A First-Year Student’s Perspective on the Majors Fair

I walked into Penn Pavilion with the plan to stop by one or two tables for a quick chat. I left hours later with a bag full of free goodies and a newfound understanding of what being a student at Duke can look like.

The seemingly endless aisles of tables featuring academic departments, certificate programs and student resources felt like a maze of different opportunities and possibilities. Each table was decorated to be its own vibrant universe. While I may have stopped by a few tables for their bowls full of treats or the adorable lemur plushie from Evolutionary Anthropology, I found myself appreciating how many different topics to explore were just an enroll button away. 

You never know when something you think of as just slightly interesting could turn into your next passion. I walked in on the hunt for the Economics table. As someone who came to Duke as an intended Economics major, it felt like a natural first stop. But other tables, like Innovation & Entrepreneurship, caught my eye first.

While I had heard vague whispers of Duke’s I&E certificate, I had never bothered to look into it. Getting to chat with students who are currently in the program and viewing the list of past capstone projects, my understanding expanded beyond just learning about the prerequisites, allowing me to envision what a path down I&E would actually look like. 

Throughout the entire Majors Fair, my curiosity (and sweet tooth) led me table to table, learning about the intersection between the Child Policy certificate and a Public Policy major or the distinctions between the Asian American & Diaspora Studies program and the department of Asian & Middle Eastern Studies (and filling my bag with candy as if Halloween had come early). I would not only hear from faculty describing their love for the subjects they represented, but also from students about their own academic journeys and experiences. 

Majors Fair is a deceptive name. I didn’t just learn about majors, or even combinations with minors and certificates. I learned about new courses being offered in the spring, ones that I would have never considered or thought of. I learned about opportunities to approach learning differently, like experimental learning, studying abroad in Taiwan to learn Chinese, or various research opportunities. And finally, I learned to embrace asking questions and staying inquisitive. Whether it be asking for advice on your spring schedule or discovering that you may want to double major in a subject totally different from your initial major, everyone has something to gain from just a quick (or hour-long) visit to the Majors Fair.