I started my degree at the University of Pittsburgh as a pre-med and then continued in biology, since pre-med is really just a track. But for the first two years, I was constantly lost about what I actually wanted. I kept telling myself I needed to stay in the medical field because it sounded like the “right” path. But the truth is, I didn’t want it. I didn’t feel inspired or connected to the work, and I definitely couldn’t see myself living the rest of my life in that direction. Switching to communications gave me a sense of clarity I hadn’t felt in years. I took a few classes, and suddenly something felt different, happy, creative. I was actually excited to learn again. I could picture a future where my job made me happy. 

But when I switched my degree, a new fear crept in — telling people. My parents, my friends and people I’d met in labs or study groups all had this image of me in the science track. Pitt is such a heavy research and health-science school that stepping outside of that feels like breaking some unspoken rule. When you tell people you’re not doing pre-med anymore, their faces shift, even if they don’t say anything. It’s like you can feel the judgment in the air. And suddenly you start questioning yourself — am I making a mistake? That judgment sits with you, even when you know deep down you made the right choice.

Meeting new people on campus made it even more awkward. So many students here immediately ask, “Oh, what major?” because that’s just part of the culture. And when you say communications, it sometimes feels like they’ve mentally categorized you as someone who didn’t “make it” in STEM. You get that look. It’s frustrating because communications isn’t an “easy major” — it’s just different. It requires creativity, strategy, critical thinking and a different type of intelligence that isn’t measured by organic chemistry exams. But in a science-dominated environment, it’s treated as less, and sometimes that gets under your skin even when you try not to care. 

What I didn’t expect, though, was how freeing the switch would feel after the initial fear. Being in a field I actually connect with has changed the way I see myself. Instead of constantly doubting what I’m doing, I find myself thinking about the future with more confidence. Communications allows room for aspects of my personality — things I always had in me but never valued because they weren’t “science enough.” Now, I’m finally starting to trust that my strengths matter too, even if they don’t fit the Pitt stereotype of being in a lab 24/7. 

And honestly, I’ve grown tougher through the judgment. I understand it’s not their life. It’s mine. I get to do what I want, and in the moment, I stopped trying to fit into the expectations around me. Things became clearer. I realized that finding a major that aligns with who you are — not who people expect you to be — is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. And the more I keep studying communications, the prouder I feel that I trusted my own instincts, even when it felt scary. STEM is great. And not all people are like this, but it feels like a built-in stereotype. 

Angel Rodriguez loves a writing style with a prominent voice and is very passionate about equality, self-expression and what matters most. He is always willing to hear feedback and new ideas at [email protected].