Welcome to Issue #25 of The Naked Roommate Newsletter: PICKING IT (a college major, not a scab. When it comes to picking a major in college, most students change their majors more than they change their underwear. Considering most students change their majors at least a few times, that would be some pretty dirty underwear. But really, picking a major doesn’t have to be that messy. It doesn’t have to be stressful. It doesn't have to be difficult. It should be an adventure. As someone who changed my major three times in college, finally landing in the school of journalism in the second semester of my JUNIOR YEAR (yes, I ended up graduating in 4 ½ years because I changed majors), I know what it’s like to find passion later in college. As you will read, picking a major doesn’t have to be a major pain in the ass. It can be as simple as being abducted and help captive in a basement filled with floor to ceiling mirrors (read this week’s Naked Blog). To close this week's intro, I encourage you to share your "Choosing a Major" stories in The Naked Roommate Forums. And please, feel free to be my Facebook friend and join The Naked Roommate Facebook Group. Have an amazing Naked week!

NEXT WEEK’s TOPIC: CHEATING - Have you ever cheated on a boyfriend/girlfriend? Are you the cheater or cheated on? What happened? Who did what? What happened once the cheating was discovered? Regrets? Share ALL the details! Sending stories means that you grant Harlan permission to use your stories in The Naked Roommate Newsletter, online, in books, and anywhere else Harlan's writing appears.

THE STORY:
I am currently a theatre major (Bachelor of Arts degree) I decided during high school that I wanted to do something in the entertainment industry. After being in a few productions, acting seemed like a good choice. I declared my major to be theatre when I sent in my application. I've stuck with Theatre so far, but at one point I was a double major with mathematics. I dropped it because the scheduling for this semester was heinously bad, and I'd be a whole year behind if I started taking classes for math this fall. When choosing a major, the best advice is to choose something that relates to what you love to do. Make sure you look into the requirements for your major, degree program, in-school college, and the institution you're attending to make sure you're willing to do the work. If you're not quite sure what you love to do or want to do, try a major related to something you've always wanted to try (or minoring in that field). Just think it through for a few days (no spur of the moment changes because a required class you have to take is taught by one professor who absolutely...well, sucks), and if you feel your major doesn't click with you (after a semester, trimester, or quarter), don't be afraid to change it. Make sure it's what you want, not your parents, friends, future or current spouse's choice.

KIDNAPPED STUDENT FINDS MAJOR, COUNSELOR ARRESTED

If I were a college counselor in charge of helping students choose a major, I’d lock each student seeking guidance in the basement for two weeks (a nice basement). Each student would be prohibited from calling home, watching TV, using the computer, reading books, or knowing the date or time. They wouldn’t know how long they were being kept and would be unable to leave. The room would be mirrored on the floor, the walls, and the ceiling. Students would be fed their favorite meals three times a day and offered water, decaf coffee, and Fresca. The bathroom would be made of marble with a hot tub and steam shower. There would be no visitors allowed, only a masseuse to offer a massage twice-a-day (no chatting with the masseuse or happy endings). There would be an eliptical machine and treadmill. I’d give the students a pen, paper, and a bell (to ring when they needed something). On the wall of the room would be a neon sign reading: YOUR TIME, YOUR LIFE, YOUR CHOICE. Each student would be asked to answer the following question during his or her stay:

In a world without limits, what interest would you pursue and why?

After two weeks, I’d release the student from the basement. Assuming the student didn't press charges, I’d then require each student under my guidance to complete the following tasks. Over the next year, each student would be required to participate in at least one academic course and internship relating to their chosen interest. In addition, each student would be required to participate in a course and activity doing something they do not love to do. After a year, I’d lock the students in the basement one more time for one more week. Then, I would ask them to declare a major. I guarantee these would be majors that stir students’ passions.

Fortunately, abduction by psychotic counselors is not standard practice. Unfortunately, the majority of students have never been forced to really get to know themselves before choosing a major. That's one reason why so many students don’t know what they want to do beyond college or find themselves with a blah major simply passing time on the moving walkway of education. Until a student knows him or herself, it’s hard for that student to know what to do with him or herself. And this is my advice to anyone looking for some answers: look in the mirror, forget about the world around you, think about what interests you, and then take a step in that direction. Wherever the next step takes you, keep stepping, and eventually you'll get to where you want to go. This is YOUR TIME, YOUR CHOICE, and YOUR LIFE. The only limits are the ones you impose on yourself. Success isn’t defined by money or titles, it’s having the courage to figure out what you love to do and not to do.

So, if you're someone looking for a major, lock yourself in a basement and look in the mirrorred floors, walls, and ceilings and figure it out. Because, really, if you don't force yourself to do it, no one else will.

Dear Harlan,

I am a freshman in college, on my way to becoming a sophomore in the fall of this year. I have not done too well in many of my classes, and I don't know if I want to continue attending school or drop out. I have two problems: One, my parents have my life set for me and won't let me drop out. Two, if I drop out, I would not know what to do because my parents would not support me anymore, on top of the fact that I wouldn't be able to get a good enough job to support myself without a college degree. I feel like I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. Help me. I don't know where to turn.