When most people hear "art school," their first thought is of the starving artist. While it's true that many artists find it hard to make a living, insulting a person's major and possible career choice is never a good idea.
This fall, I'll be attending SUNY Purchase, and of all the SUNY schools, Purchase is best known for its arts. At many high schools and even colleges, the arts are viewed as things one does for fun. Everyone needs to take an art class here or there to graduate, but it's rarely seen as an option for success. One of the main reasons I chose SUNY Purchase is that the arts are taken seriously. I value maths and sciences just as much as the next person, but it's just not for me. At Purchase, I am not only offered the opportunity to delve into the field of my choice, but I am given the resources to help me succeed in that field. Had I attended another college, while I'm sure I would have found similar majors, I don't think I would have felt confident in my ability to land a job after graduation. In an economy that is constantly growing and changing, finding a job has become exceedingly difficult, and no one is hired without proper experience. At Purchase, I'm lucky to be able to get the experience I need coupled with the passion I already have.
No matter what major I or my fellow classmates choose, it's going to be something we're passionate about, whether that be biology or visual arts. What I tend to hear form both adults and teens alike is that majoring in an arts-related field is only going to lead to a life where I wish I had majored in something "useful." The truth is, nothing you say to me is going to make me change my major, and if you don't like it, then don't major in it! Switching majors to something "useful for the job market" is such a relative phrase, because the job market you're probably thinking of isn't the job market I'm interested in anyway. I can't think of a single person who doesn't want a job after graduation, but the job industry isn't looking for just anyone. They're looking for smart, passionate individuals who love what they do, and as a New Media major, getting a job as an accountant would be nearly impossible, and more importantly than that, it wouldn't be something I enjoyed!
What I choose to major in is useful for me, and it makes mehappy. To the people who criticize we theater and arts majors now, I don't hear you complaining when you're sitting in the front row of a Broadway show or paying $20,000 for a painting. While not all of us will make it big, some of us don't want to, and the one thing we all have in common is that we love what we do, and we're tired of being told we shouldn't.
