Hometown:
Orem, Utah
I went through my freshman year of college feeling lost, not finding any interest in the majors that BYU had to offer. At first, I wanted to work with animals but didn’t see a clear path to that, so I scrapped the idea, unaware of resources that could get me there. As a volunteer missionary serving in Brazil, I discovered my love for talking with and supporting people. I wanted that to be a large aspect in my future career. Returning to BYU, as I took a Career Exploration class, I found resources and major options. After some exploration I am now interested in pursuing admission to the experience design and management program. Seeing how many opportunities are out there for students, I look forward to helping others discover them as well.
Exploration Experience: Coming to BYU was a little intimidating at first. I was unaware of my options and picking what I wanted to do for the rest of my life seemed overwhelming. Growing up, I always had an interest in working with animals, so I set my sights on becoming a veterinarian. As I began college and researched the path to becoming one, I realized I wouldn’t do well with the medical aspect of the job. Overtime, despite my deep love of animals, I decided not to go through with it as a career path, rather I would find other ways to still be involved with animals. But this left me going through my freshman year without a clue of what I wanted to study. This pattern continued until about the end of my mission in Brazil when I realized how much I loved talking with and building good relationships with people. As I recognized my desire to serve and uplift others, I wondered how I might include this in my future career.
Coming back to BYU, I started to further explore campus opportunities and majors. I took a Career Exploration class that taught me your major doesn’t determine your final career but gives you skills in your toolbelt to use in many different career paths you can take. Upon learning this, I started to research the public relations major; however, in taking the prerequisite courses and further exploring the major, I didn’t quite feel it was a correct fit for me. I have since pivoted and am now preparing to apply to the experience design and management major. As I move forward, I’m eager to help other students who are also trying to maneuver through finding a major and seeking out their dream paths at BYU.
Why is Exploring Important to Me? Exploring has broadened my perspective of what a career is all about. Choosing a major or career path will not limit what I can do long term; it has given me more resources to find more opportunities than I could have ever imagined. I’ve felt more confident and empowered to use my agency to make choices, try things, and change my mind. Ultimately, I’ve been able to look at myself honestly and know what I’m looking for. I’ve learned it is important for me to find joy in what I do and I now look for opportunities through that lens. It’s worth taking the time to explore options, at least for me, because if I don’t, I might be limiting my potential.
Looking Back: I wish I had known about Exploration Point earlier because this tool would have been incredibly helpful during my first year. At that time, the exploration I was doing was limited and superficial, which left me in a closed mindset. I didn’t understand the wide range of possibilities at BYU or the value of challenging but meaningful work. I also wish I’d had the courage to start exploring sooner by taking prerequisite classes and learning more about the majors I was interested in.
Something that was helpful for me was taking a Career Exploration class. I loved it because it gave me a structured way to explore careers through job shadowing and informational interviews. The assignments and recommended websites helped me research majors and career paths in depth. Throughout the semester, I also had one‑on‑one meetings with my professor, who offered support, new perspectives, and personalized guidance as both an instructor and an advisor. In hindsight, beginning that exploration earlier would have made all the difference.
Favorites:
- Book: Dragon Slippers
- Movie: Nacho Libre and live-action Cinderella movies
- Food: A good cheeseburger
- Animal: Dogs and horses
- Color: Light blue
Does Pineapple Belong on Pizza? I like pineapple, and I like pizza. I don’t love eating them together.
Boring Fact About Me: I’ve ridden a live bull!
Hobbies: Dancing, singing, playing boardgames, doing crafts, and spending time with animals.