Coming into college, I was 19, an international student from China and overwhelmed by the possibilities of what I could study. The options of majors seemed endless. Should I dip my toes in philosophy, see if psychology is as interesting as it sounds, play it safe with business, or actually listen to my parents and study economics? 

When I was undecided about what to study, my adviser (who was also my English professor) asked if I had considered English. I had strong writing skills, did well in analysis assignments, and had always been a big reader. It made sense, and at that point, nothing else interested me enough — so I went with it.

It didn’t feel like a life-defining decision at the time. You can change your major before the end of sophomore year. Plus, many people find jobs in fields unrelated to what they studied. While that serves as a comforting thought for some, the reality is a little different for international students. 

STEM major or not, one key requirement for OPT is that the job a student gets must be directly related to what they studied in university. It must also require a bachelor’s degree to complete.

There are a lot of things I had to learn about being an international student in the United States when I first started at Fordham — I didn’t know I had to get my I-20 re-signed every year, and I didn’t know what an Optional Practical Training (OPT) was. It wasn’t until this past year that I realized I would be bound to my English degree after graduation. 

International students on a F-1 student visa, the most common type of student visa in the U.S., get an OPT, which is a 12 month period during which they can work. Students are able to use their 12 months either while they are in school or after graduation. Whichever way one chooses to use their OPT, they only get a total of 12 months. However, if a student majors in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Math (STEM) category, they are eligible for an OPT extension of an extra two years. 

STEM major or not, one key requirement for OPT is that the job a student gets must be directly related to what they studied in university. It must also require a bachelor’s degree to complete. So, for example, if I had received a degree in public health, I would not be able to get a job in graphic design after graduation. I know several fellow international students who, post-graduation, have felt boxed-in by their majors. 

Not knowing where I’d end up after college may have seemed exciting when I entered Fordham as a first-year, but four years later, I have built a life here.

If you are unemployed for more than 90 days after graduation, you will be forced to leave the U.S. immediately — even if you have months of OPT left. Once you have used up your OPT, you have to go through the process of applying for a H-1B visa in order to keep working in the U.S. Unfortunately, more than 80% of those hoping for a work visa will be rejected. It doesn’t always matter how skilled you are in your field, as U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services uses a random lottery system to make its selections. The only way to apply again is to get a master’s degree, since those with the additional education are eligible to be entered in a second round of the lottery system if they have been rejected by the first round. 

The feeling of instability as an international student is constantly lingering, adding to the anxieties that already exist for a college student unsure of where life is taking them. Not knowing where I’d end up after college may have seemed exciting when I entered Fordham as a first-year, but four years later, I have built a life here. I have a community of friends I call family. I have a bagel order, a bodega guy and goals that don’t involve moving overseas. Plus, the general anxiety students have about post-grad life is not the same thing as not knowing which country I’ll have to move to if I don’t win a statistically unfavorable lottery. The first is exciting; the other is downright terrifying. 

One thing I am thankful for, though, is listening to my gut when picking a major. If I had caved into the pressure of studying something that would land me at one of the Big Four accounting firms, I would probably be pretty miserable … and would have to stay that way for the foreseeable future. I like English. It has allowed me to read, write and be critical of the world around me. It may not be the most lucrative major, but it gives me a few different options for career paths after college that are relatively fulfilling and will satisfy my OPT requirements.

That’s just me though, and this is only a word of caution. Take it as you will. If you like STEM and stability, you might be lucky. If you genuinely don’t care where you land after college, and that includes a different country, then the choice of what to study may not be so consequential. Either way, picking a major is a big decision, and there are a lot of things to consider when you are an international student in the U.S. — so be sure to think it through.