10 Things You Hear When You Major in Communication

As with any major, Communication comes with its stereotypes. Recently, someone on campus asked what I was studying and when I responded with “Communication” she immediately looked concerned for me. Legitimately, concerned for my future.

I like to challenge those stereotypes by saying we can probably knock out a solid ten page paper faster than most majors (with maybe the exception of majors like English or Creative Writing) and we are NOT just public speakers. Our major challenges us to use critical thinking in our work every day and the rumors that we are the easiest major on campus is just not true. We have our struggles and all nighters too!

Here’s some of the flack we take on a regular basis for being a Communication major (hopefully all Comm majors can relate):

“Oh so you are like really good at public speaking!”

*Whenever there’s a miscommunication in any of your relationships*“Come on, you’re a communication major, aren’t you supposed to be good at this?!”

“Communication…? What exactly does that mean?”

“Do you actually have any homework?”

“One time I took a public speaking class so I feel like we basically know the same kind of stuff” (an actual sentence I heard from an Engineering friend).

*After finishing a fifteen page paper for a Comm theory class*

“One time I wrote like a three page paper so I know how you feel.”

“So do you have a lot of free time? If I had that much free time I would get such great grades and so much more sleep”

“Wait, you’re a communication major but you’re NOT an athlete?”

“Are you going to get a job?”

“My friend was a communication major in college! But she married a lawyer so she’s okay.”

• college
• communication
• major
• sterotypes
• struggles