College majors are a turning point in life. It is utterly terrifying, but we all know that deciding your major is basically what sets you up for your short and long term well being. Choose a major you hate, and you most likely will not enjoy the school part of college. If you stick with that major, even after failing five too many tests, then you are most likely going to have a less than satisfying job. But choose a major you love, and not only will the school part of college be enjoyable, you will also come out in the end with a career you love.
While the rest of your life is important and all, there is more to a college major. Some majors are boring, but worth it in the end, and other majors are enjoyable. Then there are the majors that are exciting, excruciating, and challenging, but more worth it than any other one could ever be. For me, that is International Studies. These majors are weird, outgoing, and passionate, and they are the best people I know.
So whether you think you might want to be one, you already are one, or you want to be friends with one, here are 10 signs you are an International Studies (IS) major or why you should definitely be one.
1. You speak more than one language.
Some speak Spanish, French, or Italian; others speak Russian, Chinese, or Arabic. Either way, they aren’t just complaining about their math homework when they say it isn’t English.
2. You’ve read more in one month of college than your entire high school career.
Here enters the excruciating part. Reading a small collection of novels a week should be illegal, but alas they continue to be assigned, and we continue to diligently read them.
3. You’re stressed 95 percent of the time.
Okay, so this could apply to every single college student, but it needed to be included. IS students are so stressed that we have our own study space to be stressed in so we don’t stress out the outsiders. Trust us, we’re loud and we complain a lot, you don’t want us in the library.
4. You know more about foreign politics than your own government.
Most of the IS students I know, including myself, could tell you more about the inner workings of the government of their regional emphasis than that of the American system.
5. You know exactly what is happening in the news.
Not only do you know what’s happening, but you also like to talk about it, discuss, and debate. It’s more than just news to you: you want to be involved.
6. You constantly wish you were traveling.
Wanderlust is essentially an everyday thing.
7. You’re known as the “weird” major around campus.
Okay, let’s face it, most IS majors a bit more eccentric and outspoken than the average person, but that’s what makes them great. Being an Ole Miss Croftie, I see the stereotype, and I choose to embrace it.
8. People constantly ask what you plan to do with that major.
Thanksgiving dinner is never a fun occurrence. Either you have no idea what you’ll do after graduation, or your career of choice is too complex to get into detail.
9. More than half your friends have studied abroad.
Due to your severe case of wanderlust, you are constantly jealous of their trips overseas.
10. There is no other major you would rather have.
Yes, it's excruciating and awful at times, but it is also fun, passionate, and inspirational. It is a place where there are no boundaries for discussion or judgment between peers. It is a place for those who love to travel and those who want to change the world.
So, if you have your major figured out, whether it's International Studies or not, that's amazing. But if you don't, then I encourage you to look further into IS and discover something that could change your life, just as I did.
