What’s your major? It’s a question that follows every college greeting whether it’s at class registration or when meeting a stranger at a party. One of the most peculiar things I have found since transferring to Georgia Tech is that the answer to this question seems to be the basis for an entirely unspoken social ranking among the students. Engineering is at the top, liberal arts is at the bottom, and everything else falls in between according to how closely associated you may be to a STEM major. In the past, upon being asked that question, I’ve been answered with some jarring phrases.
“That must be fun,” one boy told me, “You skipped all the hard engineering stuff to take the easy classes.”
That one hurt. It was a direct insult to my intelligence and my integrity as a collegiate student. Unfortunately, I am not the only one who has had these upsetting encounters. Emma, also an LMC, major recalls a few times when she disclosed her major to others.
“They’ll say they’ve never heard of it,” Emma said, “or that they didn’t know Tech even offered that major.”
This is not to say that not knowing every major offered at an institution is done so with malicious intent, but it is worth noting that this could be one of the many causes for the backlash liberal arts majors face at Tech. After what I experienced, I felt like I was less than my peers, and I was somewhat ashamed to tell people what my major was. What is important, though, is that liberal arts majors never stop telling people their majors proudly.
To those who feel as though they are looked down upon for their major, I would like to ask you to think about why you chose your major. Think of your past, your interests, and your set goals with your career and how your major reflects you! Remember, it’s a wonderful thing that we’re different in many ways. Our majors reflect these differences in an academically focused way. Maybe you have a passion for politics, or maybe you want to get a degree in business so you can make an entrepreneurship dream come true. If you’re feeling lost, I encourage you to talk with an advisor or a counselor.
There is no doubt that Tech is an engineering school; it has been since classes first started back in 1888 and our fight song proudly proclaims it. However, it has since grown into a campus full of diverse people, cultures, ideas, and majors- all of which should be celebrated.