Yes, I am a philosophy major.

I am a philosophy major but please do not make me feel guilty about it. Or better yet, please do not look at me as if I am this unintelligent kid who could not handle the sciences and chose to do some liberal arts thing. The truth is far from what you might think.

I graduated from my high school with a 4.13 GPA. If you do not know what means, it just symbolizes that I had some pretty darn good grades. My heart was set on physics. I had always been fascinated with physics. Actually let me go back a bit further, I had originally been accepted into a very prestigious Neuroscience program at my dream University, however life happened and I could not go.

Fast forward 3 months later I was still living with my mum and dad, commuting to school everyday taking my physics courses. I did love physics, in fact I still do. I was always the only “black” girl in my classes, the stares were quite uncomfortable. But above all, my heart was not in it anymore. I knew the laughs I would get, but I did it anyway.

I decided to switch my major to philosophy. Why? Out of all the majors one could pick, why Philosophy? Don’t I know that philosophy majors coupled with psychology, history, english…(basically all the social sciences and arts) all have high unemployment rates? I mean everybody knew this, right? Haven’t I read all the Forbes articles listing the most high paid and least paid majors? I mean everybody had at least seen the Youtube videos shunning everybody with some type of arts degree. So again, why did I choose to study Philosophy? Short answer? Because I can. I want to, I enjoy it. It gives me the life to wake up and go to school knowing I am going to have a chance to tackle that ethical dilemma. I know what you are going to say.

Believe me, I do. “Oh bullocks, you are so full of it! Anyone can pick up a book and read about Aristotle or Kant or whoever. Who wastes their money being taught how to think in class?” That’s you. That’s what you are thinking. Honestly, I do not have an answer for you.

You or the rest of the society might think I am very stupid for my decision, but I don’t understand why that is such a problem. Yes, we live in a world where science(technology), money and power rule, but I do not have to conform. Okay, fine I might not be the richest person on the planet with my philosophy degree. But why do you care? So please leave me in peace. Leave all the social sciences and arts majors in peace. Let them be! I am tired of being labeled unintelligent because I am girl who supposedly chose to do something easier than go into the sciences (basically followed the norm for women), but I assure you philosophy is not that easy in case you did not know.

So please enjoy your STEM majors, but I don’t give a f**k about your opinion concerning MY academic choices. Thanks!