“What’s your major?”
People ask this question like they’re a broken record. When I state that mine is journalism, I receive an array of different answers. Some question why, some state there’s not much money in the field, others worry because they think that means I’ll be traveling to report on war zones. These preconceptions are something I have longed to clear up.
In my opinion, journalism is a very respectable major. We interact with people for a living. It’s a field far beyond a cubicle where knowledge outside of the field is required. You can’t be a journalist without knowing a little bit about everything or having a speciality (health, politics, beauty, entertainment, etc.). Journalists also serve as the people’s source of knowledge- you wouldn't know anything about current events without us!
In a documentary I recently watched, Page One: Inside the New York Times (2011), something interesting caught my attention- journalism being described as justice. Journalists express our first amendment right to it’s fullest extent and even, in some cases, serve as the people’s check on the government. For example, the Watergatescandal was uncovered by two young journalists for The Washington Post, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. This was a major turning point for the field of journalism, one where America realized just how powerful the media could be.
Something I find to be rather funny is when many people state how biased the media is and then proceed to question why I would want to be apart of such a thing. Has it crossed anybody’s mind that to fix the media we need new people in the media? The new wave of journalists are the people who can (and hopefully will) reform the media into what it was once praised to be.
Yes, I do realize I do not have to take impossible courses like organic chemistry. Sure, the course load may not be equivalently rigorous to a STEM major, but we still work very hard. I’ve had friends say, “Oh, it can’t be THAT hard, you're a journalism major” or “You wouldn’t understand, you're a journalism major.” Seriously? In this field, experience trumps any college course. You can take every journalism class known to man and do remarkable in them, but nothing compares to the hands-on experience. Also, who ever said your major was more important than mine? No one. That’s the answer.
Contrary to popular belief, if you work hard enough and become successful there's good money in journalism. However, if you're a journalism major, the chances are that you are not in it for the money, you’re in it for your passion for the field. I surely didn't wake up one morning and just think, “Yes, journalism, that’s what I want to do for the rest of my life!!” My decision was based on a fire that was instilled in me as a young girl, whose most treasured gift was a journal and favorite class was always English.
Turning your passion into a career surpasses being a billionaire any day. Why go into a field you can’t see yourself in for the rest of your life? Do what you love and love what you do. Happiness has not monetary value. Journalism is my passion so why would I pursue anything else?
