We’ve reached that point in our semi-adult life in which we are now invited into conversations with the distant relatives at family holidays. We’re no longer the children in which they have nothing in common with; we’re the young adults with functioning minds and potentially interesting things to say now.
One of the first few questions thrown at you if you’re in college is, “So what’s your major?”. You answer with all the confidence in the world, and a smile in your voice. But, if you’re like me, the reaction is never what you’re hoping for.
Responses include:
“So... what’re you going to do with that?”
“Will you ever make money?”
“What’s your backup plan?”
My personal favorite response is the bitter scoff and head nod.
Why is my choice of expanding my knowledge in a specific area of study a joke to some people? With these kinds of responses, I have come to the conclusion that these people:
Do not consider my area of study to be of worth to society.
Do not believe I will ever be able to pay off my thousands of dollars of student loans with a job in this field.
Do not believe I need four years to of education to get my Bachelor’s degree (aka. my “easy” major).
Considering this, it’s easy to get frustrated and walk away. People disrespecting your choice of major and passion in a specific field can be discouraging. But, never let this judgment of the worth of your education make you feel like you’re making the wrong choice. You’ve chosen your path for your own reasons alone.
Honestly, I have never come up with a proper answer to the reactions from saying my college major in conversations, and I don’t think I ever will.
I could try to convince others of the importance of my role in society, or attempt to persuade them that maybe I will attain my “dream job” and be able to pay off my loans. But, I don’t think the answer to this problem resides in the reactions we give; I believe it rests in the initial judgment in the first place.
From a young age, the idea of gaining a post-secondary education is something that is encouraged, but the minute we decide to pursue what we love, it becomes a laughing matter. We’re told as children and teenagers to always “follow our dreams,” but when money and time actually become a real factor in the equation, we’re swayed into safer and more comforting dreams. Parents and teachers ask the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” and respond to answers with consolation- so when and why do the reactions change when we grow even closer to attaining those goals?
I wish to see the world in which we encourage individual’s hopes as if they were our own. We can become a more positive and productive society as a whole when we have faith in each other.
To the distant relative whose laugh discouraged my educational and career aspirations:
My area of study may be worthless to you, but to me, the knowledge and progress towards making a career out of this degree is something that can never be measured.
Will I pay my student loans off from the first job I’m offered post-college? No. The road to paying off my debt will be long, and that’s something I’ve known since I decided to attend a university. But, my financial status is no one’s business but my own.
You may compare my major to your own or ones you view as more “difficult” to attain. But I promise you, I spend hours a week doing the same kind of studying as any other major. I can assure you, I’ve pulled as many all-nighters as any other college student to study for a final, or write a paper the day before it’s collected, due to procrastination.
In conclusion, remember that your college years are yours. You do not need anyone to tell you if your degree is “worth it,” or not. No matter what your area of study is, that choice is yours alone.
My only advice: Be kind to others, and encourage the individual minds around you.
