As a young college student, nothing is tougher than not knowing exactly what it is that you want. Naturally, these moments are made worse by coming to the realization of just how tough your decision is to make. What're your Saturday night plans? Which three toppings will be put on your midnight pie from Domino's? Should your last twenty dollars be put towards a comfy crewneck sweatshirt, a planner, or a snack run for the room? Most importantly, why do the majority of your problems seem to be food-related?
In all seriousness, one of the toughest problems a college student has to face is choosing their major. Whether they are undeclared or are switching from one to another, the task is undeniably daunting. Quite simply, it just isn't that simple to pick a major and a career path you'd like to follow till the day you turn your tassel.
Nursing? Too pressure-filled and scrubs aren't a good look. Statistics? Haven't been good at math since ninth grade algebra. Chemistry? All I remember from my high school chemistry days is roasting marshmallows over my classroom's open flames (I wish I wasn't serious). Beauty school? Hasn't been an option since I was three and gave myself a haircut with safety scissors at the kitchen table one morning. And, while we're on the subject of beauty, to all my friends in nursing programs, you are and always will be some of the few who can truly rock scrubs day in and day out.
What about the liberal arts? In today's age, they are becoming increasingly less and less popular due to the technological advancements we have made as a society. The values embedded in the liberal arts are being viewed as unimportant in this day age and not useful. It's understandable, nobody wants to be the recipient of an English degree who goes on to become a barista at Starbucks. For that matter, nobody wants to get a job that didn't require a background in the degree they received. However, it's time we reexamine just what the liberal arts give us in contemporary times.
There is no question that the liberal arts are a very broad spectrum to go through, which is what turns off a lot of people in terms of finding a career path. However, on the flip side, there is nothing employers love more than the versatility that the values of liberal arts provide.
Research Associates, Aac&u. “IT TAKES MORE THAN A MAJOR: Employer Priorities for College Learning and Student Success .” It Takes More Than a Major: Employer Priorities for College Learning and Student Success, Apr. 2013, www.aacu.org/sites/default/files/files/LEAP/2013_EmployerSurvey.pdf. Accessed June 2017.
Christ, Carol T. “Myth: A Liberal Arts Education Is Becoming Irrelevant .” Myth: A Liberal Arts Education Is Becoming Irrelevant, America Council on Education, 2012, www.acenet.edu/the-presidency/columns-and-features/Pages/Myth-A-Liberal-Arts-Education-Is-Becoming-Irrelevant.aspx. Accessed June 2017.
