Choosing a major is one of the most daunting decisions a college student must make during their four, five, or however many years it takes for a Bachelor's degree. It varies. So when you read the headline, some may think "two majors? isn't deciding on just one hard enough?" or "wouldn't that require you to do more work?" The answer to both is honestly no.

As I am officially two years into my college career here at the University of Cincinnati, I started thinking about my future over the summer which opened my eyes quite a bit. I enjoy my main major which is Journalism. However, I wanted to challenge myself more and dive deeper into some of the issues going on in the world.

That's right: I am double-majoring in Journalism and Political Science.

Now, this is a case where I decided to turn my minor into a major and many other students can do that as well. You might be thinking I am pretty crazy at this point, and I honestly can agree. I have no clue how I have time for a social life or activities, but you make it work.

The main reason behind my - very recent - decision to double major was boiled down to one thing: curiosity. I label myself as a life-long learner and I thoroughly enjoy learning. I have always been curious about how much politics and policy impact our every day lives. I want to dig deeper into politics and learn more about our country as a whole.

Political Science and Journalism also go hand-in-hand quite well. They complement each other. It's almost like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The two may be good on their own, but together they are even better. I enjoy writing and the digital elements from the Journalism side, so why not throw in my passion for politics into the mix? What do I really have to lose? If you enjoy two subjects equally, why not learn about both especially if there's overlap? We are paying for our college education for the rest of our lives. What else do we really have to lose?

So basically, I have four more semesters after this fall. While I do have to take on a summer semester, I am ready. I want and do not mind putting in the extra work to graduate with two majors and a certificate. My certificate is in web development through the IT school so it complements both.

Even before I came to college, people doubted me and I even doubted myself especially as a first-generation student. I still doubt myself and I still question if this was the right decision to make. However, deep down, I know I am not going to regret taking on two majors. I want to not just open the windows but practically break them.

I have never been afraid of hard work or spending long nights in the library or in my apartment studying. There is a quote that I first heard at TedxCincinnati back in March that one of the speakers said and it has resonated with me ever since.

“Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress; working hard for something we love is called passion.” -Simon Sinek

Working hard has never been an issue for me. I have worked hard for everything at college so far and taking on a Political Science major on top of a Journalism major will only make me work harder.

Like Sinek said in the quote above, I am not taking on this extra class work to add unnecessary stress into my life. I am genuinely passionate about politics and how much it affects our society and every day life. I want to be able to dig deeper into the issues and research. I enjoy current events and I want to dig deeper into what goes into the policy making process, laws, and how our decisions affect other countries, cultures, and the other way around.

I love Journalism and I love being able to tell stories across multiple platforms without a doubt. I love technology and working with people. However, I am very thrilled to have the opportunity to pursue two majors in areas I feel strongly passionate about. Not everyone has the ability to get an education let alone going to college. I love learning and I always will even when I complain about assignments and the, what feels like, 100 things I have to complete every week. I would love to have the opportunity to go for more whether it is graduate or law school.

Six years ago when I went on my eighth grade trip to Washington D.C. with my friends, I got to stand in front of The White House. Fast forward six years and I get to study the crazy world of politics and continue telling the stories of people in our community. Double majoring in Journalism and Political Science will finally give me the true ability to give a voice to the voiceless.