Did you choose your major based on interest or money?
In choosing which college I wanted to attend, I also decided what I wanted to study. Having chosen journalism as my major as a sophomore at Temple University, I can confidently say I’m happy with my decision.
While I am unsure of what path I will take in the broad field of journalism, I know that it is very dynamic subject with plenty of opportunities that Temple provides to help me figure it out.
You may not even know what you want to study when you get to college– and that’s perfectly fine! There’s plenty of time to be able to figure out what path you would like to take. However, I knew from my past experiences leading up to coming to Temple, that my major was something I wanted to study.
Some of the basic things one should consider before choosing a major can include:
“How much money would I make with this major?”
“Am I good at the skills that might be needed for this major?”
“Am I ACTUALLY interested in this major?”
Even when I was content with what I chose, others didn’t understand it. I would hear things like:
“I’m not seeing many journalism jobs out there.”
“That seems like a lot of writing.”
“You would make a lot more money studying …”
“Maybe you should study something else too, as a backup option.”
Obviously, no one wants to hear this about something they have a genuine interest in and are paying a lot of money to study.
All I knew was that I had a consistent passion for writing and a growing passion for the number of possibilities there were in journalism. Ask yourself this: would you rather make less money doing something you love than make more money and be miserable trying to please others?
As a result of my own answer to this question, I feel motivated to grow through unique experiences, internships, and opportunities. This is because of my passion for journalism, my desire to give underrepresented groups a platform, and my goal to be a part of that representation of Black women in journalism.
Remember to keep in mind that anyone can be successful in any career they choose, and success looks different for everybody. You have to put yourself first. No one else can know what you like except you!