Austin Taylor

I originally was accepted to the University of Georgia as a mechanical engineering major, but now I am pre-vet wildlife sciences and couldn’t be more sure that I made the right decision to switch career tracks.

For most of my life, I did not have the slightest clue when it came to what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, but everyone around me assured me that I had plenty of time to decide. I expected that one day I would just know. Instead, time moved much faster than I was ready for and suddenly I was choosing my major before I even understood what I wanted out of a career.

Like many students, I think I initially chose mechanical engineering for practical reasons. It was a stable field with strong job prospects and I knew it paid well, and I thought that was what mattered most, but when I began looking deeper into what a mechanical engineering career would actually look like, I realized how unhappy I would be. No hate to mechanical engineering majors of course, but the idea of spending the rest of my days sitting at a computer, staring at CAD software designing slightly more optimized components for a random company felt so awful.

That realization forced me to reflect on what really interested me and I began to think about the things I had always enjoyed but never seriously considered as a career like being outdoors, learning about animals, and watching veterinary and wildlife shows and documentaries. Wildlife conservation and animal care was something that motivated me like engineering never had.

Choosing to switch majors was definitely intimidating, but it felt right because rather than me pursuing a career based solely on money or expectations of those around me, I’m now on a path that is aligned with personal values and interests. Now, as a pre-vet wildlife sciences student I feel 10 times more motivated, and I am confident that I am working toward a future I will truly enjoy.