Being a theater major has taught me just how easy it is to fall into the stereotypes imposed by others. For working actors, one of our great communal fears is being “typecast," which essentially means that you’re cast in the same archetype again and again with less hope of breaking out of that role with each cast list that you receive. This can get actors into a rut, leading to a less exciting, unchallenging career. Typecasting may be more cut-and-dried, but stereotypes can be found all over any college campus. There are countless articles out there about being the “mom of your friend group” or being the “annoying friend," but the thing I’ve noticed that most affects others’ perception of you is your major.
I’ve had a lot of people tell me, “I would never guess you were a theater major,” because I don’t fall into the specific personality people associate with theater kids. A friend of mine who studies molecular biology finds herself the go-to when people have questions about subjects like astrophysics, which is completely different. For them, it goes the other way, because a lot of people who study science may unwittingly assume they have it more difficult than everyone else. Let me put this plainly: if a creative writing or business major tells you they’re stressed because of schoolwork, they are. College-style stress-mode spans across every major, and it’s better to chug the coffee together than to compare situations.
These stereotypes are fairly inescapable, but the real issue with them is what they do to one’s self-esteem. Being told, “Oh, you must have no life as a marine science major," or “You don’t look like a business major," or even “Wow, being a theater major must be so easy” can make you second-guess the way you’ve always seen yourself. I certainly have those moments, when I wonder if people assume I’m some caricatural, obnoxious, über-confident diva just because I’m studying theater. I’ve noticed this goes the same for my friends who are marine science majors—but not all of them are controlled by their work, and they certainly don’t all want to go into a career training dolphins.
I go to a small school where friend groups consist of a wacky mixture of majors. But at a lot of larger schools, people meet friends through their major, which can cause some degree of separation. Regardless, there's a lot of unnecessary frustration between people as a result of these judgments, and I think that should change.
The great thing about college is that you get a chance to re-define who you are. There are so many opportunities to become someone you always wanted to be—whether that’s a business major with a predisposition towards cat shirts and colorful hair, a science major who goes crazy with friends every weekend or whatever wonderful unique combination you decide suits you! The comments may get to you, but it’s important to remember that everyone making them must face their own stereotypes as well.So consider this a public announcement—try to throw away the preconceived notions you have about people based on their appearance, or their major, or their personality. Don’t assume someone isn’t as busy or stressed as you because they’re an art major. Don’t expect the geology major to spend their Saturday night holed up in the library. And don’t assume that the person who is spending their Saturday night holed up in the library has no life! The happiest people are the ones who brush the stereotypes away and see people as individuals defined by their choices alone. I’ll admit it’s hard to make the switch, and as humans our inclination is to judge, but the extra effort is worth it.
