No major problem: All studies equal

By Nadia Paschal

Declaring a major is the one experience that every college student shares. With a large selection to pick from on this campus, many may opt into more popular programs, while others may pick ones that aren’t as large. Those students are often poked fun at for having what many call a useless major. 

With jokes such as working in coffee shops or other minimum wage jobs for the rest of their lives to picking an easy major on purpose, there can be a lot of judgment surrounding students within these classes. I’ve heard these jokes from my friends and have even started to make them myself.

As someone studying something that has sometimes been deemed a useless major, it has certainly impacted my college experience. 

I’ve been on this campus for over four years and have heard and seen many examples of what majors others may deem useless. Theater, art history, communications, philosophy, anthropology — the list goes on and on really. 

Being a sociology major, I often feel like I chose the wrong path, and there’s not much to do with this degree. I’ve been told often that this degree is both too broad, and too limiting, from peers and family. 

Where did this hierarchy of majors come from? Liberal art degrees are just as important as any STEM program. No student is better than another, just because of their coursework. Some people are more suited to subjects that are writing oriented rather than math oriented.

I started off my college career as a biology major and changed it several times, never really feeling like I could keep up with the other students. However, that didn’t make me a bad student. It just made me realize I wasn’t in the right program. 

These programs open the doors for other opportunities as well. After experiencing less stress in a new major, I realized how much I loved writing. I finally felt like a capable student again, and could work on my academic strengths. 

Although a student may have different strengths than you, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a place in the world for them. Every job is needed and important to our society. If everyone had the same major and the same skills, the world would not be able to function.

Let’s use an art student as an example. Some minimize this to just drawing and arts-and-crafts classes. However, if art, in any form, did not exist, the world would be bleaker. There would be no music, movies and books. These things are essential to happiness and de-stressing after a long day.

Let’s stay with this art example, as it’s sometimes argued students don’t need to go to school to learn art because it’s something that can be self-taught. That is true, but couldn’t any topic be self-taught? There are many books, videos and tutorials online, on every topic that one can access. 

An important part of college that’s often forgotten is the connections that students can make. Meeting professors and learning about internship opportunities that people not in college might not be aware of gives students in that field a leg up and bolsters their resume. 

It’s important to keep in mind that there is no such thing as a useless major. If a program was not important and did not open new doors for students, no college would offer it. So keep studying what you are passionate about, no matter the subject and no matter what others may say.