Don’t look down on other people’s degrees. Just don’t. Everyone has a path, and maybe your peers aren’t walking the same one as you, but it doesn’t mean they aren’t going places.
I’ve personally received discrimination within my own major because the specification I am pursuing isn’t the most popular. It is hard to be the only one you know who wants something different and sometimes it can be discouraging.
Everyone will experience some sort of prejudice based on their major by someone in a different major. People in the same major but different concentration may even look down on you. Just because your diploma will say something else doesn't mean it isn't worthwhile. When people make these judgments they are placing their values on others who may not always share their ideals.
College is an exciting time for personal growth, and it is meant to be an intellectually diverse environment. Individuals from across the state, country and world are sitting in the same rooms — each with their own views and aspirations. Part of your improvement comes from the exposure to different lifestyles and being able to adapt to or work well with people. If everyone was the same, there would be nothing left to learn.
Whether your friend is a drum major, an art history major, a theater major or a STEM major, their decision is just as legitimate as your own. U.S. culture idolizes certain types of jobs such as lawyers, engineers and doctors. Yes, these occupations will end up making more money but not everyone's end goal is to be a millionaire. It is also important to note that in a Career Builder analysis only 51 percent of 2014 graduates said they were working in a job related to their college major.
People prioritize things differently, and success isn't solely based on your paycheck. While lawyers and doctors are absolutely important roles, they do not make creative writing, painting or playing music invalid. Society needs balance, and in order to achieve that balance we need eager students go to school and learn new techniques.
Being closed off or having a superiority complex doesn’t exactly lead to a well-rounded individual. Coexisting is part of being human. You won’t be a valuable asset to a future employer (no matter what your resume says) if you don’t have the ability to look at others with respect and treat them as equals.
ASU didn’t become No. 1 in the nation for innovation by encouraging only one type of degree program. We needed all sorts of people with all kinds of ideas to earn that title. Discriminating against someone based on their major certainly doesn’t allow us to progress as a school and definitely not as individual productive members of society.
Reach the columnist at kamaher1@asu.edu or follow @KatieMaher97 on Twitter.
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
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