenance, they ask, “Why are you not majoring in engineering?” It was certainly not easy to make a big switch in my career trajectory without much experience in the business field. Yet, I still think I made the right choice. Although these two fields feel very different to most people, they have many similar transferable skills between them.
I was excited and nervous when I first came to Cornell as a transfer student. Meeting my faculty advisor, Laura Schoenle, during the transfer student orientation became the beginning of a meaningful relationship that shaped my academic journey.
Arriving at a college campus can be overwhelming for a plethora of reasons. At Cornell, we have many resources to guide you through your academic journey. Below is a list of five resources that may be useful for your time at school.