While I do tend to tread on the side of cynicism, I’m rather on the fence about this one. While studying what you love in hopes of one day working in a field that you love, it is best to err on the side of caution when it comes to shaping your future. But then, there is no guarantee that your chosen major or minor will have any real impact on whatever you decide to one day do for a living. In fact, most people find themselves in fields that are wholly unrelated to whatever they studied in college. With that in mind, what does it really matter?

Additionally, if one’s chosen major has little to no impact on one’s future career, one might as well choose something that they love, something that will engage them, regardless of any hypothetical impracticalities. Perhaps a degree in art may do little to impress a director of sales – or perhaps it will. Creativity is always a strength, particularly in an age of dwindling unique ideas and stale practices. Choosing a scholarly path that makes you happy may serve you better than you would have previously expected.  The future is an uncertain thing.

On the other hand, if there is an outright guarantee that a certain major will offer you a better chance at attaining a stable job than an alternative major, why not go with that one? Stability, sadly enough, takes precedence over happiness. I believe that, given a choice between the two, that I would try to find a happy medium. That is, I’d choose a major to focus on that would provide me a stable job, but I would be certain to add variety to my schedule. If I had to major in something that brought me little to no happiness, I could at least take on enjoyable extracurricular and a more frivolous minor.