If you're an art student like me, you've probably felt that slight ping of embarrassment or worry when someone asks what you're studying. "I'm an art major" is sometimes a hard thing to admit, because for as long as we can remember, we've been told art is a "useless major" and studying art will ensure you become a "starving artist" the rest of your life. Obviously we shouldn't have to explain the validity of our major to anyone, especially since you'd have to be blind to not see what an impact art & design have in our world, but it's hard to hold our tongue when our studies aren't taken seriously. Unfortunately, that's not the only problem us art students have to worry about. Here is a list I compiled on the struggles being an art student has caused the last three and a half years of my undergraduate life:

1. People constantly belittle your major or ask dumb questions like “so do you just like draw or what?”

2. Completing a project you actually really like.. until you put it next to everyone else’s during critique.

Then you start seeing every mistake you made and have to quickly try to find a reason why it’s like that.

3. Feeling good about getting so many double takes from strangers, but later realize you've had charcoal on your face all day and didn't know.

That shit gets everywhere.

4. Trying to explain the concept of your project to a non-art student.

*blank stares*

5. Getting oil paint on all your clothes.

6. Ridiculously hard art history courses (*cough* Deyasi *cough*)

7. When someone asks what your future plans are

Um I’m just gonna… make art?

8. When your phone dies during a 3 hour critique.

9. That awkward moment when the nude model falls asleep.

Do we just… keep drawing?

10. We don’t have to pay for expensive textbooks! Just $200 art kits for one class…

11. Trying to keep your studio or work space clean and orderly is nearly impossible.

12. Carrying 50 lb. bags of supplies up the hills of campus.

Also a fun game I like to call “how to spot the freshman art student”

13. Pulling an all nighter in the studio.

14. People not taking your major seriously.

15. You drink more caffeine than water.

Because water doesn't give you enough energy for a three hour critique at 8:30 AM.

16. When someone looks your work and doesn't understand it.

17. Then you have to try defending your work without sounding like a pretentious a**hole.

18. Because God forbid you're the person who can't take criticism well during critique.

19. Having classes with people who only took that class for "easy credits."

And then watching them struggle and complain the entire semester.

20. Art supplies can be found anywhere, even if it involves dumpster diving.

One man's trash is another artist's treasure.

21. EVERYONE and their mom will ask you to make them art.

Because I just have so much free time to create you a masterpiece

22. Being expected to know about every single artist, ever.

And being quizzed on it by anyone and everyone any time a famous piece of art is brought up.

23. At least there's a booming job market waiting for you after graduation! Oh wait...

But hey, at least we're pursuing what we love.