"What is your major?"

I have been asked this question a thousand plus times since my first semester at Virginia Tech, and I am positive you live in a different world than I do if you have not answered this numerous times as well. Every time I am asked this question, I could be general and just say "Business." However, I refuse to give that response because I strongly lack the desire to be meshed in to the all too common, and sometimes quite real, stereotypes that are my college. When you're not the average business major, this is all such a load of crap.

For starters, business is not my "safety career."

I am chasing what I want; the job security of my industry was an unintentional perk. My dual degree pursuit is not something my mommy and daddy told me to do because I was wishy washy in high school or came in as a University Studies major. I do not think you should ever let anyone else dictate your career passions. Go ahead and roll your eyes at this cliche, but nonetheless, I have always wanted to help people feel more secure, and becoming a Certified Financial Planner and a Certified Public Accountant in a monetary world of guessing games is a way that I know I can do this. Little Johnny deserves college opportunities and helping his mom and dad invest even more in a college fund while avoiding (not evading ,kids) taxes is the way I am inclined to do so.

I am not in it for the money.

I would be the heaviest five foot one woman in the world if the amount of snickers I get at my accounting and finance majors were the actual candy bar. I chose my field to help people. Not every business major you meet just wants to get rich and live on an island somewhere. Congrats to those of you money-driven individuals already shopping for time shares, but I am not one of you.

Yes, yes I do have Friday classes.

To those business majors that don't, wowwww, must be nice. I am a little bitter. I do not know which person in the universe declared "Thirsty Thursday" to be an unofficially nationally supported weekly occurrence, but I do not have time for that. Some of us business majors are a little occupied pursuing an education, even on Fridays, not wondering where in the Hell we left our credit card. That being said, the one semester I did not have a class for my majors on Friday in the past 5 semesters, I had one for my minor. Set your personal bars higher. That being said...

I put the busy in business with all the extracurricular activities I do.

The sorority stereotype is not a mold I fit into. No, I do not think all sororities are bad, but a giant house of estrogen just never appealed to me. That being said, I love what I do outside of the classroom and having these diversions from eighteen credit hours (yeah, some business majors do take more than 12 credit hours) is awesome. I am a part of five organizations, and incredibly active in three of them. That being said, I am a firm believer you do not join something just to slap it on a resume. My passions for Red Cross and dancing salsa have landed me interviews; Not my GPA.

I am a firm believer in keeping it classy.

"Cause every girl is crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man..." Puh-lease. Welcome to the emerging world of business women. I might wish I was in sweat pants, but by golly nothing feels better than strutting your stuff with confidence in an outfit and field you love. As a business major, yes, networking is something we have to do. I have never feared it. I mean, it contains the underlying components of my intended career: conversation that helps someone. Granted, sometimes I only provide the recruiter a laugh, but still. Networking is only successful and fun when dealing with genuine people. I don't think being fake gets you anywhere. Not all business majors are supreme snobs in $500 suits. Child, I bought my suit in the mix and match section cause petites don't fit the busty women that well...

Not all of my classes are super easy, but the application is unreal.

Maybe I can't handle the classes (nor do I ever want to, mad respect though) of an aerospace engineer. I do not have the mathematical brain power to handle the demon that is beyond AB Calculus anymore. And yes, that class on PowerPoint is relatively pointless.

However, I love simple numbers and people. People are the most unpredictable thing you will ever encounter in your life, and if you have ever talked to a toddler or anyone over the age of 12 in the midst of any type of crisis, you know what I mean. Therefore, when a widow comes to me in my future career saying she doesn't know what to do to provide for her family, you can bet your sweet bippy that I am going to be able to hug her, give her a box of tissues, and the sound mind that little Johnny is going to be able to get an education while keeping a roof over her head. Show me your empathy, baby.

I am proud of what I do, and I think everyone should be proud of themselves as well. Let's just remember that money isn't the root of happiness, book sense doesn't equate to common sense, and that sometimes stereotypes rightfully bring out the defensive sass in people, 'mkay?