Meeting someone for the first time can be awkward to say the least. Since it happens fairly often for many people, especially students, we tend to have our go-to questions. These questions may include “Where are you from?” or “What year are you?” And they have set answers. However, there is one question that many students dread: “So, what is your major?” I will pause a moment to let every student who is undeclared or has switched 30 times cringe.
Now back to the question at hand. When some people think about their major, they beam with pride. Others still aren’t 100 percent sold on their current path of study. Regardless of your status, you have put time, thought and energy into declaring “This is what I want to do with my life.” Each person has a reason for his or her choice, but this simple label doesn’t come without its hardships.
Many majors have a stigma attached to them. Bible major? You must be holier-than-thou and judgmental. Business major? Oh you must be power hungry and in it for the money. Education major? Do you even do anything besides color in class? Science major? You do know that lab work is pretty much the only kind of job you can get, right? As for me, I am a child life major. Someone once actually said to me, “Is that even a real major?” Regardless of your major, I am almost positive that you have gotten similar responses.
I plead us to stop. Stop guessing or assuming or labeling majors. Stop making these put-downs. Stop telling people their classes are a joke. In these situations, we need to embrace the differences. If there weren’t differences in people, we would all have the same job, and our society would fail. We need to acknowledge other people and the talents they possess. Every major has very difficult classes. Every major has something unique that others do not. Instead of tearing down these differences, we should support each other in the difficult days. We should lift others up and respect that they have special talents that we do not have. A community of support can withstand so much more than a community of scrutiny. God made us all different so we could do His will according to our individual, unique set of skills.
Bible majors will help heal the broken and show them the truth of God. Business majors will help our families during financial crises. Education majors teach our children to become incredible adults who will change the world. Science majors help develop cures and medicines and help us understand why God made this intricate world the way He did. And as for child life majors? We are here to hold the hand of children and their families as they go through difficult illnesses and losses. Each major, each job, each person, can do incredible things for the kingdom, no matter where we are placed.
You can judge other majors by what you think you see on the outside, but I just hope that you stop and take the time to truly see why each person is dedicating his or her life to that field of study. Many times, you will hear a beautiful reason and an immovable passion comes through. With each unique person is a special plan set into this world by our God. So, why not just ask?
