When people mindlessly ask you what you’re studying and then follow with an “oh…*insert eye-roll* you’re a communications major...” don’t take this to heart. If you want me to be honest, you’re going to hear this statement (or one pretty close to it) every time someone asks you what your major is.
Just because you’re not a nursing major or an engineering major, doesn’t mean you’re not as intelligent as everyone else. Communications is totally different from every other major in numerous ways. Academically speaking, most communication majors could have majored in any other field of study without any problems.
As a communications major, you won’t have to memorize every bone in your body; but you will have to write hundreds of papers, give oral presentations and speak in front of large crowds. Some people are probably going to judge you and say that learning how to be a compelling communicator is a joke. Just because you don’t share the same passion as health professionals or lawyers, doesn’t mean that you deserve less respect.
Let’s be real, it’s difficult to truly be passionate about your major when people are consistently shaming you. People are going to tell you that your career choice is much less significant and less meaningful in our society. All communications majors are sick of being looked down on, just because we don’t spend three hours a day in a lab.
All future communication majors, just keep reminding yourself, how do these health industries professionals think patients decide to visit their establishment? Well, thanks to marketers, public relations professionals, journalists, (and all other communications majors) like yourself, people in our society choose where they spend their money. People in other majors may not realize that your work as a communicator is what heavily influences the buying power of people in our society.
Never underestimate yourself as a communications major. To all the people who don't realize it, there are communication jobs associated with law, education, health industries, engineering and pretty much any other major out there. Just because the communications major might seem easier than all of the other majors, doesn't mean that it's less important.
A huge part of your future profession in the communications industry is going to be criticized no matter how skilled you might be or what you might have learned in college. For some reason our society thinks that it's okay to judge someone based on what career path they chose to follow.
OK future comm. major, the next time someone tells you that you have easy and unimportant classes, tell them that you deserve the same amount of respect as anyone else. Your skill set is just as relevant and necessary for whatever industry they are majoring in.
While you should appreciate the criticism, I challenge those who are negative about comm. majors to actually ask us why we chose our major rather than the classic eye-roll and chuckle.
It’s hard work to be passionate about communicating effectively when there are constantly people tearing you down. Be passionate about your major and keep pursing your dreams. You never know which one of us comm majors might end up becoming the next President or CEO of a multi-million dollar company.
