A Major Change

If I had a dollar for each time I had to make a really hard decision between two really great options, I would not have had to take out any student loans. Unfortunately, I am not given a dollar for each time I have had to make a really tough decision, but if you know how I can sign up for that plan please let me know. I may even give you ten cents for every dollar. As cliche as this may sound, life is all about making tough decisions, and it is these tough decisions which truly define us as a person. 

Throughout my time here at K-State I have had one extremely difficult decision I had to make in the back of my mind which was weighing heavily on my shoulders… To continue my path in Agricultural Education, or to switch my major to Agricultural Communications & Journalism. Yes, this has been a major decision which would quite literally result in a major change. 

While I had absolutely fallen in love with FFA and agricultural education in high school, I had known without a doubt that a career as an agriculture teacher was definitely for me. I was one hundred percent committed into the agricultural education pathway, and I had not given my other passions or options much thought. I was so positive that a major in AgEd was for me, and that was all there was to it. I bled National Blue and Corn Gold, and I as a high school student was convinced I would be the best FFA advisor and agriculture teacher ever. 

But then something happened. A little thing I like to call, “College.” College is beautiful. We college students are submerged with education both inside and outside of the classroom. We learn even when we are not learning, and we may not realize it all the time, but we somehow begin to start walking the path of our calling. As it is evident to see by reading my older blog posts or by taking a quick glance at my planner/calendar/to-do list/life, I am very involved with extracurricular activities and organizations. And by being an AgEd student I had the opportunity to take classes from various departments in the College of Agriculture. These moments both inside and outside of the classroom showed me so much more about what I am passionate about, and while I still absolutely love AgEd and FFA (and still bleed blue and gold), I realized there is another path I was really debating taking. 

Even before college I had always shown an interest in government, agricultural policies, and leadership (and yes, this is what led me to apply for the SGA Intern Program). I had never, ever considered a career in this field, but I just knew I enjoyed learning and being knowledgeable about these subjects. I also really enjoyed communications, especially when advocating for the agricultural industry (and yes, I discovered this when I served as the Los Banos FFA Reporter and the California FFA State Star Reporter. And yes, this also led me to the Public Relations Officer position in the K-State AgEd Club, my own blog, and being an active social media poster). But again, this was a career path I never, ever considered. This was just something I enjoyed. 

So this is where the fork in the road lied right in front of my very next step. With Fall 2015 enrollment quickly approaching, I knew I wanted to make a decision before I began to take classes which would not transfer over into my possible new major. I gave this decision months of thought, but it was not until two weeks before my enrollment date that the decision became clear to me. I was about to make a major change (no pun intended). Okay, so this is where you give me $1 for making a really tough life decision. 

Leaving the Agricultural Education major was not an easy task, which is what made this decision so hard and such a long, thoughtful process. The people in Agricultural Education are truly remarkable, and I am forever grateful for all their support in both my decision and my college career. These are not easy people to leave, which is why I am so excited to still have the opportunity to be involved with the AgEd Club as the Public Relations Officer. Agricultural Education still holds a very large part of my heart, and I support this major and path more than I could ever describe. There is no denying that we need more agriculture teachers, and I would love to say I will one day, “Fill the boots.” But if my path does not lead me there, I know I will always find myself educating others about agriculture, it just may not be in the most traditional way. 

And where does that leave me now? I am now officially enrolled as an Agricultural Communications & Journalism student here at K-State. To be honest, it still sounds a bit weird to say it as this is all so new, but I cannot wait to officially begin my communication classes next fall. And want to know the best news? AgEd and AgComm are in the same department within the College of Agriculture, so I’ll still be very near and dear to my AgEd family. Oh and career plans? I am currently one of those students who is not 100% certain about my goal. Wow, I never thought I would say that. I am someone who has just about everything planned out step-by-step, but college is beautiful and I now understand one of my new favorite quotes, “Not all those who wander are lost.” I still do have two plans in mind, but I have a bit more wandering to do. I would love to work in communications for a major agricultural corporation, but I have also given much thought to attending Law School to study environmental and agricultural law. It is these two plans that have led me to a major in AgComm, as I know I will be well prepared for whichever path I decide to take in the very near future. And I know that either way I will still be educating about agriculture, something I am truly passionate for. 

College has been the most beautiful experience of discovering myself, my path, and the people who walk life in a similar fashion as me. And I have learned to embrace these changes to my path, as college is probably the only place where you learn even when you are not learning. 

I love my AgEd Family,
Forever & Always!

Living a life of purple, passion, progress and purpose,

Kaitlyn Alanis