Dear people who insulted or will insult my major,
I think one of the most disrespectful things someone can do to a college student is insult their major. I am tired of hearing things like
“That’s a useless major.”
“There are no jobs in that field.”
“What are you going to do with that??”
“Good luck finding anything after graduation.”
“You’re going to need a Master’s to make that worth anything.”
If it were a useless major, it wouldn’t be a major. Colleges wouldn’t offer useless majors for multiple reasons. One, that’s wasted classroom space. Two, that’s wasting money on professors that they wouldn’t need to pay. And three, colleges want to have high rates of graduates finding jobs after graduation which would be diminished if they offered useless, jobless majors.
I don’t think it’s true when someone tells others that there are no jobs in their field. Maybe the jobs that are open aren’t the person’s dream job or as high in the field as they’d like to be. That’s ok. Everyone has to start from somewhere.
Not everyone goes into their major knowing what they want to do with it. Some choose their major based on interest or skills they already have. Some choose their major based on its flexibility or adaptability into many jobs or related fields. I’ve known people who didn’t even declare their major until their senior year. I know people who have changed their minds a thousand times. Although my major hasn’t really changed in my three years of college, I still don’t know exactly what I want to do after I graduate next May. I think I’m a little closer than I was at the end of last year but I certainly have nothing set in stone. The job you have right after graduation probably isn’t going to be your dream job or even the one you’ll be at for most of your career. It’s ok not to know.
Thank you for your sarcastic wishes for my future endeavors. I appreciate your dismissal of something that I am working hard towards. Getting into college, finding a major, graduating and becoming a “real” adult is no easy task. I have literally put blood, sweat and tears into my college career and I don’t need your disapproval in my efforts. This is especially demeaning from people who don’t know me personally. I think people who have known me long enough have seen me get through the last three years with a lot of struggles but also a lot of triumphs. A stranger is never going to know about everything I’ve done or failed to do in the last three and a half years since applying for college. I don’t need your false, snarky “luck.” I need myself, smart decisions, responsibility and a support system.
In some cases, a Master’s would certainly help or even considered to be a necessity but I doubt you actually know enough about every field or every job position to be able to inform me accurately about my need for a higher degree. It’s also rude to tell me that I “need” a Master’s because you don’t know my situation, which isn’t necessarily your fault, but you know what they say about assuming. You don’t know about the person’s financial situation or personal situation. Maybe they have a family to take care of and can only handle getting their Bachelor’s right now. A more polite way to address grad school is asking “Are you thinking about going to grad school?” If degrees didn’t mean anything without a Master’s college students probably wouldn’t waste their time and money on it.
I have put a lot of thought into my major and more work than I’d like to remember (hello 40 page thesis). My parents wouldn't be supportive if they thought I was making a terrible choice that would impact me for the rest of my life (thanks Mom and Dad). There’s nothing that could make me change my mind about my major and it’s very rude and disrespectful for people to have demeaning comments about what I have chosen to study. Not everyone can be a doctor or lawyer or some other highly regarded job title. You don’t have to agree with what I choose to study or do for the rest of my life but you should have enough respect to hold your tongue if you disagree with my choices. Everyone plays a role in society, even if it isn’t the coveted role others think they should choose.
Sincerely,
Kelly (a very content History major who doesn't know what she'll do post-graduation)
