I've learned that being a psychology major gives other people a very specific image of your personal character, as well as the idea that since you're majoring in psych, that means that you will DEFINITELY become a psychologist. The thing is that psychologists don't have the coolest rep. They're seen as the people who provide couches for you to sit on just so they can question how you feel when you probably don't even know yourself, since you came in to talk to them for that exact reason! Therefore, it can make it a little difficult for psych majors to break free from that stereotype, and in turn they get all sorts of comments about their future profession. I've compiled several variations on comments I've heard from my time as a psych major and decided that it would be a good idea to share them, in hopes of bringing light to some ridiculous (and mostly inaccurate) cliches :)

1. Are you going to psychoanalyze me?

I feel like one of the biggest fears and hesitations people have when they learn that I'm a psych major is that they are scared I will try to psychoanalyze them. This is basically the made up ability to be able to diagnose people when you have just met them or don't really know anything about them. I have personally never had the pleasure of being able to psychoanalyze somebody, so I really doubt there's anything to be afraid of, especially because the diagnosing process just doesn't happen this way. On the occasion, they'll turn a situation into a psychology lesson and try to analyze what happened and why, but that's really the extent of the psychoanalyzing. So...if that's what's making you scared of talking or hanging out with a psych major, I hope that I eased your nerves and helped you make a friend.

2. Quick! Tell me what I'm thinking...

One quick thing to clarify...psychologists aren't psychics, have never been, nor will they ever be. A common misconception seems to be that people majoring in psych are thought to have learned how to read minds. I don't know where, when, or how this started, but I'm here to personally say that this idea is in fact very much NOT TRUE (sorry to disappoint). We're not that cool okay? I mean, none of my psych classes so far have covered the art of mind reading, but even so, psychology isn't so much about reading the mind, as much as it is about understanding the mind. But if you want to continue thinking that psych majors are superheroes in training and have special psychic powers...well who am I to judge?

3. You're taking on a lot of baggage.

People might think that since you're path is leading you towards becoming a psychologist, that constantly listening to people's problems day after a day is a little burdening. Well...they're not completely wrong, BUT it's a burden that I, as well as many other psych majors, find worth it. We're aware of the different people, disorders, families, circumstances and situations, that are out there and that we will most likely need to encounter at one point. However, I feel that is somewhat put aside in order to focus on the goal of what we want to achieve with this profession, which is to help people live the most happy, healthy, and fulfilling lives they can.

4. You must have some problems in your personal life if you want to go into psychology.

I feel like people see this as a bad reason to go into the field, especially because I've heard this comment said in a negative tone. I don't think it's unjustified at all to go into this field because of some personal struggles you have experienced. It's very useful to learn about them, why they occurred, and how to prevent them from happening again in the future. Not only does this help you, but you now also have specific knowledge about that issue that can help others who are experiencing similar problems. What's more fulfilling than that? But, having struggles in your life is definitely not a prerequisite for wanting to go into this field, nor does having problems and wanting to being a psych major means that you're necessarily in this field to "fix your problems."

5. *snickering* Is that even a science?

This question makes me laugh, because I never know how to respond. I usually just stutter a small chuckle and answer yes in really, really confused tone. Just like biology is the STUDY of living organisms, psychology is defined as the STUDY of the mind and its processes, which would you look at that, makes it a science just like any other studied, used, and valued science.

6. Get ready to ask people "how does that make you feel?", A LOT.

No! This is not a psychologist's catch phrase! Psych majors don't go to school for so many years and just sit in class while the teacher has them repeat this saying over and over again until they're pretty much saying it to everyone they know. A good psychologist has gone through schooling and has done outside practical work within the psychology subfield they want to emphasize in. They learn the techniques of how to approach a client according to their diagnosis, personality, and temperament. This saying is almost implying that a psychologist's job is easy and not very useful, when in fact, that couldn't be more wrong. There is so much work and preparation for psych majors to even get to a position where they're liable and ready to begin giving lifestyle and mental health advice to a potentially vulnerable person. A psychologist's job is to do everything in their power to help you feel good about yourself and the world around you, which in my eyes is one of the most valuable and essential ingredients to being a productive member of society (which then can create a domino effect leading to an atmosphere of positivity for people to thrive in).