From early childhood, everyone from your parents to your teachers to television programs has preached to you about following your dreams. As a child, you are told over and over again that if you put your mind to it, you can do anything, until suddenly, you become an adult. The colorful children’s programming and encouraging facade falls by the wayside when it comes time to choose your career path, and endless criticism accompanies any career choice which doesn’t promises an overflowing bank account. Following are some of the most under appreciated career choices made by young people just following their passions rather than just their pocketbooks, and why these careers and areas of study deserve more credit and respect.

English/Writing

“Ah, English… so, um, what are you planning on doing with that?” As an English/Writing major I can attest to the amount of times I have heard this skeptical question. An English degree has a bad reputation of creating college graduates with big ideas and no place in the job market to express them. However, English degrees are one of the most versatile degrees a person can obtain. English majors help write and edit our world’s books, movies, and video games. Additionally, when paired with another are of study, english majors can become our teachers, lawyers, librarians, and academic scholars. Without English Majors, most forms of entertainment as well as many areas of education would become nonexistent. Think about that next time you think there is no merit in obtaining an English Degree.

Teaching

Teachers don’t get half of the respect they deserve for the work that they put into building the characters of young people around the world. It is no secret that teachers are underpaid for the work they do, not to mention that Americans vastly under estimate the amount of effort that goes into being an effective and successful teacher. Much of the payoff which comes from a career in teaching will come from the personal connection the teacher is able to build with the students, as well as from seeing the individual development each student undergoes. Because this payoff is personal rather than a monetary gain, those studying to be teachers do not always get the respect and support they deserve.

Culinary Arts

Because 59 percent of restaurants fail, most within the first year of business, going to culinary school is defiantly considered a risky career choice for most young people with a passion for cooking. However, everyone in the world eats and most enjoy having their food prepared for them, thus the need for chefs is not one we can anticipate ending anytime soon. Additionally, chefs work some of the longest hours outside of the medical professions, and must work to both master the technicalities of preparing food while learning to incorporate creativity and personal skill. These demands are ones which are not easily mastered, and should be appreciated by those who get to enjoy them in their fruitful completion.

Gender Studies

With the reputation as perhaps the most pointless area of study, gender studies has a bad reputation of being a fostering grounds for radical feminists who will graduate with no “actual” skills or qualifications for the workforce. However, as a person who has taken part in Gender Studies classes, this is not the class. Gender Studies is an area for anyone who is concerned with the way that gender plays a role in our society, politics, home life, and our history. The radical feminist many fear are attending these courses are an over estimated minority rather than the majority of students interested in gender studies. Additionally, the knowledge gained from studying the sociological effects of gender on our society pairs perfectly with careers in psychology (perhaps another unappreciated area of study), sociology, history, English, or politics.

The Arts

Whether it be theater, music, dance, painting, or anything in-between, artist receive constant ridicule for their choice of career path. Comments such as, “Isn’t that something you could just do on the side, because you know you are going to need a real job” or “Maybe you can join an art club and study business so you can actually makes some money one day” are constantly said to those you choose to follow their passion for the arts. Because the fields are often talent based, many fear that those going into the fields will not be able to stand up to the the demanding and competitive nature these careers present. However, those going into these careers are aware of the challenges they face, and without them many of the beautiful and entertaining aspects of our world would be lost.