Since becoming a student at the University of Louisville in Fall 2015, I knew right off the bat that I wanted to major in history. It was a subject in high school that I didn't dread learning about, and as I got older it was incredibly exciting for me to figure out what exactly I wanted to do with my newfound love of the past. Like any other major though, I hear some pretty bizarre comments about my major. Here are my top five favorites.
1
I like it because I find it fascinating, just like you enjoy your designated major. With history as your major, there are so many different fields of study you can go into. There's never a dull moment with it!
2. You know you won't be getting paid a lot, right?
Don't worry, I knew that before I even chose to make it my major. For me though, I want to study something I know I'll always enjoy. Can you imagine going into a major, getting a job designated in that field, potentially getting paid a lot, but the field is one you don't like? You'd be so unhappy! So, yeah, the pay will be rough, but that's not my concern.
3. The only option you'll have when you get out of school is being a teacher.
OK, going in I thought this too. BUT I can confirm this isn't true! I'm not even wanting to teach when I get out of school. Actually, what I want to do with my major is far from teaching. So, uh, I can confirm that this is not true.
4. You're studying a bunch of dead people.
This isn't true either. While the definition of history is "the study of past events, particularly in human affairs," as a history major, I'm not limited to a specific period of time. I can study current events, things that happened ten years ago, or, yes, I can study all the dead people.
5. Why don't you study something that's more practical?
How is it not practical? We wouldn't know anything about our past if it wasn't for historians, and we couldn't "learn from our mistakes" if we didn't have history professors teaching classes for us. Yes, while being a doctor or an engineer is considered more "practical", history is just as important, in my opinion.
If I've learned anything during the past nineteen years, it's to never settle for something you find boring, regardless of how boring it seems to your peers. If you love it, do it! (And, quietly snicker at the silly comments you get from your friends and family.)
