I usually receive two follow-up questions from people when I tell them I'm a communication major. The first option is "Oh, what do you plan on doing with that?" or "Oh, that's a pretty easy major isn't it?" I started to resent the fact that I was, in fact, majoring in something that made me feel less than adequate than others. I felt as though people automatically assumed I was not smart due to my choice of major. I often even said "I wish I could just be a nursing major". If I was a nursing major, or something that society perceived as prestigious, then I would receive some respect, right? The thing is, I can't even sit through an episode of Greys Anatomy without getting queasy. NO one and I mean NO ONE would want me to be their nurse. I cringe at the thought of getting shots or getting my blood drawn. Believe me when I say I couldn't be a nurse even if I wanted to be.
No one gets to decide what they are truly passionate about. I'm chasing after a career that I'm passionate about, and a career that I know I would be good at. It's sad that society puts a negative connotation on that because its an "easy" major. Saying I was a communications major almost became a shameful thing to say, but then I realized who is anyone to judge what I am majoring in? And who I am to judge what anyone else is majoring in?
Society, in general, puts way to much emphasis on what college kids are majoring in, and what high school students want to major in. Instead of this opinionated, judgemental, and sometimes rude emphasis on majors, people should invest on what career paths young adults are passionate about, and what they plan on doing to accomplish those goals.
I did not choose to major in communication because I thought he would be "easy," or because I thought I could 4.0 every class. I am a communications major because I want to be. I love the versatility of communications. I love how I feel as though my options are endless.
My advice to high school kids who are in the midst of figuring out which college they want to attend along with what they want to study is to not allow major shaming to influence your decision. Choose passion and interest over money and so called "prestige". Majoring in communications, journalism, or english may never be considered "smart" or "successful" decisions by society but you CAN be incredibly intelligent and major in them, and you can even end up to be extremely successful.
