I’m never a huge fan of being asked what my major is.
Chemical engineering, I’ll say after they ask. Oh, and don’t forget the chemistry double major — that caveat is certainly critical for my career.
Wow, that’s great! So what industry do you want to work in?
I want to be a lawyer.
Oh ok, so patent law then? That makes sense!
No. I have an interest in the more human areas of law, like criminal and immigration law.
Well, surely you must pour the most amount of your time into pre-law extracurriculars?
Does being managing editor of The Crimson White count?
At this point, I can expect a conversation about my major to play out like this to a T, though I must admit, it never seems to get tiring. It’s funny that people expect that a chemical engineering major must want to be a chemical engineer.
Of course, that is the most obvious explanation for why someone would choose the extra difficult course load of a rigorous engineering program. It’s the way we’re expected to go through college: pick a job you want, pick the major that prepares you for that job and pick up some extracurriculars related to that job. Bonus points if those extracurriculars provide some sweet cords you can wear at graduation — real ones, not fake ones purchased from Amazon.
With how expensive higher education is, it can be hard to understand why someone would choose a course of study that doesn’t directly relate to their career field. Certainly, law school is more flexible with regards to applicants’ undergraduate majors, but there aren’t many obvious overlaps between discussions of distillation in chemical engineering and prosecution of perpetrators in criminal court.
With how busy college life is, many might be unable to imagine why someone would choose to dedicate time to an extracurricular that doesn’t outwardly appear connected to one’s career. Truthfully, The CW does take up a disproportionate amount of my time, and occasionally, this does mean sacrificing time with friends or late nights spent with Google Docs.
Deciding not to hone in on college activities related to ones’ major can only seem more nonsensical when considering trends in the job market. For young graduates, getting a stable job right out of college is only becoming more difficult, according to Forbes. The unemployment rate of recent grads — those ages 22-27 — has risen to levels not seen since 2013.
Certainly, college is mainly a time to prepare for one’s career.
Building a strong resume is part of that, and students should ensure they are adequately prepared for whatever career choice they go down; however, that doesn’t mean students should only select activities and courses of study that align with their career prospects, or that doing what one loves instead of what is typically recommended is a bad thing.
There’s more to college than just resume building and how you will look to future employers. Choosing to take on additional courses not directly related to your career choice can broaden your horizons and make you more well rounded. While courses in engineering might teach you analytical and problem solving skills, classes in political science might educate you on research and close-reading skills, as well as how to form and counter arguments.
Certain careers, like the one I like to pursue in law, are perfect for alternate courses of study. Law school has no required major, and so I chose chemical engineering and chemistry partly as a way to make myself a more well-rounded future attorney and explore my love for chemistry.
Choosing to dedicate time to an organization not directly related to my future career, The CW, has had much the same effect. I’ve gained leadership, interview and writing skills beyond what a simple major in political science or participation in a pre-law society would have gotten me, as I use these skills everyday in my position. I’ve done so surrounded by people I love doing what I love.
I encourage you, then, to think carefully about what courses you take. While aspiring doctors maybe shouldn’t solely study art history, college is the time to explore your passions. If that means taking on a degree in chemical engineering with a job in journalism and career prospects in law, then do so. Sometimes, it is wisest to choose love over looks.
