As a communications major, I am very, very, used to the classic questioning of my career goals. I've heard them all, from "What on earth are you going to do when you're older?" to mocking my intelligence because my major is stupid or pointless.
It really sucks.
It is also something that bothered me for really long time. When I came here as a freshman, I was so excited to embark on a communications degree, and to be in college and learn cool, interesting skills that I could use with me the rest of my life.
My enthusiasm dwindled very quickly, as everyone very quickly reminded me that my major was stupid. I was getting belittled day after day from anyone and everyone - it seemed like I was making the biggest mistake of my life.
I started to get upset and depressed about my major, I didn't enjoy college or my classes, and I was up all night worrying about my career and what I was going to do. Would I be able to support myself? Would I be able to support a family?
Then I realized something; I should have listened to my damn parents.
My parents always told me, Alex, do what you want. Do what makes you happy. Because you are going to be waking up the rest of your life doing whatever it is you decide to do. You might as well enjoy it. But that wasn't even the most important lesson they taught me. They told me that in the end, what I (and the rest of the kids at my school) didn't realize, was that it doesn't matter (to some degree) what your major really is.
College is a place where you grow and learn in more ways than one. Sure, you can learn special vocational skills, but it also is a huge factor in just teaching you how to be productive, how to time manage to a T, how to say "No", to temptations when you know you have something else you need to do. The point is, my parents told me that once you get out into the working world, sure the major of your choice plays a role, but what plays a bigger role is your level of commitment, your work ethic, and your attitude.
And they were right. Don't believe me? Ask Forbes. (http://www.forbes.com/sites/ashleystahl/2015/08/12...)
I started to try and rethink my outlook on everything. I thought, why am I going to let these kids and random students here, make me feel worse about my major, and what I want to do? Everyone is different, otherwise there would only be one major at one college. Everyone is doing something different, and by the time you get to college, everyone is doing their own thing to get where they want to go.
Now, I am excited about my major. I am proud to tell people that I am a communications major, and I am even more excited on where I will go after college. In the working world, people want to know you can work well with others. They want to know that you are willing to put in the work and climb the ladder yourself. I have a good work ethic, but more importantly I have the missing link; I now have a good attitude to match it.
