I feel as though I should start off with the fact that I just got out of one of my studio art classes. Studio art is the art major’s equivalent to every other major’s “lab”. They are 2 hours and 45 minutes long, and nowhere near as easy as they sound. “But you get to make art. How hard can that be?” they say. Really 'effin hard. Talk to me when you have to make a portrait of someone out of cassette tape and only cassette tape. (See the cover photo). Not to mention, you can’t have any smudges and edges must be cut cleanly with an x-acto knife. Being an art major was definitely not my first choice. Nor was it even my second choice. Third time’s the charm though. I came into college originally as a psych major, switched to biology before first semester even started and then found my way into the art world and decided that was for me. I like where I’m at but it took a lot to get me here. College is weird because you’re supposed to be allowed to take whatever you want and experiment and try new courses. However, that’s not exactly what happened with me. Everyone here seemed to know what they wanted already and were in fields that they were excelling in. Meanwhile I was drowning in work that I was 1. not interested in and 2. not great at. Art was the last degree I would have ever pictured myself pursuing. I never considered it a “real major” as I’m sure a lot of people don’t.

But it is. Yeah, some people are naturals. I have always had a little bit of art in me but never enough to do well in college level courses, or so I thought. It’s so much more than just painting or drawing. It’s technique and developing a style and trying out new ways of creating something. It’s so cool. The one question that skeptical people always ask me is, “What do you want to do with that degree?” And there’s usually an eye roll or smirk involved because they probably want me to say that I want to paint. Or sketch. Not quite. A studio art major may want to do those things, but I’m a graphic design major. I want to design. I want to be a user experience designer or a medical illustrator, I haven’t made up my mind. (I have time, give me a break.) Not many people know what a user experience designer is, and that’s so surprising because some of the most famous companies have user experience designers as heads of their teams. (Basically they work with the customers to enhance a product to meet the consumers wants and needs). It’s awesome and I want to do it. So, not exactly “painting” or “sketching” or doing nothing with my degree which is what many people assume of art majors. Art majors don’t get enough credit in my opinion. They’re kind of down there with psych majors (sorry, but you know it’s true.) I know psych is a real major, just as art is, but people disregard them and consider them degrees that people pursue if they can’t do anything else. That’s so untrue. I could have been an English major, no problem. I love english! I excel at it and I always have. But I love art so much more.

I shouldn’t have ever thought that art wasn’t a prestigious field to go into. My hesitancy to join the art world was due to what people would think of me- I mean, switching from biology to art is a little crazy. But I love my major. God, I LOVE it. And I produce things that I enjoy taking the time to do. Art rocks, and it doesn’t matter what your skill level is, anyone can create something deemed as art. But your hard work can get you somewhere because art is a real major.