We're the political junkies who would rather watch the news that the latest rom-com. You find us in the Mock Trials and Model UNs of college, working away at how to solve the most recent international crisis. Our Facebook feeds are as filled with WSJ op-eds as our computers are with political stickers. We worked that Congressman's internship and that Senator's campaign - and probably helped you register to vote. The culture of political science majors is alive and thriving.
1. Did you hear about that thing in that one country with the nukes?
This is usually followed by the asker's uninformed opinion that, yes, that one country's actions were *completely* unprecedented. We get it, you read CNN, and are confident enough to use your subpar knowledge of current events to try to relate with us. Weird flex, but okay.
2. Will you be mad if I say I didn't vote?
Considering we take classes on the repercussions of political apathy, it's probably a safe bet. We know how important voting is, and it should follow that we care about your participation in the political process. If you're trying to get a rise out of us, please be a little less obvious next time.
3. What do you want to do with political science?
A question so packed with bias that it is almost never asked to STEM majors. (Seriously, imagine if someone asked this question to an electrical engineering student.) We shouldn't have to justify our passions to you, and there are so many career paths available to us that it would be unreasonable to have already mapped out our futures. What do I want to do with political science? The same thing you want to do with your STEM degree - make a difference in the world working in a field I'm passionate about.
4. Did you choose political science because you're pre-law?
Yes, it's true that a good number of us want to go to law school. But NO, it's not true that all of us do! We don't just become lawyers; we become the lobbyists and researchers running governmental systems without which you would probably die. Law school is perceived as the only acceptable (read: profitable) post-undergrad destination for political science majors, and we're tired of it.
5. So if you don’t want to go to law school, do you want to like, become President of the United States?
Obviously it'd be nice but, we have more options in life than going to law school or becoming the President. See above.
6. Do your parents work in politics?
GiphyDo my parents have to work politics for me to be interested in political science? Is this maybe your way of trying to fathom how I could have decided that political science is an acceptable major? I chose my field of study because of *my* passions, not parental pressure. (If you must know, I live in Silicon Valley and my dad is the Chief Architect at Chegg. My upbringing couldn't have been any less politics-inclined.)
7. Do you like, *really* hate the Trump administration?
GiphyAh, this question - your overtly conspicuous way of asking us if we fit the "diehard liberal" stereotype that too often categorizes poli-sci students. Believe it or not, not all of us are Bernie supporters. We're a diverse group of people, and we span the entire ideological spectrum - both fiscally and socially. As a more conservative Democrat myself, I can say with confidence that being a political science major does not automatically mean I hate Republicans.
8. Do you like your major?
For me, this question will always be met with a resounding "yes." As someone who could talk for days about interstate interactions and government institutions, I chose to major in political science without looking back. College poli-sci classes can undoubtedly be challenging, but the course material never ceases to captivate me. Even after finishing a difficult assignment, I am still able to say with certainty that I want to devote my life to the study of government and politics.
Let's be real: I read the Washington Post every morning, and the Hamilton soundtrack is regularly queued up for my walk to class. I could not be happier about choosing to study political science, and I can't wait to see what the future holds.
