For people going to college or still considering a major, I interviewed my journalism  teacher, Mrs Richards. I interviewed her because one day around the time we had the college career day, she told us how she picked her major. I thought it was interesting and I learned a lot from it. I think this information is important because it helps people to carefully choose a major before just going into it blindly based on what they think it’s like.

1. How did you choose your college major?

Mrs. Richards job-shadowed as a paraeducator (classified employee) in elementary schools right after high school. She was given the opportunity to get the feeling of what it is like to be a teacher and she loved it. She decided she wanted to pursue a career in teaching after that.

2. What career did you want before and why didn’t you choose it?

Mrs. Richards thought she wanted to be a veterinarian.  She had a part time job after high school as a veterinarian assistant.  She saw what the job was really like, and she imagined it was one one thing, but in reality it was very different. Instead of enjoying pets at work, she witnessed a lot of sickness and death, and crying people (pet owners). She didn’t want to see that regularly as a part of her career.

3. What was the hardest part about choosing your college major?

Mrs. Richards wants a career that would allow her to help make the world a better place, and also make enough money to support herself and her family.

4. What things did you do in college that helped you with your major?

Mrs. Richards said she didn’t have any help with college.  She had to take out college loans (which she is still paying on today and will continue to pay on until she is in her seventies), and she had to support herself while she was in school.  So, she decided to be a paraeducator full time while going to college part time.  It took her 10 years from her high school graduation (1992) to her college graduation earning her Masters Degree in Teaching from the University of Washington (2002).  She took her education (from her work as well as from her school) seriously and she worked very hard to get where she is today.

5. What was the easiest part about choosing your major?

Her love for education, kids, and the community.

6. What made you stick to your major?

Mrs. Richards said perseverance, all the love from her students and families from the school, making a difference, helping youth, and helping the future.

7. What happens when people choose a major they don’t like?

Mrs. Richards has a friend that didn’t research her major and she chose to study anthropology.  Her friend couldn’t find a job in that field after she graduated.  She is currently a waitress in a restaurant.

8. Was it worth it?

Mrs. Richards told me yes, even with the student loans that she’ll have to pay forever.  She  doesn’t regret it, she loves her job and her students. She knows she’s contributing to the community and it feels good to help others.

After the interview, what we all can learn from this is that when choosing your college major, research it carefully and job shadow. If you don’t, you may waste time and money.  You want to choose a career you will enjoy!

Picture of Mrs.Richards