By Riley Coven

“What’s your major?”

As a college student, I don’t think there has been a more frequently asked question. It has become basic conversation upon meeting someone. You learn their name, maybe where they’re from, what their interests are but you most definitely ask what their major is.

My response usually garners a wide variety of responses. When I tell people I’m actually a film major I’m sometimes told how amazing that is and how cool of an idea.

Other times I’m asked what I’m going to do for work. But more often than not I’m met with a response of, “Oh that must be nice to not have any work.”

I’m not sure where the stereotype that art majors have no real work came from. Maybe because we have different classes and aren’t seen in the same setting as most other majors. Maybe because the work is creatively based rather than on being right or wrong.

Either way I’m always surprised when people assume we don’t have any heavy workloads. There are times that I would gladly trade falling asleep in a cold and dimly lit editing studio with spending an all nighter at the warm and populated library.

I’ve watched my roommate stagger into the room at three in the morning after rehearsing his piano piece for five hours straight. I know singers that have lost their voices for weeks at a time from the strain they put on it.

I absolutely don’t want to diminish the insane amounts of work most non-arts majors entail either. Economics, languages, science and the countless others are all stacked with late nights and pounds of homework. I’m frequently impressed with my engineer friends and listening to them talk about their studies.

All I’m saying is that everyone has a lot to do, and it shouldn’t be surprising that the arts kids work hard too.