Before transferring to UCF in the fall of 2016, I attended Stetson University, and can clearly remember the experience of roaming (practically aimlessly) around campus in an attempt to figure out the major(s) that would shape the rest of my college career. I'm pretty sure I spent half of an entire day visiting with different departments, advisers, and faculty members (two of which truly helped me to realize what I should have majored in since the day I first started college). Unfortunately, many people have a tendency to put other students down simply because of what those students have chosen to major in throughout their college careers. Although these individuals probably have good intentions in advising those students of the proper approaches to take, they often do so in ways that make them feel inferior and insignificant. In this Odyssey article, I will be sharing 4 common stereotypes affiliated with my major in Writing and Rhetoric, as well as discuss why those stereotypes are completely fabricated and should immediately be put to rest.

1. People think you won't have what it takes to obtain a respectable career.

Unfortunately, being a Writing and Rhetoric major is definitely not something that carries as much respect with it as being a major in Biochemistry probably would. This is because one of the first thoughts that someone has when they consider a student's major is the likelihood that he/she will be able to obtain a respectable career with it in the future. However, a person's respectability should not be determined by his/her career choice, but instead by how he/she chooses to portray themselves to others within that career.

2. People think that you're not as intellectually stable as everyone else and, therefore, you won't make as much of an impact on the world.

Every major requires students to learn material that is different from their peers to some extent. In the same sense, every major requires a student to exercise differing forms of intellect for the purpose of making unique contributions that others will appreciate as a result. Those contributions, no matter how simple, are forms of impact.

3. People think that the career you obtain won't bring in as much money as one that you could obtain with a different major.

Unfortunately, even I was once guilty of pursuing a degree for the sole purpose of obtaining a career that would eliminate my chances of having to cope with financial issues in the future. However, I eventually realized that the rewards I gain from my career need to be far more fulfilling and commendable than a wealthy lifestyle. In other words, rewards come in more forms than one, but many people tend to forget that.

4. People think that writing and rhetoric aren't necessary skills to have.

In my opinion, this is the most disturbing stereotype of all of the others discussed in this list. Writing is the basis of so much of our world's creations, and rhetoric is what gives those creations a sense of meaning. Furthermore, both components of the Writing and Rhetoric major exist in the simplest of forms in everyday life, and this is why many people tend to take it for granted. They don't realize that writing and rhetoric are the reasons why they're able to effectively communicate their feelings and ideas, have engaging conversations with their peers, or even understand what's being expressed on the paper or phone screen in front of them.

Unfortunately, every major carries its own stereotypes with it. The only way for those stereotypes to be put to rest is if people actually choose to put their ignorance aside and take the time to consider how prevalent those majors are in the actions they partake in on a daily basis. Most importantly, people need to be less inclined to stereotype, and more inclined to learn the truth.