Because I’m participating in the Beijing Seminar, I need to declare my major this term. I’ve known for some time that I would be declaring an Asian Studies major focusing in East Asia/Political Science. Now I’ve officially checked the box and turned in the form.

Narrowing the focus of my study is exciting but disappointing. Exciting because I’m going to be studying abroad for three, maybe four terms. Disappointing because I wanted to explore so many other things at Carleton.

If I was magically given another year at Carleton, here is what I would study:

• Educational Studies, specifically issues of privilege which are so pertinent to life at Carleton.
• Environmental Science, specifically ecosystems and environmental justice
• Women and Gender Studies
• English with George Shuffleton
• Studio Art, which I never managed to schedule in
• Art History
• Sociology Anthropology classes (I took intro but never made it to any others)

Freshmen and Sophomore years are supposed to be a time of exploration, but looking at my transcript, mine don’t look that way. Of the eighteen classes I’ll have completed by the end of sophomore year, only five of them will have been electives. I traded my electives for language classes and the opportunity to study abroad extensively. Although it’s a decision I’m glad that I made, I also wish I could have had both.

Oh well, at least I got to play broom ball.