I recently came across a very interesting addition to my vocabulary, presented to me on my Twitter news feed. Naturally, I was curious. So, I googled the definition. According to Urban Dictionary, a Mickey Mouse degree is, "A really useless degree that has no practical use or work opportunities for the people who study for and earn it." Below this definition, was a list of several degrees that were considered to be "Mickey Mouse" degrees. My current major just happened to be listed; which briefly sucked the wind out of my sails. So, I have decided to take you through the five stages of MMD (Mickey Mouse Degree) grief.
Denial
You spend time believing that when people ask about what you're going to do with your degree, that they actually are interested, rather than concerned. You barely notice that those around you are focusing on your future paycheck, rather than on what makes you happy. You naively accept questions like, "are you seeking further education after college," or "do graduate programs/law schools/med schools/etc. accept applicants with your major," or "do you have a minor or possibly a double major," and my personal favorite, "do you plan on marrying someone rich?" After answering all of their loaded questions, they give you that minimally accepting nod, and wish you the best. Deep down they're really wondering why you're spending thousands of dollars on a pointless degree. How nice of them.
Anger
After realizing the lack of support you have acquired, when family, friends, and the next door neighbor try to convince you to major in something else, you become hostile. You defend your choice with everything you have. And if, for one second, you consider their side, you just become more angry at the fact that they could be right. How dare they be right. How dare they try and change your life plan.
Bargaining
You start this phase by trying to convince others of why you choose the degree you did. You may even look up "what can one do with a _____ degree?" If the choices are limited, you try to bargain with yourself to be interested in something more promising. You take numerous classes in different fields, spending money on a future you know you don't want. I mean, we're not all meant to be surgeons.
Depression
When you begin to believe what everyone else is saying about your future degree, you fall into a deep slump. You imagine years of ramen noodles and saltine crackers. You feel like a disappointment to your family and to yourself. You question if you're living up to your full potential. You may even start to question if the degree you chose was due to poor past life choices. Would you have done well in Chemistry and enjoyed it if you decided to go to school somewhere else? Would you have not decided on a pointless degree and an unpaid future, if you never took that one class? Am I going to be able to pursue further education with the degree I chose? What will future employers think of my degree? Will I starve to death? You ponder all these questions as you doubt what actually makes you happy. At this stage, the main thoughts circulating in your brain are the negative remarks and eye rolls from those who don't understand. Not to mention, all the numbers that keep adding up in loans that you may never pay back. You blow everything out of proportion, and you see things a lot worst than they probably will be.
Acceptance
At the end of the day you chose what made you happy, and that is why you can accept it. You can accept any future that may pan out, because you're going to wake up every day and get to do what you love. And with acceptance, comes the realization that there is a lot more that you can do with your degree than people think there is. If you want to major in art history and go to law school, why not? Who says you can't. If you want to study theatre, even if that means a few years of ramen before you make it, or don't make it. That's perfectly ok. It is your life. You are in charge of what you decide to do. And you should focus on what makes you happy, even if there is no pot of gold at the end of your college career. So take different kinds of classes, and figure out what makes you happy. Because in the long run, whats written on a piece of stock paper is not going to help you be successful in the real world. What is going to help you be successful, is your perseverance, hard work, diligence, talent, and believe it or not, how happy you are.
