By Amber Winstead

In Defense of the “Other” Majors

College is heralded as time to explore your dreams, interests, and even the “there’s no way I’m doing that again in a million years” periods. For myself, college has been a path to confronting my fear of failure, good friends, and inner peace as I’ve come to realize that you don’t necessarily have to believe in yourself to be a success as long as you finish what you’ve started and see yourself as a constant work in progress. It’s been a mixed bag of ups and downs, though I wouldn’t trade it for anything and most importantly, I’ve learned valuable skills which will aid me in finding the perfect job for me in the fashion industry. This mindset and the college experience takeaways aren’t shared by all though. COVID-19 looks to be staying for at least another year and college registration across the nation has dropped significantly, partially because students didn’t want to pay the cost of classes without the benefit of being on campus or financial hardships due to unemployment with one of the other reasons being people are begging to question if college is worth it. 

After all, the main goal of college is to earn a degree which will lead to a profitable and fulfilling career in the near future.

Before the coronavirus, there was constant talk of which degrees were the most valuable and which of the others were basically gilded cardstock that would make you more money being sold as a fancy fly swatter. Outside of STEM and business/economic degrees, I’ve seen it mentioned more than a few times the worthlessness of majors in liberal and visual arts, theatre, psychology, communications, and the list goes on. As a rising senior in the fashion design program at the Wilson College of Textiles, I have experienced the all to familiar scene of people’s eyes glazing over when I tell them what I’m studying. I’ve gotten reactions from excitement (over finding someone to hem your dress that you need two days from now) to mild disappointment to questioning if I like to waste my time and parent’s money (there was also an instance where a gentleman offered to enter into a “sugaring” relationship with me because he was assured I wouldn’t make any money in my field, but that’s a story for another time). I’ve also heard some of my fellow classmates exasperate about how our major is seen as inferior or ultra-competitive/catty by their family and friends. It’s disheartening to see how creating something so crucial to our survival and identity is looked down upon and begs the question, do other majors contribute anything valuable to society?

Unlike four year university structures of years past, colleges have evolved to look at the totality of students in terms of their interests, passions, and goals instead of just scholastic achievements and students in turn look at college also as an experience and major transition to adulthood by living away from home, being responsible for their own wellbeing, and developing a sense of who they want to be in the world. This learning has just as much inside the classroom as much as out. While it is statistically true that on average some majors can result in higher salaries than others, it does not account for the possible experiences/personal growth missed out on due to having to invest time for studying and the possibility of job dissatisfaction. Studies [Yello Recruiting Study] have shown that Gen Z workers only stay at a job for about three years and only 25% plan to stay for at least five years. This phenomena has led to employers prioritizing experience in entry level positions to ensure the money spent training new employees can be utilized by the company for the longest time achievable while newly graduated college students need to first get the job opportunity in order to receive experience, resulting in an\ unstable carousel of supply and demand for the employer and potential employee.

Pursuing majors outside of STEM, health, and business might not be as financially beneficial, but it fulfills some people in terms of opportunity costs and career contentment. It is important to note the other majors also help society run efficiently (okay, maybe not you underwater basket weavers) as we all cannot be a doctor, engineer, corporate powerhouse nor should we strive to. For my major,  a scene from the movie The Devil Wears Prada perfectly illustrates the value we add to society; “Halston, Lagerfeld, de la Renta. And what they did, what they created was greater than art because you live your life in it.” It is often underestimated the amount of time and dedication it takes to make a piece from idea to actuality. Despite the frustration and feelings of inadequacy at times, I wouldn’t change what I do because what I create has a value to myself and others. The strength of the American workforce comes from its variety and resourcefulness during times of strife. 

From a personal perspective, the two benchmarks for whether to pursue one career path versus the other is 

a) am I good at it?

b) do I have a real passion for it?

They each can exist without the other, but there is less of a chance of succeeding at the intended goal without vehement commitment to each. The catch is one must adjust their lifestyle to accommodate the choice they make or set a plan in motion to earn in other ways outside of their main career (this tactic has been an extremely popular financial substitute since the pandemic and some Gen Z entrepreneurs have been at the forefront). Would you rather have more money for a comfortable lifestyle, but less time to pursue leisure activities or time to spend with friends/family versus less money that you must make lifestyle changes to accommodate, but more schedule flexibility? College has taught me there is more than one way to do something and do be afraid to take the route less pursued.

Failure is an unfortunate fact of life, but is meant to be addressed and learned from to push you a little harder on the next go around. 

Statistically, there is no complete guarantee the perfect job will be waiting for you out of college no matter what your major is, so it’s logical to pursue something that is at least enjoyable if you're going to spend four years of your life learning about it and paying through the nose. While the social worker or the horticulturist may not be paid as much as other employees, their job is vital to living in safe and productive society. The graphic design artists may not work in an office, but creates the logos and websites for businesses you follow and purchase from on Instagram. Your major may come with a status or stereotype associated with it perceived by others, but it’s ultimately you who will have to live with the decisions you make and if you are content in your career path, I say design, create, study, and write on.