Person: "What's your major?"
Me: "I'm a Communications major."
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Person: "Oh." (pauses and politely smiles) "So what can you do with that?"
Me: "That's a good question! Well, pretty much anything."
I was undeclared during my first two years of college, but I finally settled on Communications which has been a perfect fit for me. In my experience, it tends to get a bad rap for not being difficult enough to be considered a legitimate college major. It's mocked and teased--it's the "amateur" of college degrees.
Granted, it's not Health Sciences, Business, or Engineering. I don't have to memorize complex formulas or the cardiovascular system, but I don't think that makes it any less of a college degree. Communications is at the foundation of every profession, whether that's a surgeon, CEO, or counselor. Not only that, it's the foundation of our daily lives. Without knowledge of how to communicate well and how to teach others, many of these professions would be much less effective. Not to mention that our personal lives would suffer as well.
One aspect I appreciate about my major is there are so many different avenues I can take with my degree, especially in an age of social media. While the amount of options can be overwhelming, there is also plenty of room for creativity. With a degree like Communications, it's pretty simple to do what I love and find a way to get paid for it. Not only that, I'm also learning essential skills that will benefit both my personal and professional life.
We communicate every day and I've enjoyed learning how to improve these essential skills and how to translate that into building a career. No matter your profession, you need to know how to communicate well. A doctor to patients, a corporate executive to employees, etc. Think about it: in order to even get hired, you need to have solid communication skills, starting with an interview.
I chose Communications because of its underestimated significance. Communicating with others, as funny it may sound, is something that I enjoy doing whether it's verbal, pictorial, or written (like what I'm doing now!) and would love to translate into a career. I chose Communications because there are countless options and it has equipped me for whatever path I do decide to take. This major has helped me figure out my strengths and what I could aim for once I'm handed my diploma. What else could I ask of from a college major? Sounds pretty legitimate to me.
