For some people, college feels like a four year ride on the struggle bus. As the years go on your major locks you away from the outside world until all of your thoughts are consumed by your degree.
And then there's the double major.
I know what you're you're thinking: “double major, double the opportunities.” Well, sometimes that means double the stress and double the college problems. Here's a few struggles double majors experience on their ride!
1. Little to no hope of graduating in four years.
"Wow you're still here? Shouldn't you have graduated by now? When do you graduate?" I've only been here three years, but I still have another two years left. But thanks for pointing that out for the millionth time. Glad you noticed me.
2. Having to be advised by two advisors.
I love when both advisors give me my next five or six classes and I have to strategically try to fit half of each in my schedule. "I thought I told you to take this last semester" I couldn't fit it in my schedule, I'm a double major, remember?
3. Dealing with judgement that comes with getting both degrees.
"You're an English major? Oh... Aren't you a marketing major too? Are either of those useful, though?"
4. When your two cohorts bash one another.
Liberal arts majors: "I hate business majors. They're so obnoxious and uptight with like no personality." I'm one of those business majors, chill.
Business majors: "I hate liberal arts majors. They won't even get a job with those useless degrees." I'm one of those liberal arts majors, chill.
Sometimes, you agree with both sides, but don't fully fit in with neither.
5. When your two majors are really different.
There are these beautiful times where a class overlaps and counts toward some credit for both degrees. When your degree is in two different colleges, though, that's rare. What does that mean? More classes that I already didn't want to sign up for.
6. Having to answer “what are you gonna do with that?” twice.
"Oh, that's cool. So what are you going to do with the other degree?" Um, these are a lot of questions and my mind can't handle this right now.
7. Sometimes forgetting exactly why you're a double major.
"Why am I doing this to myself? Do I really need two degrees? A lot people become successful with one, right?"
8. Forever analyzing the millions of possibilities with your two degrees.
If one job that inspired you to get your first degree doesn't work out you can always use the skills you learned from earning the second one. Or you can combine them to make a super job. Are super jobs a thing? You can make them a thing because you got TWO degrees.
9. Sometimes you don't get a building to claim as yours.
Engineering majors get the engineering building. Business majors get the business building. Double majors in two different colleges get two buildings, right? Wrong! You never fully commit all of your undergrad years to either so you get none.
Just go for the library, it's ten times better...promise.
10. Hoping for the day that both of your graduation checklist have less than three classes.
"YES, I only have 18 hours left. FINALLY!" Then you see that you have 36 more hours to take for your other degree and your smile slowly fades along with your youth.
In short; being a double major is like riding the struggle bus, except your ride is (most likely) longer than four years, the bus is traveling at the speed of light, and you're trying to hold on to two seat that are on opposite sides of the bus. You know that there's an end to the ride, somewhere. You just hope you'll know which way to go whenever you get off!
