I’ve heard it more times than I can count: “Oh, so you’re just a communications major?” “Your classes must be easy.” Or my personal favorite of “You guys just talk for a living.” At first, I used to laugh it off. Typical college humor, right? But after hearing it repeatedly, the joke started to feel like a reflection of how little people understand what we actually get to do as communication majors.
There’s a certain myth that communications is the “chill” major, or it is the one you pick when you don’t want to do anything involving math or science. But the truth? Our classes allow us to better understand people. We study how messages shape public opinion, how the media influences culture, and how technology is rewriting human connection. From rhetorical theory to digital media analytics, our coursework trains us to think critically, adapt strategically, and communicate effectively, which, at times, are skills that every single profession depends on. Our assignments aren’t just papers and presentations but blueprints for how communication moves the world.
What people don’t see are the hours we spend researching audience data, designing campaigns, or rewriting essays to get our arguments just right. As a communication student, I’ve built a blog where I write about how the college housing market is greatly affected by all the social media applications we use daily. That experience of learning how to turn ideas into digital storytelling taught me more about research and creativity than any standardized test ever could. Our work isn’t just about talking. It’s about crafting narratives that stick, messages that move, and stories that matter.
One of my favorite parts of being a communications major at Texas A&M is my professors. Many of them have been lawyers, journalists, editors, or writers for major companies, and their personal experiences help bring our lessons to life. They’ve taught us how to communicate under pressure, how to research and write with integrity, and how to see communication not as a fallback but as a foundation for greater opportunities. Their careers prove that our major doesn’t just prepare us for one path; it prepares us for every path that we set our minds to. When you get to hear about your professors having argued in courtrooms, published nationally, and edited for top media outlets, you start to realize you’re learning a powerful major.
I’ve also learned that people love to call what we learn “soft skills.” But what’s so soft about being able to speak confidently and think critically? Those skills are the backbone of leadership and innovation. When a business fails to communicate its values or a brand faces a PR crisis, it’s not a math problem that saves them; it’s a communicator who knows how to connect with people. We might not work in labs, but we test theories of human interaction every day.
I used to let those jokes slide. Now, I use them as reminders of why I’m proud to be a communication student. We’re the ones who know that the right words can shift a culture or spark a movement. We’re strategists, storytellers, and connectors. We bridge ideas and people. We translate confusion into clarity. And we do it with confidence, creativity, and care. So no, we’re not “just” communication majors. We’re future journalists, publicists, digital creators, and community leaders. We’re the reason messages make sense and small moments matter. And next time someone says our major is easy, I’ll just smile and ask, “Want to try explaining interpersonal theory in front of a crowd?” Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: Good communication might look effortless but only because we’ve mastered the art of making it that way.