There are a multitude of misconceptions and misunderstandings of journalism as a major and has a career, and it's time we address some of them.
"Oh, so college must be a breeze!"
Writing multiple papers every week while still having to take prerequisite classes like math and science make my college experience just as painful as yours.
"You know journalism is a dying field, right?"
I am aware of the negative percent growth rate but I refuse to let that stop me from pursuing my dreams, thank you very much.
"How do your parents feel about that?"
I never understood why so many people were concerned with what my parents have to say about my major, but it always comes up in conversation. My parents have grown to be pretty supportive of my choice because at the end of the day, there's no point in paying an upwards of $200,000 if you're not doing what you love.
"That's basically the same thing as being an English major."
While some classes may overlap between the two majors, English and Journalism majors generally have very different coursework. Journalism students are trained to write and format in a different manner, while English majors focus on multiple elements of writing and reading.
"Here comes the grammar police!"
I'll admit that bad grammar sometimes drives me crazy, but I'm not going to stop you mid-conversation to fix your tense or word usage.
"So do you even need to go to college?"
Journalism requires advanced knowledge in writing, reading, visual media, history, and often times politics. While college is not the right path for everyone, becoming a journalist demands skills that develop through an advanced form of education.
While these comments may leave you questioning yourself from time to time, remember that journalism is a valid major and you shouldn't feel the need to explain yourself for doing what you love.
