Everyone goes through hard times in University weather that be navigating the social scene or having trouble with classes. Here are ten reasons why being a journalism major sucks. This isn’t to say that it doesn’t have its perks, but when you are buried in assignments it’s very, very hard to see them.
1. Deadlines
Every major has deadlines, but if you are in say a sociology class there is a midterm, final exam and maybe an essay. They are longer but there is more time to do them.
With being a journalism major assignments are due every week. They may not be as long but they still take time throughout your hectic week.
2. Equipment
Then there is the equipment. This means lugging all over the city tripods, cameras, and lights. Doing this by yourself is exhausting and without a car, it feels basically impossible.
If you live in the big city an assignment that does involve equipment may or may not make you curl into a ball and cry.
3. Human Interaction
The biggest part of being a journalism major is conversing with people. Whether over the phone, during an interview or over email. This leads to an incredible amount of rejections.
Most of the time talking to us is not worth their time because the story in question is for a class and won’t generate anything. In short not much is in it for them.
4. Travel
To interview people or grab a story you have to travel. And not to Paris or France, usually to wherever the story is taking place.
If it is an event that means lugging everything you need with you and going up too people who are just trying to enjoy themselves and intrude on their personal space. For me, this means taking the subway.
5. Group Projects
Literally, NO ONE likes group projects. Do we still have to them? Yes. Do I know why? No. Maybe its the idea that it is helpful for jobs that collaboration takes place such as journalism.
Either way, it ends up taking more time then just working alone and there is always someone who does the bare minimum.
6. Explaining the Program
Because this program from what I gather is not like many other university programs explaining it is hard. Because the classes contain about 20 people some may say it feels like high school.
Which is the most common comment.
7. Communications?
Most of the time if you go on indeed aimlessly looking for a job or at least a summer job if you type in “journalism” you will be met with communication jobs. There are classes for communications which most journalism majors take but does the job market have to contain primarily these jobs?
I am in journalism. Give me a damn journalism job.
8. Small Classes
Classes in this field from my experience tend to be a maximum of 25 people. Personally, I like the big auditoriums that make you feel like you are beyond the times of tenth-grade math.
But in this case, when the two hours are up I’m expecting a bell followed by wondering who is going to ask me to prom.
9. What type?
The next question that gets probably asked the most is “what type of journalist do you want to be?”. Considering there are so many different strands of journalism this is a hard question to answer at 19 years old.
It is relative to the question of “what do you want to do with your entire life?”. Which people don’t mind asking barely adults. There is Political, Features, Lifestyle, Sports…
10. Outfit
This major is very artsy so there for dressing artsy is key to fitting in with your peers. This can be time-consuming for a 9 a.m class but it feels necessary.
You don’t want to be the only sitting in a 20 person class looking like you definitely don’t have your life together. This is a tragic faux pas.
