Declaring a major is like a moment of clarity. Being able to see the path in front of you is the best feeling, especially when your find a major in something that you truly love. However, it seems like everyone else has a say in the matter.
I'm an English major, so that makes me a prime target for questions like, "What are you going to do with that?" and "Do you just read a lot?" And of course one of my personal favorites: "Oh, you're an English major? I'm sorry." No, my major isn't a tragedy or something that you can revel at like it's some sort of rarity. I'm not held at gunpoint to write the next great short story, and I don't cry when reading an anthology (most of the time, anyway).
That being said, many people fall into the accidental realm of major shaming. We question or judge the people majoring in something that's less-than-typical. Sometimes it's innocent and out of curiosity, but other times it's just a stab in the back. Here are just a few that I've heard.
"What are you going to do with that?"
Okay, let me just ask you what you're going to do with that Economics degree? You could go into law, business, you could make it to Wall Street... There are a million possibilities, and the same goes for less traditional majors. English majors don't all become teachers; they can go into fields like editing, publishing, technical writing, and even law school. Philosophy majors don't live in their mother's basements, and art majors don't just go around painting graffiti. Some of us aren't sure what we're going to do yet, but whatever we end up doing, we're going to love it.
"Those who can't do, teach."
This one is just plain insensitive. Those who use their more artistic or uncommon degrees may choose to teach because they want to inspire the next generation. Maybe they had amazing teachers in high school and want to be the same thing for someone else. That doesn't make them any less talented; if anything, it makes them more talented because teaching is hard. It's hard, and I have a huge respect for anyone who can do it.
"Oh, I'm sorry."
Why? You're not the one carrying all my books around campus or writing papers for me. We don't declare our majors by mistake. Yes, a lot of work goes into these majors, but that doesn't mean we're sorry about it. We choose a major because we love it. Saying that you're sorry for my choice of major makes me feel guilty and like I should be questioning myself. Cut it out.
"That's a lot of [reading, painting, etc]."
No shit, Sherlock. I don't go up to math majors and say, "Wow, that's a lot of math." We know what we're getting ourselves into, and that's why we picked our majors. It's pretty much spelled out in the course catalog.
"You'll never get a job with that."
What? I'm sorry, I can't hear you over all the money and happiness that comes from my new job. You'll have to either speak up or stop speaking all together.
