There are multiple responses I receive when people ask what my major is. Apparently being in the Mass Communications department means I haven't a clue as to what I actually want to do with my life. When people ask what my major is, I respond with Digital Media. Their responses consist of "Oh, what is that?" and "Well, good luck with that. At least you're doing what you love." Both are emphasized with a mocking tone, which I guess is supposed to dissuade me from my career path. These people aren't completely wrong though. I am involved in a growing field that desperately seeks committed writers and it is something that I love. All it took was me noticing how much I didn't like my old major and changing my major a total of five times.
My love for writing came with my love for reading. Books have been a constant theme in my life. It is where I saw worlds unlike my own come to life. Reading sparks creativity which helps writers learn. Without reading, there would be no need for writing. Someone once said, "The easiest thing in the world is to stop reading." That is an alarming but true statement, just ask someone who works in retail. When people start losing an interest in reading, writers lose their spark. What is the point in writing if no one wants to read it? That was what happened with my high school newspaper.
My senior year of high school, I was made the editor of the school newspaper. No one read it and it was pretty much obsolete. Even teachers just glanced at it and threw it in the recycling bin. My goal was to then revamp the paper and make it more enjoyable to an audience that was more concerned about their phones than actually being in the classroom (I was one of them on the occasion). With an amazing staff and influential teacher, we managed to make the paper into something legible and memorable. That was where my love for writing was ignited. But when it came time to decide upon a major, I thought biology was a better route.
As freshman year of college rolled around, I convinced myself that writing was really more of a hobby and I needed to be realistic about my career choice. I loved science and thought being a Medical Examiner would be an interesting job. So after being assigned all of my science classes and glancing at the track I was on to becoming a M.E., I thought I would be content. Well, at the end of my first semester, I was completely wrong. I realized I was only in that field because I wanted to make a decent living and I was somewhat good at science. There was no passion in it though and when I thought about going to class, I was more depressed than excited. I knew something had to change.
One day, I just waltzed into the Mass Communications department at my school and sat down at a desk of one of the instructors in the department. I told him I was interested in writing and wanted to change my major. It was a big jump, but I was in desperate need for change. The atmosphere in Mass Communication was much different than the Science department. People smiled in there and looked happy, while in the science building, people usually avoided eye contact and looked kind of sad. I could already tell this is where I belonged and just had to become a part of it.
Now, it is my third semester of being a Digital Media major and I couldn't be more in love. I have discovered how to branch out, speak up and grow as a writer. My experiences and knowledge has grown significantly since my major change and it has all helped better me as a writer and college student. So when people tell you that your choices, dreams and aspirations are too small or hard to reach, ignore them. Being happy with your career choice starts when you decide that what you want is all that matters. Never sway because of others opinions. Also, never go with a major because it sounds like a good idea or would make you the most money. Do what you love, and everything else will fall into place.
