In Search of Stability, College Students Change Their Majors

UGA students find it difficult to locate internships and career opportunities due to the impacts of COVID-19. Many are switching career paths in search of something stable.

Studies show that higher education degrees lead to more job security, higher earnings and stability. But the covid-19 pandemic that shut down schools like the University of Georgia last spring threw a wrench in students’ plans.

One year after the initial lockdowns, students are struggling to find summer internships, stay motivated and balance the demands of online school.

“It’s stressful, it’s hard, it’s a lot packed into one small amount of time,” Mitchell Flanders said. “I’m looking for apartments. I’m looking for jobs. I’m trying to graduate.”

Fourth-year student Mitchell Flanders struggled to find a post-grad job in the entertainment industry after his summer internship was cancelled due to COVID-19.

“I was applying and most likely receiving an internship with Georgia Public Broadcasting over the summer and into the fall semester for 2020. And when (COVID-19) hit, those applications were just left in the folder. They didn’t contact us, they didn’t email us or anything. It was like the application process just ended,” Flanders said.

As the entertainment industry shut down because of COVID-19, Flanders couldn’t find a remote internship. As he approaches graduation, he is nervous about entering the job market with no professional experience.

“(COVID-19) has really held me back personally from gaining experience and getting jobs and getting more time out in the field, working with crews, working with productions,” Flanders said.

Other students feel stranded while their programs cease to exist because of COVID-19. Some industries, like museum studies, are hit hard especially hard. Leaving students who planned on entering the field in the lurch.

Second-year Isobel Still changed her major due to the unsteadiness in the museum industry which she once dreamed of entering.

“There’s really no incentive to go into that field when there’s such a tiny, miniscule chance of even getting a job, even at an entry level, without also doing upper level grad school,” Still said.

Still felt hopeless as she watched her lifelong dream lay-off professionals in her dream field.

Still was motivated to find a stable job and was frustrated with the history department which struggled to adapt to the hybrid format. She changed her major last fall to fashion merchandising.

“So I switched to fashion merchandising mostly because I was interested but also because when I was looking at their website I saw that (fashion merchandising) had a high percentage of people who got hired right after graduation,” Still said. “I really, really wanted that career security after having to completely switch majors because there was no longer that security.”

Other students faced a degree dilemma when their programs were shut down in spring 2020.

Syd Cohen struggled with online school after her study abroad program in Spain was abruptly cancelled last March. With all the time at home, the third-year EMST student from Atlanta, Georgia contemplated her area of study, too.

“I was studying abroad in the spring 2020 semester and I got sent home for (COVID-19) reasons. I had an existential crisis,” said Cohen. “I was majoring in poli sci and international affairs and minoring in spanish at the time. I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I don’t want to be a lawyer, I didn’t want a doctorate or I wasn’t even sure about grad school.”

Cohen decided to change her major to EMST and now hopes to land a summer internship working on a television show.

“I’ve applied to 22 internships so far. I’m hoping to get any industry experience I can, whether it’s on set stuff or behind the scenes” Cohen said.

As vaccine distribution increases for young people and social distancing restrictions are lifted, students are finding new ways to cope.

“I think the quarantine was great for starting new hobbies. I got really into roller skating,” Cohen said. “I’ve skated every week since and I started a skate club here at UGA. We meet on Thursdays and that’s been a good way to meet friends with common interests and a good activity to do distanced.”

While Cohen doesn’t plan on pursuing roller skating for a career, her and other student’s extra time to think about their interests during lockdowns have reframed their career goals.