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The spring semester at St. Olaf College is often marked by a busy quad, with students playing frisbee and sunning themselves in the campus’ signature Adirondack chairs. But at the beginning of March, the campus was still in a deep-freeze, with students scuttling across a brown, muddy quad to get to class and escape the cold. Any cause for celebration was welcome, and the bright, bustling atmosphere in the Buntrock Ballrooms on March 5 was a reminder that, even if spring hadn’t sprung yet, St. Olaf students were still bubbling with excitement about what the future would hold.

The Major Declaration Celebration is an annual event for sophomores to recognize how far they’ve come in their college experience and celebrate finding their personal path to success through their major. Offering cupcakes, swag, and a photobooth, the event drew most of the Class of 2028, who packed into the ballrooms with a line out the door. Inside, each major had a table set up with a department advisor and “I am a ____ major!” signs to fill out. Many tables featured candy, stickers, or other major-related party favors (for example, the music major table gave out kazoos, the art table gave out prints, and the environmental studies table gave out reusable silverware). A well-stocked refreshments table and a free Class of 2028 T-shirt station were also set up.

While the event offers an opportunity for students to officially declare their major, many students declare during their first year. Others add majors or concentrations later, as their interests evolve. St. Olaf prides itself on its interdisciplinary approach to majors and courses, making it easier for students to double — or even triple — major to encapsulate their interests and broaden their post-college opportunities.

Processes for settling on a major vary among the sophomore class. Many students began their first year with a general idea of what they wanted and have since refined their interests — adding a major or concentration, shifting to a similar field, or discovering a new passion. 

“I knew I wanted to do biology from the beginning,” says Eleanor Grothe ‘28, a biology and dance major. “Dance is something that I picked up because I took two dance classes during freshman year, and I just thought it was so fun.”  

One of the largest challenges for students who double or triple major is scheduling. 

“It’s tricky fitting all of the classes in,” explains Ellen Barfield ’28, a religion, history, and ancient studies major. “But it’s convenient for me because all of them are related, so I have a lot of requirements that overlap.” 

Even after scheduling classes, day-to-day logistics can be tricky. 

“I’m taking the same number of classes as everyone else, but at the same time, studio art classes take up two time blocks, biology has labs, and film has film screenings sometimes,” says Wyatt Gurgel ‘28, a studio art, film studies, and biology triple major. “It’s really time-consuming.”

Declaring a major doesn’t just check a box for graduation requirements — it also opens up many opportunities for networking, research programs, travel, and work.

“I’m excited to have a greater advantage on internships in the biology field,” says Annika Shallberg ’28, a music and biology double major who declared biology at the celebration. “It’s kind of silly to apply to biology internships with only a music degree declared.” 

Declaring a major also gives students opportunities to connect with their peers. 

“It’s so nice to be in a niche space where everyone around you is interested in the same topic,” says Josh Johnson-Toews ‘28, a political science major on the pre-law track. “Everyone in the major is so dedicated. It’s really wonderful to be in a class with other people whose brains are thinking the same way, and who have read the same things you have.” 

Students are also able to strengthen their relationships with professors through their major advisor or simply through a class they enjoy, which can lead to valuable conversations and experiences. 

“Because I took a class within the biology major, I met this professor, and now I’m the artistic director for his upcoming museum exhibit,” Gurgel adds.

Many students have a very clear idea of what they would like to do after college, citing career plans such as greenhouse management, scientific illustration, or medical, law, or graduate school. Others are unsure, but excited by the many career options their major presents. 

“I’m working with the Piper Center to figure out what to do after college, but the good thing is that there are a lot of options in my major that sound fun,” says environmental studies major Naomi Janquart ‘28.

Although students’ plans will likely shift and change as they take new classes and pursue new opportunities, declaring a major symbolizes a commitment to a passion — and a step toward a fulfilling career. Biology major Johnna Maxwell ‘28 echoed this sentiment when asked what her thoughts were after declaring her major: “I felt like I was finally on the path to my future.”