OPINION: What’s your major? IDGAF

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor

7391748646_4ac626c1c7_o
Courtesy of Andrea Arden/Flickr

This past weekend, just like any other, I was at the bar with a couple of my friends, blowing off some steam after another long week of jumping through hoops as I prepare to graduate.

I was enjoying myself and doing my normal thing, until I was approached by a complete stranger. This stranger assumed I was a bio-medicine major, because one of my two friends I was with that night is in that major. Apparently, this guy knew him because he is a part of one the majors in the College of the Sciences, too.

So when he asked me if I was in the major, I replied, “No. I’m a journalism major.”

My reply generated a small scoff and a smug smirk across his face. I could feel the, “I’m smarter than you because I’m a science major,” from a mile away.

I went on to say that I was the sports editor of the school paper and tried to keep the conversation friendly.

His response was that he had never heard of the school paper, and interestingly enough, he went on to say he is on a show on 88.1 The ‘Burg.

I didn’t ask him what the show was, because frankly I already didn’t give a flying four-letter f-word about who this guy was or what he does. But I did think to myself, “How does this guy not know about the other student media outlets on campus when he works for one of them?”

I mean, I might not see every episode of Central News Watch, read every story in Pulse or like every show I hear on The ‘Burg, but I give them all a shot and try to support my peers as they reach for their goals, just like I’m doing with my job here at the Observer.

I don’t think I’m better than broadcast journalism majors, even if I can write better, because I know they’d sure as hell make me look like a babbling idiot who occasionally stutters and starts every sentence with “umm” if I was on the air.

As a matter of fact, I don’t think I’m better than students from any major. We all have our strengths. We all have our weaknesses. We all have our different dreams we are chasing.

People assume that students in the communication department can’t do math—I can. But I sure as hell know I don’t want a job that requires me to do advanced math all my life. That sounds about as appealing as walking barefoot over glass that’s covered in salt and lemon juice.

But back to this guy. He didn’t stop there. He went on to say how he didn’t find value in a major that just teaches you how to write, and he didn’t see writing as a way to bring the money home.

Newsflash bro: We do more than write. As a matter of fact, I’m sure I could tell you more about the First Amendment, how to sift through public records to see if my government is doing its job and do something that is just as important as anything in this world—communicate—than you ever could.

That last part was pretty apparent when you made yourself look like a complete jackass when we met.

I’m sure you could tell me more about the periodic table than I’d ever want to know. I respect that. Science majors have to learn some tough shit, and I see one of my roommates deal with those hard assignments every night.

But before you think that being in a “tougher” major makes you better or smarter, maybe you should realize what you lack. Sometimes it’s pretty apparent once you open your mouth.