Although I am only an incoming sophomore and am not yet confident about the life path I will eventually follow, I am aware of my passions and the causes that inspire me to make a difference.

I have already declared my tentative major, and as I continue to follow its track, I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to pursue my interests in a variety of ways. One of the things that upsets me, however, is that rather than focussing on their own goals, many of my peers compare majors in terms of what they believe to be the most rigorous, therefore downplaying the effort that myself and all other students must work for in order to be successful.

When students are enrolled in high school, they are required to take many different courses they may find difficult or not have an interest in. Therefore, their grades often suffer because they are not as driven to work as hard as needed. College, however, is a time for students to explore their own individual interests, passions, and what brings out their best qualities.

Personally, when people ask me what I am thinking of majoring in, I can't help but feel insecure. However, it is not because I am not proud of who I am. It is because I fear others may automatically be quick to judge me. For example, I have many friends who are passionate about english, and countless times I have heard others say that their workload must include "easy" courses, or that there is little that one can pursue if they graduate with just a bachelor's degree in that major. Additionally, the desire to become a teacher is looked down upon, yet the hope to one day become a lawyer is something others approve.

This upsets me for an array of obvious reasons. A teacher and a lawyer both have worked significantly hard to work their way to their current professions. There are so many different jobs and positions for anyone who follows any specific degree path. More importantly, if a student is passionate about something and is happy following their heart, why should their choices matter to anyone else?

What makes me even sadder is that college students are not just comparing themselves to others, but adults and parents in particular are known to question their children's decisions, and whether or not graduating with a degree in a specific major will make them successful. If someone is passionate about working with children, why is that looked down upon at all? Working with children may not involve chemical formulas or business law, but it does involve a serious level of patience, understanding and rigor, and those are traits that one must work hard to achieve.

Business Insider even compiles a list of "The Worst College Majors" and I was appalled at this. Regardless of how much money a student makes after their college education, the classes a student takes are some of the most incredible lessons they'll ever learn. They should never be made to feel bad for continuing their education.

It is inevitable for individuals to compare themselves to others. However, it upsets me that students are not automatically driven to support their peers and rather, focus on their own life choices. If there is one thing in particular that has irked me about discussing academics in college so far, it is that I am more often than not made to feel insecure about a path that I have wished to follow my whole life.

I was blessed enough to navigate a major at my school that appealed to me, and many students do not have that opportunity. If in the future I am confronted by individuals who assume my major is not as difficult or significant as another one, I will do my best to disregard their opinion and focus on what truly matters: what is important to me.