Hi! Interior Design major here. I’m sure all of us work really hard at what we do, but for some reason, us “art majors” are looked at as ‘bottom of the barrel.’
Hey, you. Reading this.
I don’t know what you do for a living or what major you are or have/had in college, but I support you. And I think it’s about time we get some support too. So, next time you encounter an art, media, or design major, here are some helpful tips on what not to say and topics to avoid.
1. “I’d rather be doing that than my homework.”
Don’t do that. Don’t discredit me or my work. Your equation sheet seems super fun and all, but trust me, my 4-board presentation and speech over space planning and design solutions isn’t a walk in the park my friend.
2. “Do you even have to go to college for that?”
Oh my … the amount of times I’ve been asked this literally makes me want to gouge my eyes out. The world would not function properly without my fellow A/M/D majors. Netflix & Chill wouldn’t be a thing because movie producers wouldn’t exist to produce content like The Office or The Notebook. You’d be living in a clay hut built with your own two hands if it weren’t for architecture and design majors. Do you ask a cardiothoracic surgeon if she has to go to college for her job? No, so please don’t ask me.
3. “So you get to pick out tile and carpet swatches all day?”
This is a good one. Specifically referring to Interior Design majors, we are often confused with Interior Decorators. Let’s shed some light on this issue: Anyone can be a self-proclaimed interior decorator, but it takes a degree and sometimes NCIDQ certification to be an Interior Designer. No, I’m not going to be on HGTV, and my job consists of so much more than making sure the carpet matches the drapes (literally).
4. “That must be so nice not having to pay for textbooks!”
That’s not really how that works. Typically, as an A/M/D major, we are responsible for buying textbooks on top of art supplies. I took a drafting class my first semester at Michigan State, and I was shell shocked by how expensive a drafting kit was - $180 and I didn’t use half of the things that came with it (oh, plus the $90 textbook I never opened).
5. “That must be fun not having to take exams.”
Yeah, I must say, not having exams is a slam dunk, because then, I can put all of my time into these 7 final projects I have all due on the same day. In my opinion, I’d rather take 7 objectively graded exams than submit even 1 subjectively judged final project.
6. “You must have a lot of free time.”
I’m not really sure when being an art, media, or design major translated to being “easy,” but my schedule is no less packed than an engineering student or pre-nursing major. I guess I didn’t realize how competitive some people are about how busy or free their schedules are. It’s like the amount of things I have written in my planner determines how hard my major is?
7. “Your projects look so fun!”
Yes, my projects are super fun, but overwhelmingly time consuming. I don’t think any engineering, business, or nursing student will ever comprehend just how much time and thought-out effort is put into creative projects. Secondly, there are so many other things I’d rather be doing than painting a self-portrait when my major is Interior Design. So, you stating how “fun” it looks just reminds me of how much I want to die doing it.
8. “So, are you good at the math and science stuff too?”
This is no one’s fault but the media. Artists and designers are portrayed as only being good at their career field and nothing else. They’re portrayed as having depression and anxiety and giving up on everything except art. In reality, most creative thinkers excel in math classes because they are able to see solutions that others cannot.
Albert Einstein was a math genius, but who knows, he could’ve been really good at sketching on coffee shop napkins. He seemed to have died in peace without ever being asked about his possible artistic abilities. So, let me die in peace without being asked about my science and math knowledge.
Everyone has something to say about someone else’s job or major. Everyone thinks they work harder than the next guy. It’s so challenging to have a one-sided conversation with someone who thinks they work harder than you or that their major is more difficult than yours. I may not be able to solve a rather simple accounting problem, but please - I’m begging you - do not to tell an A/M/D major that you could complete their projects.
P.S. Do you not consider yourself creative and are interested in learning how to bring design solutions to your “not-so-artsy” career field?
P.S.P.S. Read "Creative Confidence" where Tom and David Kelley explain how to unleash your inner creativity. Great read for future business owners and CEO’s (ie. all of us!)
