Erik Belz ’20, Excelsior, Minn.
Major/Minor: Communication Studies; Business

As an incoming college freshman, finally settling on my major felt like a huge deal. After months of deliberation, I eventually declared a business major with a healthcare administration concentration. Little did I know, I would be changing majors three more times during my four years at Concordia. 

Erik Belz in hallway with windows

Knowing myself to be a very indecisive person, I made sure to prioritize security as a core value when settling on a major. With a business healthcare administration major, I knew that for the rest of my life I would be employed because of the reliable need for healthcare administrators and I would have the job security I was hoping for. Yet, after my first two semesters in the program at Concordia, I felt that there was something missing. While I enjoyed my business classes to a certain extent, I never really felt passionate or excited about my studies. 

Prior to my sophomore year, I met with my advisor to discuss changing my major from business to computer science with a concentration in data analytics. Similar to my previous major, I knew that with this major choice I would be able to find a job right out of college and would be able to rest easy knowing that I had great job security. But after a semester, I realized that once again something was missing. This major gave me the security I valued so highly, but there was one problem: I am horrible at computer science. 

So, once again, I decided that a change was necessary. After meeting with my computer science advisor, I settled on my new major: philosophy. With a passion for both critical thought and writing, I was finally studying something that I really cared about. Learning about philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle was incredibly interesting. But unfortunately, as you could guess, I still felt that something was lacking.

At the very end of my sophomore year, for a third and final time, I met with my advisor to make the switch. Realizing my ability to think critically, write well, and articulate my thoughts, I made the decision to major in communication studies. It felt right almost immediately. I found myself thinking, “Why didn’t I just choose this in the beginning? This is so clearly the best fit.” 

Erik Belz smiling and typing on laptop

As a very extroverted person with great communication skills who loves meeting new people, I reveled in the courses I was taking. Two of my favorite courses, Integrated Marketing Communication instructed by Dr. Kirsten Theye and Rhetoric instructed by Dr. Don Rice, confirmed that communication studies was definitely the right choice for me. 

I had finally found my area of study. 

Choosing a major can be a complicated and difficult task. It is important to remember that trying different types of classes and majors is a part of what college is for. I am so thankful for all of the academic advisement that I received from Concordia over the years that led me to where I am now. If you are indecisive like me, embrace it. Trying different options will lead to you finally finding the right option for you, and that is what matters.

Published July 2019