I knew what I wanted to study before I started college. When people would ask me if I knew what I would be majoring in, I would proudly say that I did and that I would be majoring in sociology. The dreaded second question, though, I still don't know how to answer: What are you going to do with it? Sociology is such a broad subject that you can really do anything with it, and while that's a little daunting, I love how it offers me so much freedom to learn and discuss what I'm interested in.
1. I Get to Discuss Current Events
Right now I'm taking a sociology class about immigration, and with the current election season being the way it is, it's a safe bet that we'll be starting off class watching a clip from a press conference or debate. Before college, I wasn't that connected to current events or what was going on in the news; I always felt a little behind when discussing those things in high school. But with my major, I get the chance to devote class time to delving into the issues of today and really understanding them.
2. The Professors
I have three professors in my major department and all of them are amazing. I'm always excited to see what classes they'll be offering each semester. I feel like I learn so much from them, but I also feel like they are truly interested in what I bring to a discussion.
3. Undoing Internalized Bigotry
I'm white and was pretty well off in the suburbs, so it's safe to say that I grew up with the whole gang of -isms embedded in me. I worked on myself a little in high school but I still think back on some of the things I've said and cringe. Taking sociology classes in college have really helped me to get on a better path to understanding and being a good ally to the communities that I'm not a part of. My professors are never afraid to correct even the small stuff, which I think is incredibly helpful to everyone.
4. I Feel Prepared to Be A Productive Citizen
I think that it's incredibly important to know everything you can about the society you live in and how it works. I'm learning about what life looks like for so many communities and groups in my classes that I feel better prepared to work with anyone, no matter what I end up doing. If we don't understand and celebrate our differences, we can't be fully open to others- and that's a skill that I believe will carry me far in life.
Three years into college and I still proudly say that I'm majoring in sociology. When the question of what I'm going to actually do with it comes up, I now have a better answer to give: anything I want.
