When I tell people I’m majoring in Communications and Atmospheric Science, the most common reaction I get is hesitation and confusion, especially since I am going to a school known for engineering. People always ask me, “What are you going to do with those majors?” Some even question why I’m not doing something more “useful” as I have been academically successful thus far. The current answer to those questions is that I’m going to enjoy the next four years of my education because these two majors are topics that I am deeply interested in.
There is persistent societal pressure for students to pick their majors based on what is considered “useful” or “practical.” Throughout the college application process, many of my peers were worrying about income after getting their degree and what they were expected to do by their parents. Although valid, these concerns should not be the main focus a 17 or 18-year-old has when deciding what to pursue for the next four years of their lives. Young adults should be focused on discovering their interests, away from their parents’ expectations. When students engage in a topic that they are deeply passionate about, they are more motivated and confident in their work. Pursuing a degree and career revolving around something a person isn’t motivated about can result in burnout and a lower quality of work.
Additionally, mental health and self-confidence can be destroyed by an overload of college work for “more impressive” majors. According to the National Library of Medicine, “Depression among medical and engineering is most common as compared to other professional programs.” They claim the main cause of this is the extreme workload these students have to take on and the competition within these majors. Yes, college is for preparing yourself for the workforce and life outside of school, but it is also for making memories and gaining a true sense of self. My friends in college who are pursuing highly competitive majors find themselves stuck studying every minute they can, leaving no time for themselves and their true interests.
Furthermore, people underestimate and do not think about the flexibility of “less important” majors. While speaking with April Morris, Recruitment Manager at the Purdue University Liberal Arts Future Student Office, she emphasized the ability to take on several different majors and minors that follow your interests when mainly majoring in something like communications, for example. Although a communications major is highly appreciated in the business and marketing workforce, it also does not have a very heavy workload. This makes it easy for liberal arts students to explore their various interests at a deeper level. In the end, this ability creates a more well-rounded graduate that many employers will jump at the opportunity to hire.
Ultimately, while practical considerations play a role in the selection of a college major, they should not overshadow the importance of personal interests and passions. People perceive less “useful” majors as having a lighter workload, but what they do not understand is that these majors often have the same workload, perhaps just not in the traditional way that people expect. Their workloads allow for flexibility and focus on creating a well rounded individual. In the end, people simply need to respect the decisions and life choices of others, as it does not necessarily impact them. We have thousands of career choices in this world, and each one of them is as respectable as the next. People should not be shamed or looked down upon for taking an interest in less traditional academic fields, and students should pursue what they want, whether that’s what people expect of them or not.
