Many students at one point or another have been told that their field of study is not going to get them jobs after graduation, almost making their undergraduate education worthless, but is this really the case?
Having friends in programs ranging from science to drama, I have heard from all ends of the spectrum that the phrase “this won’t get you a job” is pushed onto students a lot, causing them to feel discouraged.
And if I’m being completely honest, I don’t think that is fair.
When trying to figure out exactly why this is said to incoming or current post-secondary students, I asked my dad why he thinks that this is the case. He responded with something that I have heard from him my entire life.
Every person needs to have a plan A and a plan B and so on, a wide range of skills will lead to more success and, if you spend four years doing something, you should get rewarded for your efforts with a well-paying job. He also stated that most parents want their kids to experience some sort of success and to be happy, they just need a stable income.
While that is a valid case, I think many kids get discouraged when hearing this be said to them.
When I was younger, I was always told I could do whatever I want, but the older I got the less probable that seemed to be.
A good friend of mine is currently a drama major and said that being told this by her parents was really discouraging to her.
People giving their opinion is helpful when you’re covering all your bases, but you are the leader of your own life, don’t let people take that away from you.
She felt judged for something that she wanted to be doing but was firm in her decision to pursue something that she loved. Now she is thriving because she is doing something that she really wants to be doing.
I believe that if you are passionate about something, you can and will achieve anything.
You won’t succeed if you are doing something you are not invested and passionate about, as proven through my first year at Laurier as a psychology major.
In some cases, happiness is more important to people than money is, and it is hard for students to comprehend why some people feel the need to comment on their life decisions that ultimately do not affect them.
On another note, many students use their undergraduate degrees to go on to do other post-graduate work.
Before applying to Laurier, I was talking to a lot of law school representatives who all said, “spend your undergraduate doing something that you love that will help you get good grades.”
This could be anything from music to communications to physics, the schools just wanted your grades and your LSAT scores.
This is also true for bachelor of science students who are trying to get into post graduate programs: a strong GPA is important when applying.
If this is the case, then students should stop getting judged on what they are using to get to their next phase of life.
The job market for all sorts of fields is huge and while someone might see a certain industry as one thing, there are multiple different jobs that are contributing to that industry.
The entertainment industry is not just actors and actresses, but lighting, sound, costume designers and more.
With a bachelor of science biology degree, you could go into working as a doctor, at a pharmaceutical company, as a teacher or professor and so many other things.
People might look at a degree and think that it’s a one trick pony of sorts, which is not true.
In fact, a degree of any kind can get you a multitude of different jobs, as technology advances and different career paths are being created.
Being an influencer was not a job 20 years ago, but now with social media, anyone can essentially be apart of that industry.
Don’t let people stop you from achieving what you want.
Ultimately the choices are yours and yours alone.
People giving their opinion is helpful when you’re covering all your bases, but you are the leader of your own life, don’t let people take that away from you.