Majors: Women, gender and sexuality studies major and psychology, business and human sexuality minors. 

Hometown: Topeka, Kansas 

What has been your favorite class at KU? And why? I loved my WGSS 101 class. I was expecting a class of 300 people, but found my way to a room of about 20. We were students from different majors, different family backgrounds, and students from all over the world. It enhanced the class 10 fold.

It might be easier than you think to add another major or minor. You can still graduate on time and, bonus, your diverse studies can help you stand out in the job market. Here are some tips from College students on how to balance multiple majors and minors:

1. Don’t be afraid to explore.

Combining classes in photography, sign language, biology & anthropology, junior McKenzie Cory takes full advantage of all the variety the College and KU has to offer. Oh, and she's interning at Topeka Zoo too, and crafting in her spare time. Busy, busy. In March 2017, we handed McKenzie the keys to our Instagram account to show us what it's like to take "a crazy variety of classes" in one week, and because we wanted to see all the cute animals at the zoo!

Here's KU from McKenzie's point of view:

Ask Insia Zufer why she studies biology, and she'll give you an answer that extends far beyond a passion for fieldwork. By exploring how and why humans, animals and even a blade of grass work, Insia discovers the connections that unite us all to each other, and to the planet. She added minors in psychology and film to gain new ways of looking at the world, and to explore her love of the arts. For this Jayhawk, the subjects she studies help shape her worldview.

Savannah Pine lives and breathes history. It's a passion that has directed her days since she arrived at KU, and she dreams of working as a professor beyond graduation. But her curiosity reaches beyond the boundaries of a history major.  Savannah approaches the past in the same way she lives in the present, seeking connections and lessons from people living, working and thinking in diverse ways. At KU, Savannah takes full advantage of all the expertise, resources and opportunities available across the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. Curiosity for a wide range of classes led Savannah to add a European studies major and a minor in English.

October Davis loves teaching history. It's her career calling. So when she arrived at KU, she enrolled in the School of Education and began developing the skills, knowledge and experience needed to become a secondary education teacher. And she's never looked back. But, like so many aspiring teachers October was also passionate about the subject she wanted to teach. Reading, researching and writing history sparked a fire in October that she could not ignore. Even though it would take her a little longer to graduate, October decided to pursue her passion by enrolling in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and adding a history major to her education degree. Speaking to October now, it is easy to see why it was a great decision. When she talks about history, her eyes light up, a large smile crosses her face, and she bubbles with enthusiasm.

We’ve all had “a-ha” moments. For Margoth Mackey, a junior double majoring in film & media studies and finance, that moment of clarity came amid dwarves clashing swords with orcs and a struggle for power. “I discovered the magic of filmmaking one day when I watched a documentary on how the ‘Lord of the Rings’ was made and I was hooked. I decided from then on I wanted to be a director,” Mackey said. “I loved the idea of telling a story in a way that people could experience, almost like putting my imagination on screen.” Initially, Mackey considered chasing her silver screen dreams at a technical film school in Chicago. As the daughter of two Jayhawk grads however, Mackey decided at the end of her high school career that she wanted to experience all that comes with a KU education and its film & media studies degree.

Wanderlust is real. Travel-related personal goals or “bucket list” items are common; some people want to visit all the U.S. states, or all the continents or all the oceans. Libby Friesen wants to do it all. On her bucket list is the desire to visit every continent, country, state, ocean, sea and bay in the world. “I calculated it and if I visit four to five new places every year I will accomplish this... it's within grasp, I just know it!” Friesen said. Friesen, a senior majoring in global & international studies and minoring in Chinese language, was previously a flight attendant. She remembers frustrating times when no one on board was able to communicate with travelers. “I just want to be a well-informed world citizen so I can bridge gaps and continue to appreciate other cultures throughout the world,” she said.

After applying to a number of universities across the United States, Nazirah Mohd decided to attend KU for the great research programs, friendly atmosphere and the iconic Jayhawk mascot. Mohd, currently a sophomore, spent her freshman year at an international college in her home country of Malaysia before coming to KU as a petroleum engineering major and geology minor. 

“The reason I chose petroleum engineering as my major and geology as my minor is because they're like a twin,” Mohd said. “Having a minor in geology will really help me to distinguish myself from other candidates.” 

If you’ve struggled with deciding on a major, you’re not alone – you’re actually in the majority. About 80 percent of college-bound students don’t settle on a major before coming to campus according to MyMajors.com. With so many options, many of which cover subjects that aren’t taught in high schools, it’s no surprise that most students take some time before committing to a major. “It was easy to choose my French minor because I’d been studying French since I was a freshman in high school, but choosing my major was difficult,” said Justin Evans, junior majoring in anthropology and minoring in French. During his first few semesters at KU, Evans said, he enrolled in a number of courses that deal with the study of humans, such as sociology and linguistics. These courses prompted his passion for exploring questions about the “why” behind human history.

How in the world do you pick a major, especially with so many choices? You want to study what you love – and have a secure financial future. We get it. So we're here to help. In this guide, you'll find advice from current students, alumni and advisors on picking the right major for you, balancing your schedule with another degree, and ways your fellow Jayhawks are making a difference. With more than 100 majors and minors in a broad range of subjects, the College can help you explore all your interests and find your and. Start finding your "and."