Everyone Should Be A Psych Major

Everyone should be a Psych major not because studying Psychology gives you mind-reading powers, but because studying Psychology alters your perspective and allows you a much deeper understanding of people than you once thought you were capable of.

When you study Psychology, you learn that there is no one way to define yourself. You learn that you are more than your neuroticism or your introversion, your conscientiousness or your judgmental tendencies. You also learn that just because that online personality test said so, does not mean you are most likely to be a stripper or a CEO.

When you study Psychology, you learn to regard people as icebergs. You learn that people are more than just the 10 percent that we see above water, and that we have to really take the plunge and go below the surface to get to know the remaining 90 percent. You also learn to accept the fact that there are some things below the surface that you can never access, but that will always be a part of who you are.

When you study Psychology, you learn the gravity of interactions. You learn to be careful of what you do or say, because you may unknowingly ruin a song, or a book, or a favourite ice cream flavour for someone. You also learn to try not to attach too much meaning to things, because a house is really just a house, and a text is really just a text.

When you study Psychology, you learn just how much people matter. You learn that how we treat people when they are trying to understand the world, or trying to figure out who they are, or trying to pave their own way, has a significant impact on how a person sees himself/herself. You also learn that no matter how strong or independent you may be, you still need love and acceptance.

When you study Psychology, you learn that we are all fighting silent battles. You learn that depression is more than just sadness, anorexia is more than just feeling fat, gender dysmorphia is more than just feeling confused, and autism is more than just being “weird”. You also learn that we do not have to try to “fix” people, and that all we should do is care for them without judgement.

Everyone should be a Psych major because studying Psychology teaches you to not just tolerate, but to accept; to not just listen, but to understand. It teaches you that as complex as our brain is, our mind is just as convoluted. And that’s okay.