As a child, I thought that I knew exactly what it meant to be a college student. From television shows to movies, the typical college student was displayed almost the same way: Cramming for tests, writing tons of papers, partying hard, questioning society, and being completely, utterly, BROKE! If I didn’t get anything else from these images, I definitely understood that college students operated on limited funds. Living in small spaces, not wearing expensive clothes, eating pizza every night, and surviving off ramen noodles seemed to be the norm.
As an undergrad, I began to see that those images from the movies were not completely true, but I did see recurring themes. I thought I would develop Carpels’ Tunnel from typing papers, some of the local parties were really fun, I was not rich, and I did eat my fair share of ramen noodles. But my undergrad years were not during this economic recession that we are currently experiencing. This financial period has forced individuals and institutions to reconsider how money is being spent. Budgets are being scrutinized and cut from every department, which ultimately affects the student. Students can feel this crunch. Troubling news always graces the front page of newspapers. Tuition hikes, unemployment is up, college graduates are not finding jobs, are a few of the concepts that stay in the back of most students minds when considering their future.
Knowing this, it does not come to a surprise that students are picking majors that ensure careers with high salaries. According to a January 2010 issue of USA Today, college freshmen are reporting that being well off financially is far more important than helping others or raising a family. The study also reports that this phenomenon stems from the increasing nervousness that students are experiencing because of the economy.
Just from talking to undergraduate students on a daily basis, I think it’s safe to say that students are anxious. Picking the right major the first time around seems to be the desire of many because they don’t want to waste time and money. We like to tell students to “do what makes you happy.” However, that mantra may not solely satisfy a student’s quest for guidance anymore. Most of these students want financial security. Higher education professionals now must be equipped to deal with this influx of anxiety and understand that some students may pick a major or career path that pays well, even if it doesn’t make them happy at all.
