So You Can't Pick a Concentration — Now What?

#SophomoreSzn is upon us, and here at Harvard, that can only mean one thing: a mild existential crisis about picking a concentration.

While it seems like literally every other university is normal about the whole picking-a-major thing, what’s Harvard without a dose of completely unnecessary stress? If you’re floundering for a concentration as the deadline nears, don’t worry. Flyby’s compiled some last-ditch solutions so that you can walk into that fancy banquet in Annenberg with your head held high!

Take a Minute to Think

Never underestimate the power of a clear headspace. Take a walk. No, seriously. Get out of your dorm and block a two-and-a-half hour period from your life to decompress and think about the classes you actually enjoyed taking. If all else fails, maybe the cold will motivate you to make up your mind so that you can get back inside!

Assemble a Shark Tank Meeting with Your Friends and Have them Pitch Their Concentrations to You

Have a blockmate who’s been pre-med since birth? What about that friend who switched from Gov to Econ and tries to convince everyone that consulting isn’t that snakey? Or just want to hear an MCB and a HCRB concentrator duke it out over semantics? Grab some snacks and ask your friends to geek out over what they study! Best case scenario, you’ll feel a sense of direction after they’re done pitching. Worst case, it’ll probably be at least mildly entertaining.

Spend Some Boardplus and Hope The Answer Comes to You

In trying times, sometimes all you can do is eat a plate of mozz sticks and try to feel better. Wander on home to your grille of choice, order something hot, and try to not think of anything remotely related to your concentration.

Accept Defeat and Work on a Dog Sanctuary on an Island

Worst case scenario, when the going gets tough, pack your bags and leave. Instead of finding your way to a concentration you enjoy, focus all your energy into finessing some of Harvard’s money for a flight to Turks and Caicos, and live the rest of your days as a volunteer at this puppy shelter in literal paradise.

Wildly impractical? Maybe. A financial disaster? Most definitely. Guaranteed regrets in about 3 months? You betcha.

But at this point, any alternative to making adult life choices is becoming more attractive by the minute, so it’s time to snag some of that endowment and literally flee your problems.

But seriously: at the end of the day, you’ll be fine. It can be tough to figure out what you truly enjoy, how to set yourself up for a career path that is both practical and fulfilling, and which set of concentration requirements work with your schedule/interests, but it’s really going to be okay. Sophomore declarations aren’t written in stone (yes, people do actually change their majors in college), and there’s more than enough time to map out life beyond what you study in college! Best of luck with declaring to all the 2022s out there!