I was at work a couple days ago when a customer walked in. She needed help finding a textbook needed for one of her science classes. when i was checking her out she felt the need to make small talk so she went on and on about her major which was, of course, biology pre-med. Even long after the transaction was complete she still felt the need to ramble on about her hopes and her dreams of being a doctor and blah blah blah (i zoned out). Then it finally came out…”so, what is your major?”… so i said it…”i’m a photography major..”. Once those words came out her face looked baffled…yes i said it…baffled (i like that word). She had no clue baylor had a photogaphy major, let alone, an art department in general. How do you NOT know this? There is a building that has the word art in it…even an 8 year old could understand that if there is an art building, art probably takes place inside. So our conversation continued. “What are you going to do with a photography degree? take pictures?”….honestly, what do you think im going to do with a photography degree? solve world hunger? cure cancer? run for office? If this girl represented our pre-med student body…well…thats just sad and it gives me little hope for the doctors of tomorrow. So, after staring at her as if i’m saying “did you seriously just ask that question” with my eyes, I told her what i planned to do with my degree. I told her of all the things i wanted to do actually. I want to travel, maybe own a gallery, own a studio, have a book published of my art, teach, work for a newspaper or magazine…or in fact have my dream job working with national geographic. She looked at me as if i spoke an entirely different language. She asked me why i came to baylor to be a photography major and i told her i actually was a nursing major as a freshman. her expression totally changed. “Oh well thats understandable…thats a REAL career.” At this point I’m beginning to loose patience with this pre-med/career evaluator so I say, very nicely, “im sorry, i would LOVE to chat a little longer but i must get back to work” (said with much sarcasm). So with her perky “im smart-your not-attitude” she said goodbye and left. BUT…as she walked out the door she said, “good luck with that whole photography thing…”(i’m sorry but i was not aware i signed up for a photography “thing”) and shut the door. As I stood there, staring out the glass door, watching this girl drive away i wondered…why do people, especially at baylor, seem to feel they or their major is superior to others. Especially business and pre-med people (not meaning to point fingers). I can’t tell you how many times when i mention my classes or my major to people they are like.. oh thats easy…thats just drawing..or thats just taking pictures…thats just “fun/hobby” stuff. You don’t see me going around to everyone i know saying ” oh your and english major you just write things”, “oh your a math major you just add things”. honestly, how ignorant can you be? Sure i’m not studying 8 hours anymore for an anatomy test…but you know what im doing now…im spending 20+ hours outside of class on a project in photogaphy or design or drawing. Yeah your right, I dont have a test to study for this week, but i do have 3 projects due that i have been working on every night for the last 3 weeks. Your right, I don’t take anatomy now so i dont need to know every bone or muscle in the human body…but i do have to know 300 art pieces and nearly everthing about them for my art history final. So next time you feel like underestimating the importance of my education and major lil miss pre-med, watch out, because i might just knock you out with my blow torch for my sculpture class. then we will see what you think of the so called “art major”.