When selecting a communication major at St. Norbert College, students have the option to focus on media studies or general communication. Although I realize that studying the media is an extremely relevant and important aspect of today’s society, I made the decision to concentrate on general communication within my major rather than media studies. Personally, I thrive from and highly enjoy talking with and being around others. I was drawn to select a major that would allow me to study the communication between individuals and would advance my own communication patterns Choosing to pursue a communication degree at St. Norbert College has been one of the best decisions I have ever made.
Through the courses I have taken, I have learned valuable lessons that will aid me for the rest of my life. Being a communication major has allowed me to realize just how important the interactions we make with others are. Communication is all around us and inevitable. I have not made it through a single communication course without a professor uttering the words, “You cannot not communicate.” In the courses Nonverbal Communication, Interpersonal Communication, Family Communication, and Communication Theory, I have come to understand communication theories and have realized meanings of the communication patterns that individuals of all cultures as well as family members use both verbally and nonverbally. Business + Professional Speaking is another course that has impacted me greatly. The curriculum of the course taught me how to build a profound resume, the best steps to perform in a job interview, and how to create a professional presentation. Taking the course was nerve wracking at times, but definitely prepared me for the professional work field that comes after college. In Principles of Mass Communication, Communication Technology and Social Change, and Television Criticism, I have grown to understand more about the media upfront as well as what occurs behind the scenes. The media in today’s society heavily influences its audiences, and I have been able to learn the meanings and how to create those meanings that are designed within each medium that exists.
My communication professors have taken each side of the research perspectives spectrum. Several of my professors follow a more objective approach while others have pursued a subjective approach. I found this contrast to be extremely interesting as it allowed me to understand all aspects of research in communication. I believe that objective research may be more straightforward in finding communication patterns, however, subjectivity allows more viewpoints to be considered. Within the projects and research that I have conducted at St. Norbert College, I have gravitated to taking a more subjective approach to my work.
Through my personal experiences at St. Norbert College, being a communication major means that you aren’t surprised when Coach takes off his shoes every day, and you’re even less surprised when his socks don’t match. It also means that you still laugh at Dr. Neuliep’s jokes, even though you’ve heard them all already. Being a communication major at SNC means that you follow Dr. Herrman’s dog’s Instagram page, remithegooddoggo, and are surprised it isn’t verified. Finally, it means that you’re excited to go to all of Dr. K’s classes knowing that she’s going to be in a good mood and will be willing to talk with us about anything.
All jokes aside, though, being a communication major at SNC means that you realize the meanings of communication patterns and use that information to better yourself as a person as well as create healthy communication environments in society. The communication department at SNC has shaped me into the person that I am today. I have learned an incredible amount about myself, and I definitely am prepared to use my knowledge in the environment that I find myself in after I graduate.
After graduation, I plan on going into the work field. Even though graduate school could be beneficial down the road, I would like to use my knowledge and experiences that I have gained at St. Norbert College as soon as I can. Due to the fact that I have a Spanish minor, I have considered the jobs that will allow me to use my skills when necessary, but do not focus on it completely. Something that I would love to have in my career is the ability to travel for my company. I want to be able to interact with new people each day and learn new perspectives of other individuals. The job types that I have been most drawn to are the ones that focus on communication within businesses and between the business and the outside world. I think that managing the communication within a company would be interesting and would keep me on my toes. I am highly intrigued by intercultural communication and would like to pursue a job that allows me to advance the intercultural communication within a business. I also think that a marketing position would be an approach for me to interact with others and work creatively.
My advisor once expressed to me that we study the things that we don’t understand. When I first heard that, I’ll admit I was a bit confused. I spent so much time choosing my college major and figured that I chose the right one because I considered myself a people person. However, after discovering everything that communication is, I realize how in the dark I was prior to choosing my major. There is so much that we don’t recognize that occurs within the exchanges of messages between individuals. As I come to the final months of my education at SNC, I have so much respect for the communication practice. After studying communication for four years, I now know how valid Dr. Herrman’s statement is.
