My major is Spanish. Most people ask me what made me want to major in a foreign language and what I want to do with this major. Well I am here to clear some things up for the confused.
What made you want to major in a foreign language?
“In 8th grade I decided that I was going to take Spanish as a foreign language. I then learned that my first year of learning a foreign language did not count as my two-year foreign language requirement, so I had to take a foreign language up to my 10th grade year anyways. As I continued to learn the language and the culture, I fell in love with the culture and wanted to learn more. So I ended up having 5 years of Spanish under my belt when I decided that I wanted to pursue being a translator. I wanted to use Spanish on a daily basis because it was just another way of communicating to others that I wouldn’t normally be able to communicate with.”
When I told people this, they were really skeptical, saying that this is not for me and I need to be doing something else, something more complicated. They were not exactly sure what I would be doing with this major and how I would use it in the work force.
What do you want to do with this major?
“Well, with a Spanish major there is no “Spanish” job, you can get almost any job with a Spanish major. See, my minor is criminology, my main goal is to become a court translator in the southern states, but I have many other things that I would want to do as well. I could be a travel agent, a tour guide, and work for the government, virtually anything that doesn’t need a specific degree (like a doctor). I want to learn many languages in my life time, so translating and the communication part is what I want in a job, and any job that I end up getting I can use my knowledge of Spanish to help others in what I do.”
This explanation cleared some heads and helped people understand my reasoning’s for wanting to become a Spanish major. The whole thing for me is being able to talk to people and understanding something that I wouldn’t have understood before is what fascinates me the most.
If you don’t have people supporting you with the thing you want to do in your life or college career, don’t fret. Major in what YOU WANT TO MAJOR IN, not what others in your life want you to major in. you may change your major and want something completely different because you were inspired by the freedom to do what you want, change your major. Do what is best for your interest, your mind, you! Enjoy these next few years, educate yourself, explore yourself, do what is right for you and enjoy it!
My major is Spanish and that is what I have always wanted for myself.
