Hello! I’m Cynthia, and I’m an Environmental and Sustainability Studies major graduating this semester. Often people ask what being in this major is like, along with other environmental based majors. Today, I am going to walk you through a day in my life of as Environmental and Sustainability Studies major. I can tell you for sure that my other environmental based major friends have very similar experiences to this. So, this article is just broadly titled: A Day in the Life of an Environmental Major.
I wake with the sun and start the day with some yoga that is too complicated for you to understand. Following that, I breakout my homemade vegan granola and some ‘buch. My secret to my granola is that I use unwashed blueberries I picked last summer and laid them out on my roof to dry out. I don’t believe in eating foods that aren’t in season, so all my food during the wintertime is fermented and/or pickled. My ‘buch (if you actually drank kombucha tea you’d know this) I made myself in my basement. I ferment it over 6 weeks to really give it that strong kick (if you know what I mean). While eating my breakfast, I walk to my backyard and share my bounty of granola with the deer and squirrels that inhabit it. We all share this earth; these animals deserve to have some of my breakfast.
(actual photo of me feeding a deer)
Then I get dressed. Today I am wearing a long green skirt, a ripped black long-sleeved shirt, and some Chaco sandals. I would describe my style as something in between a Patagonia clothing ad and 1970’s grandma. I shop exclusively at the DI, Savers, and dumpsters. My parents supply me with a separate closet full of Patagonia for all my outdoor adventures. I then get my backpack ready, making sure it has my Macbook Pro, my chalk, and rock climbing shoes. I then pack my car up with my snowboard gear for shredding the gnar later. Thankfully I am only taking 6 credits, so I have time for spontaneous rock climbing and pow time.
I drive up to the U in my 2006 Subaru Tribeca SUV. I know I preach a lot about how pollution is killing us all in the Salt Lake Valley through the inversion, but like, how else can I get up to snowboard? UTA should really make ski buses more convenient, it’s not my fault. Anyway, I go to my first class, The Environment Is Doomed. It is a pretty tough class, as you may assume. We often have a group cry outside of the Union, you may recognize us.
I then got to my next class, What Exactly Dirt Is, followed by Climate Change Facts to Throw in Others’ Faces. After all my classes, I usually go to my car and cry about the environment before hitting Brighton. Letting out that release really helps me go faster down the mountain. Anyway, this has been the day in the life of an Environmental and Sustainability Studies Major.
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You may have heard these stereotypes thrown around when you hear about any environmental major. The reality is, it isn’t all true. Yes, I really am an Environmental and Sustainability Studies Major. Yes, I own a pair of Chacos and enjoy snowboarding, but I am not defined by my major’s stereotypes. I am passionate about the environment, but I also love writing, trying new restaurants, and going to dance classes. I am uniquely Cynthia.
The classes I mentioned aren’t real. In fact, being an ENVST major is very interdisciplinary! I get to take a blend of communication, social sciences, geography, and natural sciences classes. That is one of my favorite parts about the major is that I get to become a well rounded person. There are also several emphases within the major, so you can pick what you want your focus to be. If you want to learn more, please check out our website!
There are also other environmentally focused majors at the U including Biology with an emphasis in Environment and Organisms and Chemistry and Geoscience with an emphasis in Environmental Geoscience. They are different than the ENVST major, but are still great, and I highly recommend checking out if you have an interest in the environment as a college degree.
Often the first thing we are asked in college is, “so what’s your major?” Don’t let that define how you think of a person, instead, I challenge you to actually get to know them.
