My Communication Studies Major
My Communication Studies Major
We go to school for about twelve years before we decide on whether we are going to go to college. If we do decide to take that route, we are then asked to choose a major at some point —you cannot be undeclared forever. Ask any 18-year-old what they want to do with their life; they might tell you what they think they want to do then possibly change their mind down the line. When I was posed with the question,” What do you want to do in life?” I was just about as lost as a traveler without a map. I may have not known what I wanted to do in life at the time, but I did know I was interested in understanding human communication processes better. I took a public speaking class and it was a done deal for me. I chose and committed to be a part of the communication studies major.
The short version as to why I chose communication studies was simply because after my first public speaking class at my community college I became inspired by the teachings that I learned and loved the charisma my professor brought to the table. I felt like I was being led onto secrets of the world. It had opened my eyes in a way that I could not explain. There were so many topics that got my brain turning in a million directions and had me stop to think about life for a minute in time. I learned how to understand others as well as myself. As the fly on the wall introvert I am for the first time I felt I had a few tools in my back pocket to use at my disposal whenever I needed to be interactive with others. I was hungry to continue learning more about a subject that would enrich my life. I figured if I was learning about something I enjoyed it would lead me down a path of success and that is why I chose communication studies as my major.
Public speaking being the first course I took set the tone for what I thought Communication studies would be about as a whole. I thought that the major would be about techniques on how to be a better communicator and having to give a million and one speeches in every class. In truth the major is so much more than speeches and being a provider of tools to use for better communication; it influences thought process, provides grounds for ethical communication, gives theories behind certain communication processes to further our understanding of communication itself. After a little over four years of being a part of the major I can say my initial idea of what the major was going to be about ended up being so much more than what I expected it to be in the most fulfilling way possible. Engaging in theory showed me how ideas can act as a catalyst in fueling a continuation of research, ethics in communication has showed me how to become a more empathetic communicator, and finally interacting with primary scholarship has shown me the power of knowledge.
I like to say that being a part of the communication studies major has given me an upper hand on so many others who are not in my major. As social creatures we communicate daily whether it is face to face, over a phone call, or even over text. We use communication in our everyday lives. Communication studies is almost like the foundation to a house. I see myself using the knowledge acquired from Communication studies in many of my future endeavors and as a baseline that will help me get to where I want to be. I have a better understanding on how communication plays a role in everyday life. Especially when it comes to reading others body language in conjunction to their words. I know how to access situations and adapt in order to change an atmosphere or tone in my favor. I know how to critically read and evaluate original scholarship which in turn has developed my thought process. I engage in ethical communication which allows me to approach others in a respectful understanding way. Not only that but I have the ability to apply the ideas and concepts I have learned in to my everyday life. I still may not know what I want to do in life, and I might still be as lost as a traveler without a map but as someone who knows how to talk to others in an expressive effective manner; I know words will take me far. If I use them correctly, they just might lead me down a path that I was meant to walk along.
Photo source: personal photo
We go to school for about twelve years before we decide on whether we are going to go to college. If we do decide to take that route, we are then asked to choose a major at some point —you cannot be undeclared forever. Ask any 18-year-old what they want to do with their life; they might tell you what they think they want to do then possibly change their mind down the line. When I was posed with the question,” What do you want to do in life?” I was just about as lost as a traveler without a map. I may have not known what I wanted to do in life at the time, but I did know I was interested in understanding human communication processes better. I took a public speaking class and it was a done deal for me. I chose and committed to be a part of the communication studies major.
The short version as to why I chose communication studies was simply because after my first public speaking class at my community college I became inspired by the teachings that I learned and loved the charisma my professor brought to the table. I felt like I was being led onto secrets of the world. It had opened my eyes in a way that I could not explain. There were so many topics that got my brain turning in a million directions and had me stop to think about life for a minute in time. I learned how to understand others as well as myself. As the fly on the wall introvert I am for the first time I felt I had a few tools in my back pocket to use at my disposal whenever I needed to be interactive with others. I was hungry to continue learning more about a subject that would enrich my life. I figured if I was learning about something I enjoyed it would lead me down a path of success and that is why I chose communication studies as my major.
Public speaking being the first course I took set the tone for what I thought Communication studies would be about as a whole. I thought that the major would be about techniques on how to be a better communicator and having to give a million and one speeches in every class. In truth the major is so much more than speeches and being a provider of tools to use for better communication; it influences thought process, provides grounds for ethical communication, gives theories behind certain communication processes to further our understanding of communication itself. After a little over four years of being a part of the major I can say my initial idea of what the major was going to be about ended up being so much more than what I expected it to be in the most fulfilling way possible. Engaging in theory showed me how ideas can act as a catalyst in fueling a continuation of research, ethics in communication has showed me how to become a more empathetic communicator, and finally interacting with primary scholarship has shown me the power of knowledge.
I like to say that being a part of the communication studies major has given me an upper hand on so many others who are not in my major. As social creatures we communicate daily whether it is face to face, over a phone call, or even over text. We use communication in our everyday lives. Communication studies is almost like the foundation to a house. I see myself using the knowledge acquired from Communication studies in many of my future endeavors and as a baseline that will help me get to where I want to be. I have a better understanding on how communication plays a role in everyday life. Especially when it comes to reading others body language in conjunction to their words. I know how to access situations and adapt in order to change an atmosphere or tone in my favor. I know how to critically read and evaluate original scholarship which in turn has developed my thought process. I engage in ethical communication which allows me to approach others in a respectful understanding way. Not only that but I have the ability to apply the ideas and concepts I have learned in to my everyday life. I still may not know what I want to do in life, and I might still be as lost as a traveler without a map but as someone who knows how to talk to others in an expressive effective manner; I know words will take me far. If I use them correctly, they just might lead me down a path that I was meant to walk along.
Photo source: personal photo
