Sometimes being a psychology major is tough. On top of the tremendous work load we have is a giant stereotype that we're mind reading head nodders that scribble down notes on a pad of paper while saying "mhmm" and diagnosing you with a mental illness you've only heard about on Criminal Minds. Here are some basic truths and thoughts straight from the mind of a psych major to help you see that we're normal college students, just like everyone else (mostly).
1. We're not all counselors.
Not all of us want to ask you how that makes you feel. Psychology is a huge discipline made up of many different fields including forensics, law, experimental, clinical, social psych and plenty more. Not every psychology major is going to jump at the chance to listen to your problems.
2. But we do have a place in our hearts for helping people.
Some psych majors may not have an emphasis in counseling, but almost everyone's focus involves the best interest of others. Whether we're trying to discover the best therapy for addicts, running stats on a research project, or figuring out the physiology of the brain, we just wanna help.
3. "You know you have to go to grad school, right?"
If we got a dollar for every time our parents, friends, and parent's friends asked us this question we'd have enough money to pay for grad school. But, yes. We know that our major requires higher levels of education. And we're cool with that.
4. Sorry, I can't, I have homework.
This is our answer pretty much every time we get invited to do something that doesn't involve school. We'll let you know when we're free. After we memorize the DSM-5, write a 30 page lab report, and finish the hundreds of pages of text we have to read.
5. Yeah, there's a good chance we're analyzing you.
We have to put those long hours of studying and psych knowledge to use somehow. And you don't even have to say a word, we can read your nonverbals.
6. But we're spending more time analyzing ourselves.
Because we freak out when we have one symptom of any and every disorder we learn about it abnormal psych.
7. What all the future therapists think in stats class.
The only problems we don't want to help solve.
8. We're the only people in the world who know what APA format is.
Because capitalizing the title of a book or article would make too much sense.
9. It's all for the resume.
We know how important our experience during undergrad is for future graduate schools and employers, so all the volunteer hours and time spent working on research isn't for nothing.
10. At the end of the day, what we do has potential to be really significant.
Being a psych major isn't all fun and games, but it can be really rewarding. We like to know that what we do makes a significant difference in the world around us.
