Story Bingenheimer graduated in 2004 from Trinity College in Hartford, Conn. Last summer, she began working as an analyst with Citigroup in Manhattan, N.Y.—a straight-up finance job. Her college major? Art History, with a minor in Spanish. Of course.

From the time you were able to talk, people have probably been asking you some variant of the Big Question: What are you going to be when you grow up? It's a happy question, a daydreamy kind of mental exercise. But it all changes when you hit that first year in college and the question morphs into something considerably less fun: What's your major?

You end up spending the first few weeks of college life—which can be difficult enough anyway—lugging around the burden of choosing a major. You feel like you have to decide right then and there exactly what you are going to do with the rest of your life. All that childhood fantasy? Time to chisel it in stone.

At least that's the perception, but the reality is that your college major is much less important than you probably think it is. For the next few minutes, stop freaking out about it. Let's take a look at some of the big myths of choosing a college major.

Myth #1: Picking a major means picking a career.

Nope. While declaring a major is a big step in terms of graduating from college, it's nowhere near that important when it comes to your future profession. Did you know that a majority of college students switch majors at least once before they graduate? Or did you know that the average college graduate changes jobs every three years or so? It's true.

Within ten years after graduation, you may be working in a career that's only marginally related to your major, if at all. The point? Your career is a lifelong process, not a one-shot thing. So, your major isn't a one-shot thing either.

Myth #2: Your major matters to future employers.

Not exactly. Unless you're pursuing a highly specialized occupation like nursing or engineering—something that requires a specific degree in order to earn certification—employers are generally more interested in broad-based skills, such as problem solving, communication and critical thinking. Those are all things you learn in college regardless of your field of study. This means that your degree—not necessarily your major—is of utmost importance to employers.

"My major has nothing to do with what I do today," Bingenheimer says of her art history degree. "And I like it that way. I feel like I'm a more well-rounded person."

Myth #3: Liberal arts degrees are useless.

Not a chance. As mentioned above, most college grads are entering a technology-driven workforce that's vastly different from that of their parents. Specialized industrial occupations become obsolete every year. Technologies evolve constantly. More and more companies are trying to compete globally, not just with a competitor down the street.

Companies need energetic workers whose wide interests and flexible skills will never become outdated. Thus, your literature degree might lead you to an excellent advertising career and your business degree might make you a great lawyer.

Myth #4: You have to choose your degree, like, right now.

Try to do it within your first three semesters or so, but don't stress about locking it down before day one of classes. Every degree plan requires a certain number of general education courses. Not all of them can be used in every major—you'll still need to select courses carefully—but your first year will be stuffed with non- specific courses.

Jeff Jackson graduated from Evangel University with a double major in management and marketing. "I remember there being so much pressure to pick a major," he says. "It's important for people to find things that excite and intrigue them, and sometimes this takes time." For Jeff, the process paid off. He's now the owner and president of a management entertainment company.

Now What?

Here's the point: If you're still trying to figure out what to do with your life, stop stressing. Relax. Pray about it. Talk to your parents, friends and academic advisors. Figure out what interests you, and then take the plunge.

Above all, pursue what you're passionate about—God gave you those interests and talents for a reason.