Okay, settle into your seats because I have some ranting to do.

Let me first give you a little context to all of this. I excelled academically in high school. I've never had a grade lower than an A. I was stuck between applying to colleges as a nursing major or as a chemistry major because I know I could do well in both of those fields.

I came to the University of Louisville, and spent the first semester in the pre-nursing program. I did well, but it did not take me long to realize that while I was doing well in that area, it wasn't something I thought I would enjoy doing for the rest of my life. I cringe when someone describes an injury, I certainly couldn't handle treating them on a daily basis.

At the end of my first semester, I made a change. I switched my major from nursing to a double major in English and communications. This did not go over as well as I had hoped. Most of the reactions I got were, "But you're so smart!" I still am. I changed my major, not my intelligence.

Many people see a degree in communications as an easy way out. It's not. I was lucky in high school. It came easy to me. I didn't have to study, I could write long essays in an hour and I breezed through. College has kicked my brain's metaphorical ass. For the first time in my academic career, I have to work really hard. I had to work hard in my pre-nursing classes, and I have to work hard now.

I can assure you, contrary to popular belief perhaps, that they do not just hand you a communications degree. You don't get to sign up for classes, never go, never do the work, and pass (darn). While the classes may seem like they are cover easier subjects, they still go very in-depth. When I was in pre-nursing classes, I just had to memorize things. It wasn't easy, but it wasn't harder than I'm working now. In my classes this semester alone, I am focusing on communications in math, psychology, technology and more. In past semesters, I've still had to take science classes, math classes, and become fluent in a foreign language. I've worked hard. Pretty surprising with a communications degree, I know.

Let's move past my own experience, so far ,with this degree and talk about all the possibilities that a degree in communications can bring to someone. Some of the careers one can get into with a communications degree are: medical device sales representative, recruiting director, account director, and more. And those are just some of the ones that make over $100,000 a year. What? With a communications degree? No way!

While I was growing up, my parents always told me, "If you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life." I didn't pick this degree because I'm directionless. I picked it because I know exactly what I want to do. I want to be an acquisitions editor. I am learning more and more about this path every single day. The thought of doing that for the rest of my life makes me so excited. I hope that everyone can wake up each day and look forward to going to work. I know that's how I'll feel.

People who tell me I took the easy way out will never get me to apologize or feel bad for following a path that will ultimately lead to the happiest life I could be living. Whatever makes you happy, I encourage you to do it. Whether that comes from a degree in communications, chemical engineering, or no degree at all. Strive not only for what can benefit from you, but what you can benefit from as well. Don't just memorize, learn. Apply yourself, grow as a person, love life, and be thrilled to do what you are doing.

I think the important thing that people tend to overlook is the fact that I'm getting a degree in the first place. I chose to continue my education, and to better prepare myself for the path I want to take in the future. Whether the degree seems like it's easy to get or not should be irrelevant. We need to stop criticizing and start seeing the good in what people are doing. If someone were working towards a degree in aerospace engineering, I'm not going to tell them, "Oh, but you're so compassionate! Why aren't you going to become a doctor so you can help sick people?" They're doing what they want to do, and it's not negatively affecting anyone else. Kudos to that rocket scientist.

Getting a degree is like getting married. You're committed to that field for the rest of your life, so make sure you love it (maybe that means that my double major puts me in a polygamous relationship, but I think that notion can be saved for another article). I love editing, I love English, and I love communications. My career doesn't start when I graduate, it starts now. I'm proud to be working hard towards a communications degree.