Choosing a major is one of the hardest decisions you will ever have to make. Some people know right away, and others are not even sure they made the right choice at graduation. For me though, this was a very easy decision.
Growing up, I always knew I wanted to help people, I just didn't know how. I wanted to be a nurse, a physician, a surgeon, etc., until one day it just clicked... I wanted to be a psychologist.
For as long as I can remember, my friends came to me when they needed advice, and/or just someone to talk to. People always said I would make a good therapist, but it was not something I was interested in doing at the time. I thought offering my friends advice was one thing, but strangers? No.
My opinions about psychology changed in middle school where a very close friend of mine became depressed. Seeing how this affected her each and every day really got to me, all I wanted to do was help. I slowly learned more and more about mental illness, and that's when I knew that I had to study psychology.
As a psychology major, I can easily say that I don't think we get as much credit as we deserve. There are always people putting down the major, along with mental illness.
Something I can't stand is when people say psychology is the easy science. How's that? Just because there aren't labs or equations means it's easy? Psychology has so many different components. There is clinical, cognitive, neuropsychology, developmental, abnormal, forensic, etc. Memorizing terms can be considered easy to some people, but applying the information is another story. In the field of psychology, we also conduct a lot of research. If you want to complain about writing a research paper, try being a psychology major!
The reactions I get from people are usually not very supportive. Oftentimes people respond very negatively by saying "oh, what are you going to do with that degree?" or "it takes a crazy person to want to be surrounded by crazy people," and the most common "oh, so tell me what's wrong with me."
First of all, a degree in psychology can be used for so many jobs. An individual is not limited to just research/clinical. Second, individuals who seek psychological help are not crazy. This is something that really frustrates me. No one should ever be called crazy because they are suffering from a mental illness, regardless of what it is. What's crazy is how some people can be so naive.
I have so many goals I would like to accomplish in the future. My overall goal is to obtain my PsyD and assist people of all ages. But during the process, I would like to educate as many people as I can about mental illness. I do believe it is becoming more talked about, but I don't think it's enough. I still hear many judgments, and stereotypes being passed around. This is wrong for so many reasons, but especially because it hurts the individuals who are suffering. I understand that we live in a society full of judgement; however, there are certain matters that should truly be left alone. I just ask that we all remember everyone is fighting their own battle. It's not up to us to judge anyone, or the situations they are in.
To me, being a psychology major means more than understanding how the mind works. It's being there for people who are having problems, big or small. It's helping people realize that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and helping them reach it. Being a psychology major is a privilege to me.
