Is it worth it to drop a two-hour class you are interested in because it is simply too long? 

Recently, this decision has been weighing heavily on my mind. Beyond the long class duration, I also had to dedicate time to the course outside of class. However, it was a course I was really interested in, so it could benefit me in the long run.

A simple decision can hold so much weight for a college student, especially when it feels like everything impacts our future. Taking this class opened a doorway for me to pursue a minor, which led to a possible future where I was in an entirely different field than I am right now. Dropping the class meant shutting the door to that possibility forever.

However, amidst the many decisions I’ve made since my first semester at the University of Missouri and the decisions that I am currently wrestling with, I have learned some important lessons. Here are three lessons I’ve learned about making decisions as a college student.

Like all good things, practice makes perfect

While it may seem scary, being an 18-year-old college student is also the perfect time to practice decision-making. Far from home, our first taste of freedom can seem daunting and overwhelming. However, this newfound independence opens up a clean slate to practice making your own decisions.

It all starts with the little things: Where will I study? What should I have for dinner? Should I go out tonight or stay in? 

The more you practice with trivial decisions, the more comfortable you’ll be when it’s time to consider the bigger decisions. This can help you build confidence in yourself, especially when taking high-risk decisions, such as determining your housing situation for your sophomore year. According to Focus Collegiate, a national support service for college students, good decision-making is like a muscle that strengthens the more you use it over time. 

Additionally, even if you try to avoid making decisions, you will never actually stop making them in life. For example, when we avoid dealing with scary situations and push them away, that’s a decision in and of itself. Therefore, reframing decision-making as an avenue for practice can be much more productive and helpful for you in the long run. There’s a certain sense of ease and self-trust that comes with experience.

As I would have told my first-semester self, there is no need to stress. Decision-making is a practice, and as you keep doing it, your comfort and confidence in yourself will grow.

Our decisions are informed by our habits

I have a confession: Every time I eat at the Restaurants at Southwest, I end up wasting food. I tend to get more food than I can actually eat and only come to the bitter realization about halfway through my meal. Then, I’m forced to throw away my food as there are no options for take-out at Southwest.

This bad habit of mine influences my decision-making, especially at all-you-can-eat buffets. Similarly, many patterns in our decision-making are influenced by our habits. 

In my case, I have a bad habit of overindulging when there is an abundance of options. However, just because there are many options does not mean I have to choose all of them. Instead, I can try things one at a time — as my friend so wisely reminded me when I grumbled about not being able to finish my Alfredo pasta.

However, not all habits are bad. For instance, some students have a habit of showing up early to classes. As a result, all of their decisions — from when they leave to go to class, to the path they take to get there — are influenced by this habit.

Nevertheless, it helps to be aware of our habits and how they affect the decisions we make. Being aware of a bad habit is the first step on the way to breaking it, whereas knowing good habits can remind us to keep them intact.

Trust yourself

I say this from personal experience: Trust your gut. Trust your intuition, because it is much better to deal with the repercussions of a decision you are comfortable with than to constantly second-guess yourself. 

According to research published by the American Psychological Association, people are more likely to feel confident about and certain of their intuitive decisions as opposed to purely logic-based decisions. People tend to believe that their gut-based decisions more accurately reflect their true selves. 

If you aren’t used to letting your intuition guide you, try experimenting with low-risk decisions. Say, you have a gut feeling that the salad wrap at Plaza 900 wouldn’t be a good meal, but there is no queue at the sandwich/wrap bar. Give it a shot. If it isn’t good, then you know your gut feeling was right all along. If it was unexpectedly yummy, then at least you now know that the wraps at Plaza 900 are healthy and delicious. In my case, as I resentfully nibbled away at my unsatisfactory wrap, I realized that my intuition was correct all along.

Even if your decisions don’t pan out how you want them to, trust that you will learn from them and grow in time. There’s no need to be harsh on yourself; be patient. As I mentioned before, decision-making is a practice you learn from as you maintain it.

Making the tough decision

Being a college student fresh out of high school is a uniquely formative period of life. This is when our belief systems, habits and lifestyles start to cement and shape who we are. Therefore, everything — from the classes we take to the people we interact with — impacts who we are and who we will be for the rest of our lives. As a result, decision-making may feel stressful and difficult.

Remember that two-hour class I mentioned at the beginning? It took me several weeks to decide whether or not I should drop it as it was bogging down my schedule. After many days of deliberation, I finally dropped the class. Admittedly, it was tough because it felt like the future of my career hung on this decision. 

However, after making the decision, I didn’t feel any regret. In fact, I am much more at ease because I can dedicate more time to my other classes, extracurriculars and my job. Moreover, I’m sure that this experience will help guide me in the future when I’m considering enrolling in similar long-duration classes for my upcoming semesters at MU. 

I’ve learned through this experience that building confidence through practice and trusting yourself can help you make better decisions. Or, at least, it can help you make decisions you feel satisfied with.

Edited by Preston Smith | psmith@themaneater.com

Copy edited by Amelia Schaefer and Natalie Kientzy

Edited by Annie Goodykoontz | agoodykoontz@themaneater.com