A Major Conversation Stopper

MajorsDon’t ask me what I’m majoring in. That simple query can take the cake as the Most Annoying Question Ever, because whenever someone brings up that question, it always leads to the Most Annoying Conversation Ever.

Like most ‑college freshmen, I am an undecided major. I am confused, I am exploring, and I lack direction.

It is frustrating, and it seems like ever since I started college, it’s all everyone around me and everyone I’ve met here wants to talk about. It’s enough to make me want to quit college. (Well, that and the fact that I have realized I hate studying.)

The part that I find weird is that when people ask me this question, they always expect me to say something intensely interesting that could spark up a genuinely interesting conversation, like becoming an International Ninja Assassin.

Unfortunately, I don’t have anything interesting like that to tell them. I just have this opinion piece.

Also, Bellevue College doesn’t offer classes for becoming an International Ninja Assassin.

And, when I tell them that I am an undecided major, they always try to help me by asking about my interests. Then, they try to suggest things that they think I should go into, as though I haven’t been thinking about it for the past couple of years.

When I was younger, I thought going to college and picking a major would be exciting and just come naturally. You find something you love to do and attempt to make a living by doing the same damn thing for the rest of your life. I couldn’t wait.

As I got older, I realized that it might be really hard trying to make a living by watching television and sleeping, so I had to scrap that idea and come up with another career path.

My parents have always encouraged me to go into the medical field to become a doctor. They have made me volunteer at the UW Medical Center for a couple of summers, and they made sure I was taking all the science and math classes I could in high school.

To be honest, I have considered going into the medical field a little bit. While volunteering, I found that helping to make a positive difference in the life of others was hugely satisfying. In addition, I would make tons of money. But, then I realized that to become a doctor, I would have to go to medical school, where I would be forced to do terrible things, i.e., advanced calculus, rocket science and physiological research studies on the rat brain.

So, I told my parents that the whole pre-med thing isn’t going to happen, and they’ve actually stopped nagging me about the whole situation. They are still recovering from shock at the time of this publication.

However, I have taken an interest in journalism and have been working at The Jibsheet for a couple of months. But I don’t think anyone there has figured that out, seeing as how I still have a lot to improve on, despite all the writing I’ve done. For example, my conclusions really suck.

So, in conclusion, please don’t ask me what I’m majoring in.