vise77 / September 14, 2010 8:48 AM

I'd keep a major in lib arts, but also double major in math, or perhaps astronomy or astrophysics. I always did well in my college prep and advanced math through high school--and I still am the person to teach officemates about percentages and such--but I always thought I hated, hated, hated math.

No, I just hated my math teachers, who were the meanest, most humorless, least helpful women (all were women) I'd ever known. (English and history teachers generally were nice and helpful and did not yell so much.) I was too stupid to realize this until about my last year in college, by which time I'd already set my career path. Teachers, let this be a lesson: Your attitude toward your students and subject does influence what they study later in college.

I plan to take some advanced math on my own, just for fun, but I can't imagine going to grad school at this point in life for any advanced instruction or any chance at being the next big dark matter expert.

Saya / September 14, 2010 8:53 AM

I majored in English and Sociology. I'd keep the English major but just take the Sociology courses that appealed (not Statistics!), and then double in media or business. Being self-employed, some formal training in either would've been helpful, instead of just crossing my fingers and hoping it works out!

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Pete / September 14, 2010 9:18 AM

Probably English or history. And neither would necessarily be a career hindrance - I could have easily pursued my current financial career with either of those two degrees, instead of the business degrees I have, so I still could have had finance as a fallback option if nothing else panned out.

eee / September 14, 2010 1:16 PM

Lately I've been wondering how my life would be different if I'd kept up in science and become a dentist, as that was my dream job as a kid. But at least this way I can use the phrase "I always wanted to be a dentist," like Hermey the Elf.

Mr. Snark / September 14, 2010 4:10 PM

Probably something interesting like French Art History.

I've mastered being a well paid engineer, let's see how I handle unemployment.

Lori / September 14, 2010 11:58 PM

I would go to art school and major in painting.

Vicky / September 15, 2010 4:33 PM

Lynda Barry was told to major in something she hated to get her money's worth since she would study what she loved on her own time anyway. I wish someone gave me that advice when I decided to major in English. While I don't regret my major (though I should have done English Education instead), I do reflect on my poor choices in selecting gen ed courses. I should have taken a token course in a wider variety of subjects (math, philosophy, poli-sci, gws, etc) instead of using up my electives on more English and French.

p / September 16, 2010 12:42 AM

nursing.

Justin / September 16, 2010 10:16 AM

I majored in English and Religion and I have no regrets. I've even gone back for more. The disciplines form the perfect hub for jumping into philosophy, psychology, history, sociology, political science, and economics — the range of human motivations and expressions is staggering and beautiful, if also sometimes terrifying, and always stubbornly resistant to any metric you'd think to apply to it.

Baldeesh / September 16, 2010 12:09 PM

Textiles. Always been a mild interest, but it's really taken off lately.