The "What's Your Major" Conversation

What every college student dreads the most is something that I like to call the “What’s your major?” conversation. It usually picks up around the beginning of each school year, around holidays with extended family, or around the end of a college career. It’s not the “What’s your major?” question that is difficult. It’s the question that almost always follows. This is usually how the conversation goes:

“Oh, you’re a junior? That’s cool. What’s your major?”

“Data Visualization and Professional Writing.”

“Oh, wow. So what do you want to do with that?”

It’s a great question, really. In fact, I’d love to know the answer too. Sometimes I think it’d be easier if I chose to study engineering because then I would simply use my engineering major to become an engineer. Instead, with my combination of majors, it isn’t that simple. There are so many career possibilities, making my decision-making process both relieving yet confusing. I don’t know what my plan after graduation is, but I do know that there are a lot of things that I love and a lot of things that I’m good at. So, here’s what I know, and here’s what my majors mean to me.

I came to Purdue knowing that I love to write. I also knew that I was good at it, but at the same time my interests and skills never ended there. I like art. I like math. I like design. Technology is fascinating to me. So is social media and so is data. Just reading that all together seems chaotic and unrelated. How could I possibly be good at writing and art but also be good at math? (Keep in mind that the stem interest stops there—no physics for me, please.) My first semester of freshman year, as a Professional Writing major, I took an introductory computer graphics course just to see what was out there. This is where I discovered Purdue’s Data Visualization major, and by adding that major I began the process of blending my interests.

At the surface, the two majors seem quite different. But just like writing, Data Visualization is about telling a story. In both cases, it’s all about communicating. Professional Writing weaves together a variety of skills. For me, my Professional Writing major is what helps me connect my two majors. I learn about writing in the technology industry, I learn about document design, I learn about communicating numbers with words and pictures, and ultimately I learn how to tell stories by smoothly guiding the reader through my end product. Data Visualization gives me the tools that help me handle data and derive insight with graphics. Professional Writing helps me understand an audience and build a bridge from my mind to theirs.

So even though I claim I don’t know what I’m doing, really, I do. I know that I love both of my majors, and I know that I’m good at them. And as long as the Professional Writing major continues to teach me how to blend my interests and tell stories, then I know I’ll be happy.