I’m a Journalism major, and what I do matters

I’ll never forget the look of disappointment on my grandmother’s face when I told her I had chosen journalism as my major.

“Oh, are you sure?” Yes. “Are you positively sure?”

She, like many others, was convinced journalism is a dying field, one that will be obsolete by the time I earn my degree.

I’ve always gotten mixed reactions when I’ve told people that I am a journalism major. It’s usually something along the lines of a surprised eyebrow raise, a polite, “Oh that’s cool,” followed by, “What do you want to do with your degree?”

You should see the look on their faces when I tell them I have no idea.

I picked my major because I love writing. As a kid, I loved coming up with stories and having the ability to create new worlds with words. Now, I’ve come to realize that some of the best stories are hidden in the real world and told by real people.

I picked my minor, media production and analysis, because, contrary to popular belief, there’s more to journalism than writing. Television and radio are still two of the most used platforms from which people get their news, with online platforms right in between the two.

So no, journalism is not dying, it’s just changing. What journalism is now and what journalism will be when I graduate are two completely different things, and I have to be ready for whatever it may be.

I write, shoot video, take pictures, transcribe hours of audio recordings, and create many, many rough drafts that lead to a fine tuned news package, which may or may not be edited again. I practice what my profession could be and make mistakes now so I won’t make them later.

It’s time-consuming and challenging, just like any other major. That’s all I want people to understand. I also want people to understand that my major is important and that my intended profession matters. I didn’t pick my major because I want to save the world or go down in history. I picked my major because I want to tell the stories of those trying to save the world and those chasing down fame.

The moment when you’re interviewing someone and you see their eyes light up because they are so passionate about what they do is an indescribable moment, but not something I would trade for any amount of money or fame.

The world needs doctors, scientists, engineers and all the people pursuing traditionally difficult fields, but the world needs journalists to tell of their discoveries and accomplishments. My major is important, just like yours.