How Conversations and Campus Spaces Helped Mina Bhargava Choose Her Way

Arriving on campus without a declared major is a reality for many first‑year students, and yet it often comes with doubt and pressure to catch up to peers who are, or seem to be, decided on their major. UW-Madison Freshman Mina Bhargava was no exception. However, through conversations, involvement, and intentional exploration, she learned that clarity rarely comes all at once and that the journey toward choosing a major is just as important as the destination.

Before she even started school, Mina felt the pressure of deciding a major. Announcing she was entering college “undecided” brought an influx of questions. It was hard for her not to feel behind when she looked at her friends and all the things they were doing; their majors decided, career plans mapped out, internships lined up their freshman and sophomore years. 

Mina turned to friends and family who had been through it before, asking how they navigated their own freshman years. Despite their different areas of interest, Mina found it encouraging to hear their experiences and what ultimately helped them choose their majors.

For some friends, it was an extracurricular activity that revealed a passion they hadn’t considered turning into a career. For others, it was a job they had that really emphasized the love for their major.  So Mina set out to gain experiences of her own, starting with joining student organizations – and that’s when she started to realize she wasn’t alone.

“I went to this organization called AHANA-MAPS, which is a multicultural healthcare-focused club, and I met three other people who were also just there to explore,” she said. “I’d thought these clubs were just for people who knew what they wanted to do. It was really good to know that there were a lot of other freshmen who were also undecided.”

In addition to clubs, she looked to her UW coursework for clues.

“I was in a more literature based sociology class, and I realized I wasn’t feeling it as much as my physics class. The courses definitely helped me weed out what I wasn’t interested in, and hearing my professors talk about what they’ve done in their research definitely pushed me towards biology.” 

With more experiences behind her, Mina uncovered a few different interests, but the picture was still blurry. A friend encouraged her to visit the Career Exploration Center (CEC), and things began to come into focus.

“It was really great to go to the CEC because it was just a space for me to talk and hear my thoughts and my experiences out loud, then have someone to help me break down my options  A second set of ears helped me start to make sense of what I wanted to do with my interests,” she said. 

Mina met with CEC career advisor Ryan Bouchard, who introduced her to resources like the UW-Madison Guide and SuccessWorks ‘What Can I Do With My Major?’ infographics. Through those resources and their “Day-In-The-Life” features, she could imagine what different jobs might look like post-graduation. 

“Before that [meeting], I didn’t really know what a biology major meant. It seemed like people would go pre-med or just start working in a lab, but it was cool to see all those job titles and the day in the life of a lab technician, for example.”

Now, Mina is thoughtfully exploring potential careers in healthcare and science-related fields, approaching the process with intention. Ryan connected her with the Center for Pre-Health Advising on campus and she has plans to shadow health professionals this summer.

Mina’s story reflects an important truth: you don’t have to have all the answers right away. Exploration is an important part of the college experience, and sometimes trying things out is the perfect way to find something perfect for you.

Story by: Nia Davis, Rachel Goodman, Michelle Jackson