As you all know, I am approaching college graduation. I am ecstatic! My experience has been better than I could have imagined and I have grown so much, intellectually and otherwise.
HOWEVER. I've started looking for a job and I'm finding it fairly difficult. My degree is in American Studies and my minor is Spanish, and I don't really want to know what I would like to do as a career. Obviously with a major like mine that does not lead to a specific career path, I have a lot of options open to me. When I was choosing a major my freshman year, I didn't really think I wanted to have a career at all, a job maybe...but I pretty much planned on going on a mission, coming back and finishing school and getting married to a wealthy man and having babies. And then I realized that having a career might actually be fun and cool and fulfilling, and I also became a feminist so. Now I do want to have some sort of career.* And this is where we get to the part that, frankly, is starting to get really old.
I REALIZE that my job search would be much easier if I majored in a different field like math or science. I REALIZE that by choosing a Humanities degree I put myself at a disadvantage in a world where business, science, and technological career opportunities are abounding. Don't worry, I have kicked myself plenty of times and thought, "Damn, I should have done Accounting! I could have a job in two seconds!" So I really don't need anyone else to tell me how foolish my decision was. The jokes about how Taco Bell is hiring American Studies majors are not funny anymore. I can joke about it if I want to, and if I feel discouraged and regretful about my major choice, that's my prerogative. But it's really not anyone's place to make me feel like my degree isn't worth anything.
I would be a lousy accountant. And probably super crabby because I don't like math and I'm not good at it. Sure, I could have gone into Computer Science, but I probably wouldn't have cried TEARS OF JOY in class as many times as I have, or felt like I wanted to shout what I had just learned about humanity and culture and feminism and love from the mountaintops. For some people, Computer Science does it for them. Not me, sir.
THE THING IS I AM A DAMN GOOD AMERICAN STUDIES MAJOR. I know it, I live it, I love it. You know why I hardly ever skip class? Because I LOVE CLASS. I enjoy coming to school and I enjoy writing my papers and I love working with my professors. The things I have learned about myself, the world, and America have forever changed the way I think about everything. LITERALLY EVERYTHING. My education is something really important to me that I will treasure forever. Also, I'mma take it with me to the next life where they probably don't have taxes and probably do have art and literature and people and music and language.
The other thing is that I am good at pretty much everything required to be a valuable employee. Working with a team, being nice, hard-working, dependable, good communication, writing skills, not stupid, innovative and creative, leadership, bossiness, getting shiz done, etc. So hire me. Teach me how to do that technical thing that I don't know how to do, and I'm your gal. Employee of the year!
My point is, shout out and a big hug and kiss to all the people who have always supported me in my decision to study America (which is mostly everyone), and a big middle finger to all the haterz out there on their high horse telling me to give McDonald's another shot.** DON'T NEED U.
Haven't written a post like this in a while. Feels good. I would like to close my talk with a quote from Beyoncé, Queen of America.
*Not trying to say that you can't be a feminist if you don't have/want a career.
**I have interviewed at McDonald's twice (in desperation during my teenage years) and been turned down both times.
HOWEVER. I've started looking for a job and I'm finding it fairly difficult. My degree is in American Studies and my minor is Spanish, and I don't really want to know what I would like to do as a career. Obviously with a major like mine that does not lead to a specific career path, I have a lot of options open to me. When I was choosing a major my freshman year, I didn't really think I wanted to have a career at all, a job maybe...but I pretty much planned on going on a mission, coming back and finishing school and getting married to a wealthy man and having babies. And then I realized that having a career might actually be fun and cool and fulfilling, and I also became a feminist so. Now I do want to have some sort of career.* And this is where we get to the part that, frankly, is starting to get really old.
I REALIZE that my job search would be much easier if I majored in a different field like math or science. I REALIZE that by choosing a Humanities degree I put myself at a disadvantage in a world where business, science, and technological career opportunities are abounding. Don't worry, I have kicked myself plenty of times and thought, "Damn, I should have done Accounting! I could have a job in two seconds!" So I really don't need anyone else to tell me how foolish my decision was. The jokes about how Taco Bell is hiring American Studies majors are not funny anymore. I can joke about it if I want to, and if I feel discouraged and regretful about my major choice, that's my prerogative. But it's really not anyone's place to make me feel like my degree isn't worth anything.
I would be a lousy accountant. And probably super crabby because I don't like math and I'm not good at it. Sure, I could have gone into Computer Science, but I probably wouldn't have cried TEARS OF JOY in class as many times as I have, or felt like I wanted to shout what I had just learned about humanity and culture and feminism and love from the mountaintops. For some people, Computer Science does it for them. Not me, sir.
THE THING IS I AM A DAMN GOOD AMERICAN STUDIES MAJOR. I know it, I live it, I love it. You know why I hardly ever skip class? Because I LOVE CLASS. I enjoy coming to school and I enjoy writing my papers and I love working with my professors. The things I have learned about myself, the world, and America have forever changed the way I think about everything. LITERALLY EVERYTHING. My education is something really important to me that I will treasure forever. Also, I'mma take it with me to the next life where they probably don't have taxes and probably do have art and literature and people and music and language.
The other thing is that I am good at pretty much everything required to be a valuable employee. Working with a team, being nice, hard-working, dependable, good communication, writing skills, not stupid, innovative and creative, leadership, bossiness, getting shiz done, etc. So hire me. Teach me how to do that technical thing that I don't know how to do, and I'm your gal. Employee of the year!
My point is, shout out and a big hug and kiss to all the people who have always supported me in my decision to study America (which is mostly everyone), and a big middle finger to all the haterz out there on their high horse telling me to give McDonald's another shot.** DON'T NEED U.
Haven't written a post like this in a while. Feels good. I would like to close my talk with a quote from Beyoncé, Queen of America.
**I have interviewed at McDonald's twice (in desperation during my teenage years) and been turned down both times.
you go girlfriend. "screamz from the haterz got a nice ring to it" -kanye.
ReplyDeletejewelry is really fun and not always crazy, and we can always use good people, and you could do it anywhere, and you get to work with people
ReplyDeleteI love this. Basically sums up all my feelings about being a Psych major. I LOVE IT but everyone else thinks it's a total joke. And I too, thought that I would just get married and it wouldn't matter what I did because I'd just have babies. Guess the joke's on me! I WANT a career. Never thought I'd say that. Not only do I want to be intellectually stimulated and fulfilled but I also enjoy da finer things in lyfe.
ReplyDeleteNever let your degree/filed of study limit where you will work. I have a degree in Elementary Education with only ONE endorsement (K-8). I've taught both math and history at the middle school level. Taught grown men inside the walls of a prison and now I sell pharmaceutical grade drugs. The only thing that has limited me is the desire I've had to succeed. What employers are looking for right now is drive, hunger, creativity and tenacity. All of which you appear to have in spades. Lots of positive thinking and keeping at it will win you the prize. Go get it!
ReplyDeleteCrystal
I love everything you said here! I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVED being an English major and I loved my classes and felt joy in learning and was so glad that my education could change my perspective. And I feel super grateful that I chose to spend my four college years studying something that I really loved because guess what? What you got your degree in doesn't really matter, unless you're an Accountant or something. I don't doubt at all that you are totally fit to work basically anywhere and most employers will recognize that. I think your problems with the job search are that a) you are not physically in the place where you want to find a job, which makes it a million times harder and b) no one looks at resumes unless they are flagged by someone with an in. Find someone you know that will recommend you and you'll get a job easy. I believe in you! I'm so glad you studied something you loved! People filled with passion are better than people filled with "marketable skills" 100% of the time.
ReplyDelete