There are almost an endless amount of majors one could pick from in college. There are many possibilities and career paths out there for you. So it is a good idea to pick something that you are good at, or that you enjoy. It's times like these that I ask myself, why am I a television and film major? Do I really enjoy it enough not to mind all the struggles that we have to go through? Apparently, I do, seeing as I am a junior now and yet here I am. Still struggling. I remember when I changed my major to English for a day back in freshman year. It was only a very short period of time but I did feel some peace. Not that English majors have it easy. Trust me, I'm minoring in English as well and all that reading and writing, although I enjoy it, takes up so much time. But anyway, I'm not here for English. I'm here to talk about the struggles in the world of film-making.

First of all, as a broke college student, I really can't afford much. And camera equipment is considered much. I ask myself almost every day, why is this stuff so expensive? I mean you finally save up and splurge on a camera and you are overjoyed because that means that you don't have to rent out a camera from your college that has to be returned by a certain time and is used by a whole lot of people. But then your professor makes a comment in class about your particular camera not being that great and that the best ones are even more expensive that the one you just got. Or you're all happy with your camera until you find out you have to buy an expensive spare battery and all these camera accessories to make sure your new baby is protected. Let's not even talk about the audio equipment, lights, editing software and other stuff you will need eventually to make a good movie. The point is, being a television and film major is a lot more expensive than buying a notebook and a couple of pens.

Then there's the networking that is integral in this major. It's not only about getting to know people so that you can get hired by a production company after you graduate. Companies don't even care about your grades or how well you did in your classes, or even how talented you are. We've been told it's all about who you know that can help you get your foot in the door, and then you can take it from there. But I'm not even talking about that nightmare. It's the fact that the production of a film, be it a feature length or a short, is not a one-man show. You need a crew. You need people to help operate the camera, to do lighting and to do sound. You need to know people willing to act in your movies. It's all about knowing people or you will never get any projects done.

Another struggle with this major is the fact that it encompasses so many categories, all of which you have to learn. There's cinematography or videography, directing, producing, writing, editing, and sound mixing etc. So many aspects go into the making of a film and you get to learn all of them. It doesn't matter if you just want to do scriptwriting. By the time you're through with this major you better know how to do everything else. For example, I am interested in the scriptwriting and editing parts of film-making. But I am learning how to operate camera equipment, create good lighting, record good usable sound, direct and be responsible for a cast and crew? Most definitely. It doesn't matter what you want to concentrate on, you're going to have to learn all the basics first, which makes this major an extremely difficult one. If you don't like waking up at the crack of dawn and working on a set, running around all day, then maybe TV and film is not the major for you. Just warning you.

But, honestly, besides all the stress, struggles, time and energy that goes into being a TV and film major, if you enjoy the art of filmmaking, then it's still rewarding. You'll get a really warm and fuzzy feeling inside when other people watch what you have helped create and they appreciate or even just understand the story you were trying to tell. It's an awesome major that does come with its challenges, but in the end, I love what I do and I wouldn't exchange it for anything.