Switching to Communications seemed like a leap of faith at first. Not only was I switching to a major that was ambiguous, but I was also going into a field that I knew absolutely nothing about. Oddly enough, as time progressed, I became more comfortable with my first communications class, then I realized that maybe this major might actually be worth a shot.
Before I switched my major, I was dead-set on becoming an elementary teacher. But as I continued on with my college education and thought more about my future, I realized that having to work the same job for 50+ years terrified me. My education degree would only be good for one thing-teaching. That was not my ideal way of living, so I decided to take charge of my life and go in a different direction, leading me to Communications. I was excited and anxious to start my future. But as I researched more about the degree itself, there was nothing but negative comments and opinions about it.
It seems that the social stigma for Communications is consistent. People who aren’t part of the program hate it. It made me think critically and intensely about the major. Why, exactly, does it have such a bad rep?
As I catch up with friends, they always seem to cringe when I tell them I decided to switch my focus from Education to Communications. So what gives? What is so off-putting about it? Not only does the public despise it, but they advise against it. This began to make me wonder, “how did this misconception begin and why is it still held with such strong beliefs to this day?”
To put it simply, I think it is because of its ambiguity. This major is so versatile that it can open numerous doors into the workforce. Public Relations, sales, human resources, journalism- the possibilities are endless! This is also the reason why people question communications, because there're various careers that can come out of it. Since this degree is useful for a multitude of jobs, it makes it seem less credible.
Another reason the public believes this is a “blow off” degree is because of the classes and workload. So far in my college career, I can humbly say that my communications class was by far the hardest course I have ever experienced. Not only was it intense and rigorous, but there was also high expectations coming from both my professor and my classmates. Being in a communications class, we were forced to work in group settings, which meant responsibility and accountability would play key roles in whether or not I would be successful in that class. Being able to work with others is significant in the workforce, and this major made me realize it.
Along with teamwork, learning how to think and speak among one another was also important. The concept of, “think before you speak” is nonexistent now, people having little to no filter in their vocabulary when voicing their opinions. This is where critical thinking comes in. I believe that critical thinking is something that has been lost among this generation, and taking Communications is one way of gaining it back. This degree teaches me how to think and how to properly communicate what I am thinking in a professional manner. It’s cool because my major forces me to constantly be aware my surroundings, which means being immersed in the culture I am enveloped in.
By far the greatest thing to come out of communications is self-discovery. Through this major, I have learned how I can be successful when it comes to group work and functioning for presentations. I’ve developed ways to calm myself down before a speech and how to write a paper two hours before it’s due (I highly do not recommend this method of essay writing).
But most importantly, I have met some of the most amazing people and have built relationships that I know will last a lifetime. This is how I know I chose the right major, because I am not only willing to go beyond the classroom and textbooks, but also because I am genuinely enjoying myself and learning concepts that I am truly passionate about.
