RK: I love how on the first days of class you have to fill out little cards with your name, year and major. As if by writing down that you're an English major, the TA will gain a great insight into your personality.
RB: Yeah, because TAs really read them, too. Actually, if I were a TA, I would read them to gain insight into my students' personalities.
RK: So if you read that I were a history major, and this was an English class, what would you think?
RB: I would think that you want to gain some insight into a time period by taking an English class that read books related to the aforementioned time period.
RK: Well, you might be accurate in this case. But it does point to the larger issue of a set of stereotypes applied to people in each major. It seems like you have to pick the major whose stereotypes best apply to your interests and personality.
RB: Yeah, that is often times the case. And it would be a lot easier if everyone did that because then you could assume many things about that person. But unfortunately there are always those few engineering kids who should be film students.
RK: It would be easier, but I find majors to be so restrictive. I understand the whole concept of trying to approach proficiency in a certain topic area, but what happens if you like everything a little bit and just want to be as broad as possible? (Apparently in my case you end up a history major.)
RB: Either that or at a \liberal studies"" college!
RK: Yes, and then it seems like you're just too indecisive to do anything, which looks great.
RB: Ahh, but then you will have a broad base of knowledge which will lend itself to any career and problem that comes your way.
RK: True. Ultimately I think most people--at least ones in the liberal arts--get jobs that have nothing to do with a major. Employers just want to know that you are literate and can be taught, and then they will do their own training. Thus, why not just pick what you're the most interested in and worry about jobs later?
RB: Oh, if only it were that easy. Just think of all the people out there who have graduated from college only to end up waiting tables while their loans from going to college weigh heavily on both their minds and bank accounts. Ahh, moment of panic on this end. What if I end up not finding a job and having to wait tables? I would surely spill red wine on some businessperson! I am not cut out to waitress!
RK: Don't worry. You could always help some old people at Penney's order curtains for their kitchen and listen to how their friends are on blood thinners and their daughter's wedding was nice but why did she have to pick mauve for a summer wedding?
RB: Yuck, I hope I actually make something of myself. But in reality, making something of myself is a rather frightening and daunting task. A friend of mine is in Washington, D.C., this week where she is officially accepting their offer of employment. Ahh! Officially accepting? It sounds as if she has admitted to first-degree murder.
RK: Well, there are different definitions to ""making something of yourself."" (Hopefully first-degree murder isn't among them...) In the end I know it's not really wrapped up in jobs or majors.
RB: Which makes me wonder if there is a college for that...
RK: I think it's called the college of life-- realizing real success can be more accurately measured in places like internal growth and in things like friendships.
RB: Takes the pressure off finding an accurate major, doesn't it?
RK: Yeah, I think I'm going to major in life.
