I really don’t understand why, as a society, we constantly try to bring other people down about themselves. It seems like a massive character flaw that I’d figured we’d grow out of after middle school. 

Unfortunately, it is all but too evident in my day-to-day university experiences that people still try to cut others down in any and all ways possible. If there is one insult that I absolutely hate to hear among undergraduates is their judgements against other students’ majors. 

Comparing your major as “better” than another’s major is just a childish insult and, most likely, unsupported. “Better” is a vague term to begin with. Maybe your major is associated with a better job outlook or better pay, but that doesn’t make your major overall “better” than your friend’s. 

It is true that some majors, such as Nursing and Education, have direct careers associated with their respective degrees. However, that doesn’t make those degrees “better” than, say, Communication Studies or English which are majors that can lead into numerous different careers or post-baccalaureate degrees.

Your major may not even be the deciding factor as to what career you end up in. Your future employers will care about much more than just what your diploma has to say. It will be your personability, work ethic, time management skills etc. that will contribute to your success on the job hunt. 

You have to recognize that the degree you have chosen to pursue should be the one that is best for you. Others’ majors are what is best for them. No one should be telling someone else which major is “better” than another because that decision is completely subjective. 

Another comparison that I hear all but too often is typically used as an excuse by others to get out of doing something they simply don’t want to do. I despise hearing the comparison, “My major is more difficult/more time consuming than yours.” 

Every degree program has its own version of the upper-level class from hell, capstone work experiences, clinicals, student teaching, art exhibitions, senior project presentations, etc. I cannot stress it enough that these experiences are not unique to just one or two “difficult” degree programs offered at BU. 

I wish people would stop using these aforementioned milestones as excuses for why they can’t get other things done. Oh, you’re asking me to take your shift because you haven’t finished your clincal paperwork yet? Sure, it’s not like I have two twenty-page research papers due next week. 

Honestly people, get off your high horses and realize that we all have these harrowing and daunting undergraduate experiences to endure. You aren’t going to finish your degree without pushing yourself at some point and neither is the person next to you who may be majoring in something completely different from yourself. 

I think it is also worth mentioning that if you absolutely hate a common component of your major, such as coding if you’re a Computer Science major, you may want to consider changing your major to something you actually might enjoy.  

It is my hope that we can all learn to be more courteous to one another when it comes to referencing another’s major that is different from our own. The academic year is coming to a close and stress levels are on the rise. Don’t make other’s feel like the work they are doing within their major is worthless compared to your own. 

If you have someone in your life who tries to make you feel that way just ignore their toxic remarks and remember the reasons why you’re passionate about your studies. We are all students struggling to get everything done and trying to enjoy our fields of study. Stop wasting your time judging others for their major and get back to focusing on your own. 

Anna is a junior English major and the Op/Ed Editor of The Voice.