College, or higher education, isn’t what it used to be. However, we see more individuals attending college than ever before. From community colleges, to universities, the pressure to get an education is a must, especially if you want to get a fulfilling job, right?
With that being said, I think some majors get a bad rep. I mean sure not everyone can make it into prestigious medical programs, nor can everyone be a tip-toeing ballerina. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses; haven’t we as society embraced that yet?
More often than not I get a bad rep for being a communication major; all the time I’m asked, “Well, what do you plan do with that?” Do I need to figure that out now? Since when does a title determine what I do with my life? And of course, my favorite thing to be told is, “Oh your major is easy!” Umm... excuse me -- let’s take a step back here.
Sorry, but I am not sorry that my major doesn’t require an insane amount of lab time, or that I’m not building the next Apollo spacecraft. But, don’t discredit my major, or any major, for that matter. I’ve worked just as hard as anyone else in another field to be where I am in my own field. And I’m sure any ballerina, actor, engineer, doctor, or even philosopher could tell you the same thing. Since when was my major easy? Or even college, for that matter? Receiving higher education in any particular field is by no means ever “easy;" each area has its own strengths and weaknesses.
The fact that I’ve even chosen to broaden my knowledge beyond a high school classroom should say something; college is a time where you get to actually obtain some real world knowledge, and no, not everything you learn in the classroom can or will be applied in your outside life -- which is okay as well. A piece of paper doesn’t necessarily determine someone’s life path either. In fact, it’s becoming more noted that someone got a degree, regardless of what it is.
That doesn’t mean however that a major isn’t difficult.
College is often a rough patch for many people; not only are millennials balancing school, but a job, and learning how to adult at the same time. The whole experience is quite overwhelming, and the last thing someone wants to be told (especially myself) is that something is “easy,” because it’s not. We need to credit students more. I mean, aren’t we the future?
Overall, can we just stop the shaming? Since when is everything a competition; we’re past grade school, so let’s not forget to grow up a bit before entering the real world. A college education is still credited regardless of what the piece of paper says. Let’s give a little more recognition to the student body, shall we?
