Only a few weeks ago, the Stevens population returned for the spring semester. While most came back this semester to continue in their given program, many freshmen— myself included—came back to start a new program as in the past month, we switched our majors. Now, while we have already experienced what it is like to be a student at Stevens, we are going into this semester partially blind and unaware as to what our new program looks like. Some changes are simple, like switching your specific type of engineering. Some are more major, like the handful of people transferring into the School of Business. But, for me at least, the transition is the most serious change of pace I have ever experienced as I switched from a Computer Science major to Music and Technology. Thus, my second first semester.
I had already planned to minor in music tech when I came to Stevens. However, as I moved further into the program, I felt myself becoming less engaged and losing enthusiasm for my given plan of study. For one, the CS program is so incredibly dense that I wouldn’t be able to reasonably take any music-related classes until my third or fourth semester. Furthermore, I wasn’t engaging with the classes as much as I thought I would. I know that they were all introductory courses, but still, if I wasn’t enjoying the foundations of my major, what suggests I’ll like the nitty-gritty of it?
Honestly, what convinced me the most to change majors was the CS 101 class. It consisted of a weekly lecture where we would hear from people in the industry about what they were doing. Week after week, a lecturer would come into our Zoom meeting and talk about how they were using AI in their field and how AI was affecting their work. Now, giving credit where credit is due, using AI to predict life-threatening illnesses is a very noble cause, but it is not for me, nor is using AI to forecast potential financial trends or enhance the user experience. Not a single one of these classes interested me because I want to do something creative with my degree. AI cannot be creative, full stop.
So, over break, I did the ‘ole switcheroo on my study plan. I would now be a music tech major with a comp sci minor. I worked with an academic advisor to gut and switch my schedule to be more music-focused. Being that I was starting the program in the spring, I was doing a few classes out of order as the prereqs were only available in the fall. Regardless, my schedule was now mostly humanities and music-related courses.
The thing is, while I was returning to the same school I left, my experience in these first few weeks has been completely different. It has felt like my second first semester. I am meeting all the new department heads and deans of schools. My classmates are now completely different (minus my one CS class), and I am starting to forge new relationships with people within my discipline.
In many ways, this semester is no different than the last. I still live in the same dorm with the same roommates. I still eat dinner with the same people in the same dining hall. But, I am experiencing this school for the first time as a humanities major, and all that department has to offer.
So to anyone else who has switched majors, good luck, have fun, and welcome to Stevens (again)!
