Let’s be real: after a few quarters at UCSB, your major doesn’t just fill your brain with knowledge—it rewires your whole personality. You start analyzing everything, from your coffee order to your group chat dramas. So, we got to thinking: if that major-specific lens was focused on the biggest holidays of the year, what would each major look like? Here’s my conclusions:
Econ & Accounting: Black Friday
To the students of Economics, Black Friday is much more than a commercial event; it’s a dynamic, real-world demonstration of core principles. This is a living case study in market forces where one can visibly see such concepts as supply and demand, consumer elasticity, price discrimination, and game theory in action. The day signifies the essence of strategic marketing and consumer behavior analysis in its full force. Plus, one would assume these guys know their way around saving money, so Black Friday just screams econ major.
Sociology: Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a remarkably fertile subject of sociological analysis. This holiday allows for a glimpse into family as a social institution. Memes and TikTok trends pop up around what controversial topic will be talked about first at the dinner table. A Sociology major will consider the holiday in the context of higher structures within society by seeing the invisible rules that guide interaction and how cultural norms are both reproduced and contested in the confines of the family scene.
Political Science & History: The Fourth of July
To any student in Political Science or History, Independence Day is a moment of reflection about the nation. They’re not just seeing a celebration—they’re watching nationalism in action, deconstructing the symbolism of every flag wave, and mentally debating the gap between American ideals and political realities. The fireworks are nice, but the real spectacle is watching democracy’s ongoing experiment unfold.
Environmental Studies/Marine Biology: Earth Day
While Earth Day is a moment in time for global environmental awareness, to all students in an environmentally focussed field, its values are a daily pursuit. The holiday underlines the student’s commitment to understanding and preserving complex life in kelp forests, tidal zones, and the open ocean-emphasizing how important these systems are to planetary health.
Psychology:Â
Valentine’s Day Psychology approaches Valentine’s Day as a manifestation of complex internal and social processes. The day provides a framework for the neurobiological underpinnings of attachment, the social psychology of giving and receiving gifts, and the cognitive dissonance between societal expectations and lived experience. It is a day that lays bare the intricate interplay between human emotion and social convention. Watch out for psych majors when it’s time to decide what signal you want to give.
Film & Media Studies:Â
Contemporary Christmas is a media construct. The Film and Media Studies major analyzes the holiday through the lens of cultural production, deconstructing how decades of cinema, television, and advertising have shaped its imagery, narratives, and emotional resonance. Their interest lies in understanding how media forms have codified and commercialized the ideals of the season.Â
Undeclared: Leap DayÂ
Being an undeclared major is much like Leap Day: an instance that lives outside the conventional structure when applying to schools, but rather one that is defined by possibility. It is a time of academic exploration, a special period set aside for discovery and the thoughtful consideration of future paths. In this way, the academic pursuits at UCSB provide more than knowledge; they offer a framework for interpreting the very rituals and celebrations that define our culture.