From undecided to unstoppable

Taylor Robinson is a first-year student at Mount Mary and is part of the first group to go through the Compass Year. She describes her experiences here.

Q: Why did you choose Mount Mary?

I came from Divine Savior Holy Angels High School, and the atmosphere of strong, educated women all accomplishing their goals inspires me to aim for higher goals. Also, Mount Mary was the only school that offered a program specifically for undecided majors. I had no idea what I wanted to do, or who I wanted to become, but I knew that college is where I wanted to be.

Q: Why did you choose to be a part of the Compass Year Program?

The program offered me the opportunity to graduate on time without having to rush into any major. I also liked that students who were part of Compass Year started school earlier than the rest of the students. This helped us get familiar with the staff and each other and get a deeper understanding of the program.

Q: How has Compass Year programming helped you declare your major?

When we took our first personality quiz I discovered I was a “Campaigner,” someone who is charming, independent, energetic and compassionate. As I explored the results, I saw careers ranging from counseling and politics to journalism and psychology. We continued to take these types of assessments and test after test, I saw a reoccurring pattern of psychology.

As I did more extensive research of different job opportunities in the psychology field, and participated in presentations from guest speakers, I grew closer to making my decision.

At the end of the semester, we were all assigned a graduate student mentor. Graduate student Katrina Williams and I connected instantly because of our similar backgrounds and beliefs. Halfway through the conversation she said, “You have the heart, determination and skills it takes to be a psychologist. I think psychology would be a great match for you.” It was then that I knew psychology was the path for me.

Q: Were there any other factors in your choice of major?

Another factor in my choice of major was my work-study job in the Marketing Department. I have learned that psychology and marketing go hand and hand. When we are brainstorming ideas for our social media posts, creating videos or various campaigns, our primary focus is our audience.

A degree in psychology will give me an advantage in better understanding what makes people want to watch certain things, what makes people click on an ad, or even what color palette would result in different emotions.

Q: What is one piece of advice you’d tell future Mount Mary students who are undecided? 

It is okay to be undecided. I promise you, even if you do not know what you want to do now, there is plenty of time. Do not pick a major because you feel pressured to decide right after graduation. The Compass Year can help you explore different options while learning more about your values and your ideal future. It’s helped me, and I believe it can help you, too.