It's my sophomore year, and the first that I get to take actual courses for my major in International Studies and a concentration in East Asian Studies. And I'm not sure when, but eventually I'm going to add journalism or creative writing -- or both -- to my studies. We'll see. Essentially, I'm a giant bundle of what people like to call the "unconventional majors." When most people ask me what my major is, I'm technically supposed to say "Interdisciplinary Studies," which is just a fancy way to say that I can't actually major in my major. But that's okay -- I'm secure.
It's other people that seem to have an issue with my major. And I know I'm not the only one who goes through this. We're the psychology, the theatre, the english majors. Sometimes, we're even the undeclared. We're the ones that, when we share our interests, people sometimes feel inclined to ask us, "Really?" among many other questions. But I'm tired of all the questions. I'm not going to write an emotionally-charged song about it, but I do have four encouraging things to give those of you who, like me, are part of the Uncommon Majors Club.
1. It's okay not to know what you're doing.
Sometimes you go into to college with an idea of what you want to study, and all of your plans just fall through. Some of us go to college with no clue what we want to do with ourselves in college. That's okay. Take your time. Take some "Gen. Ed." classes, see if any of them spark your interest, and go from there. The biggest thing is not to stress about this. You'll figure it out; it just needs time to come naturally.
2. It's okay for you to do what you love.
Those of us with the uncommon majors often hear this one -- that our major is not one that will "make bank." I say that if you're studying something solely for the amount of money you think you'll make in that field, you're not in the right major. If you're lucky enough that what you're passionate about could also potentially rake in some serious cash, then good for you!
3. Majors don't have genders.
This kind of goes hand in hand with the last one. Don't be afraid to be a male dance major! Ladies, don't let people tell you that english is such a "feminine" major. You shouldn't feel like you're only allowed to pursue "certain majors."
4. Believe in yourself!
In an ideal world, you'd have a ton of support from all aspects of your life -- but sometimes that isn't the case, and the thing that's gonna get you through that tough day or that difficult exam is gonna be your own encouragement.
No matter where you fall in the infinite spectrum of STEAM majors, you should never feel guilty about what you choose. Nor should you judge the choices others have made for theirs. We hear all the time that college is supposed to be what you want to make of it -- and that includes your choice of major.
