Entering college with the mindset of a Pre-Med student made me realize that my science classes were going to drive me crazy. Being involved with communications and writing since high school opened my mind to think of pursuing a double-major or maybe a minor. Here are the five top reasons why you should minor in journalism:
1. Any major can minor in journalism.
Journalism and communication go hand and hand with any other major. You need communication in your life in order to express any information. Entering college most of my advisers and mentors told me to have a minor in something related to science such as genetics, environmental science, microbiology or animal science. Okay, once you finished reading that sentence didn’t you get stressed out? Exactly. Minoring in journalism made me feel more of who I am as a person.
2. Acquiring new knowledge
By minoring in journalism you acquire knowledge, not only on how to write correctly but you learn how to target an audience better. Being a Biology major, I have a strong knowledge of science and can communicate this information correctly. The truth is, most scientists don’t know how to communicate information correctly due to a lack of writing or journalism background. Some journalists report on science, but do they actually have a deep understanding on what they are talking about?
3. In-depth understanding of different writing styles
MLA, APA and Chicago style are worlds that we are all familiar with, yet we all confuse them. Don't lie, I know you go back to the Purdue Owl and review them more often than not. Having a minor in journalism makes it easier to understand the never-ending rules of all the writing styles. Instead of trying to remember what I learned in high school, I have classes and resources right at my fingertips.
4. Temporarily stress free
Having stressful classes like Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry made me think of expanding my knowledge into something I would enjoy. Journalism is fun and stress-free (for the most part). The courses I take each semester for my minor alleviate the stress that the Science courses can cause me to drive myself crazy. Journalism can be stressful as any other major but when you minor in it you don’t need those extra-hard courses that students take, minoring is just a taste of a specific major.
5. For the love of communication
Communicating is much more important than just social media and newspapers. journalism is about expressing opinions and ideas to others who cannot express them on their own. Someone who enjoys journalism and communication can express topics topics thoroughly and pride themselves on their work. As a communicator and a biologist, I understand the importance of communicating information from the medical field so that others can understand it.
Its not about something you just like anymore, its about something you are passionate about. Minors should allow you to be more of a free-spirit and you should have fun when you minor in something. Instead of taking on minors that relate to your field of study, consider taking on minors non-related to get a better understanding of other disciplines. For me, a minor in journalism is an escape from reality.
