“Why don’t you study something more practical?”
Some people take it one step further and end up coming off as pushy and rude. It’s inconsiderate of someone to judge your major choice, but be prepared to stick up for what you want to study. In this scenario, it’s OK to defend yourself and explain your reasoning. “In answering this question, you can emphasize your interests and strengths in the particular field you decided to study,” says Huhman. For example, if your aunt is giving you a hard time about pursuing film studies, back up your decision. Say something like, “I’m really interested in film and I see it as an important part of my life in the long-run. It’s important to me to study something that I feel confident in. I’ve learned about a lot of different careers that I can pursue with my major.”
Miller believes that all majors can offer valuable skill sets to students. “Generally employers are interested in things like communication skills, teamwork and critical thinking. Any good liberal arts education will give every student those skills. So, the right choice is to study something you’re interested in, and then supplement those courses with practical experiences that will help further your career goals.” Referencing the future will show that you have thought about things realistically. To ensure that you’re prepared, do a little more research on the field that you’re studying. Next time, you’ll be able to provide your family with some potential job titles and put an end to their prying.
