In high school, there were cliques. People were stereotyped based on who they spent their time with and where they landed on the social ladder. And although the notion of ‘cliques’ has become pretty passé in college, there are other cookie cutter molds that students are placed into. As anyone who was forced to make small talk in a lecture hall because their professor can tell you, one of the most prominent, are our majors.
However correct or incorrect they may be, they’re relatively standard across most schools— engineering students are always miserable, art students will make no money, and education majors sit around and color all day.
As a Political Science major, these are just 10 of many comments and generalizations that we’ve become far too accustomed to.
1. “What do you think about the new president?”
It’s human nature to have opinions, especially visceral ones when it concerns such a controversial political figure. However, as someone who studies the government and the way it’s constructed, we learn to think more about the implications that they have rather than the politician themselves. Sure, we may like or dislike the president, but when you ask us what you think about Trump, we get a little overwhelmed because there’s such a broad base to cover. You’re better off asking us what we think about ‘clothes’. They just exist and perform a bunch of functions, some better than others.
2. “What do you think about *enter political scandal here*?”
To be brutally honest, we spend a lot of our time covering policy issues and international relations and constitutions. At this point, the latest media coverage on who committed what kind of fraud or cardinal sin or general wrongdoing is of no real importance to us. And even if it does pique our interest, chances are we’ve already discussed it enough with people in our classes to be terribly interested in it later. Truthfully, we want to talk about political gibberish at parties just about as much as you want to discuss your latest mechanical engineering project.
3. “Do you want to become a politician?”
Some of us do. Some of us don’t. Some of us are really, really conflicted and trying to make some tough decisions. Political Science majors have a wide array of career opportunities that are open to us after we graduate; running for office isn’t necessarily the only path we can take.
4. “Politics are always changing so why learn about something if it’s temporary?”
To us, it’s less about the actual policies that are enacted right now and more about the general foundation of how they are created, how they are enforced, and what issues they are trying to remedy. So although many aspects of politics, including the people and the legislation aren’t going to last for more than a few decades, we are more invested in the core of the issues and the methodology used to decide upon them.
5. “Do PoliSci majors even make any money?”
Again, some do, some don’t. Studies have shown that people with better general civic and general knowledge about their society are at an advantage when it comes to negotiating a salary in their careers when they grow older. So we definitely have a leg up due to how we learn about our place in the domestic and international sphere; it all depends on what you want to pursue after you graduate.
6. “Politics. Are. So. Boring.”
Yeah, well to us your finance or ancient literature classes are close to unbearable so I guess it goes both ways. And honestly, politicians in suits trying to appeal to young voters is such a train wreck, it gets pretty interesting.
7. “I heard that PoliSci majors are just a lazier version of Econ majors.”
The notion that people in one major are lazier than those in others is laughable. Remember kids, correlation does not equal causation. Just because you know some people with a poor work ethic who happen to concentrate on politics doesn’t mean that the whole field is apathetic.
8. "I bet you guys don't have to write too many papers though, right?"
You think English majors have it rough? At least they have some semblance of what it is their papers should be focused on. PoliSci essays are just pure, unrestricted mayhem filled with information that may or may not be relevant (with a general minimum of 12 sources cited in APSA format, which is pretty much universally agreed as being the absolute worst).
9. "Do you like, own a pantsuit?"
No, but I do own eight pairs of leggings, a campaign t-shirt, and a pretty severe distaste for my academic success being attributed to my wardrobe.
10. “Are you studying for the LSATs?”
If we plan to be a law student, probably. If not, we’re probably staying far, FAR away from those study guides. Can you say war flashback to the SATs and ACTs in high school?
In short, political science students are just as lethargic, career-oriented, and done with your misguided questions as kids in any other major. We just happen to have a better grasp on what the words “gerrymandering” and “game theory” mean.
