Students trying to decide on a major got a little extra help Wednesday as the “Exploring Majors Fair” took place in the Holmes Student Center’s Duke Ellington Ballroom.

The fair was meant to help students find a major that interested them, as well as get advice on current majors from department representatives.

Freshman chemistry major Erin Post was able to stop at the fair and find what she needed rather quickly before she needed to head to class.

“I really don’t know what I need to get into [chemistry],” Post said.

She hopes she can get into the cosmetics field to make perfumes and shampoos. Her main concentration at the fair was to find out what she needed to do after graduating in 2009.

One of the stops Post made was at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, where she talked to academic adviser Steve Estes.

“Look at job ads for what they ask for and build a resume around that,” Estes said.

Post was then directed to Career Services and talked to adviser Brian Pillsbury. He gave her a handout on “Career Preparation Essentials” and a brochure on academic advising.

He also told Post to identify companies she may want to work for that could tell her the best way to break into the cosmetics field.

Pillsbury also said to visit the Career Resource Center in the Campus Life Building, Room 235, to consider getting a minor and to look at internships.

“Get involved in some kind of activity that will develop your people skills,” he said.

Pillsbury also told Post to be open-minded.

“Don’t assume you can’t get into a certain field because you don’t have a certain major,” Pillsbury said.

In about 10 to 15 minutes, Post was in and out and on her way to her next class.

“That’s all I really needed to do,” Post said. “Chemistry was really my main interest.”

Many academic advisers at the fair, as well as representatives from each department, recommended some of the same actions to students.

“My main advice is pretty simply, do what you are interested in,” said Taylor Atkins, director of undergraduate studies for history and associate history professor.

For those unsure of what they would like to do, Atkins also had some advice.

“Take a wide variety of classes to find what [you] show passion for and what [you] are talented at and pursue that,” he said.

Academic adviser Jane Terry said students should get involved in making sure the major is the right one for them.

“Talk to people in the major, study hard and see your academic adviser,” Terry said.

Terry also advised students to use Career Services, which can help students write resumés and prepare for job interviews.

Career Services can help prepare students to find a job after college, get an internship, volunteer in something in a certain field or get a summer job related to the field that can give students a taste of what the field is really like, Terry said.

Popular majors right now are in the College of Business, nursing and psychology, Terry said.

Angie Flannery, a liberal arts academic adviser, said popular majors she has seen are psychology, history, sociology and pre-law.