Being a Comm Major

My personal experiences of telling people I study communication has consistently been met with raised eyebrows and concerned questions: So what do you actually study? What does it mean to be a communication major? 

Well, to fully answer this question, the word communication must be somewhat defined. My view of communication is this: it is the act of sending and receiving messages in a quest for shared meaning. By this I mean humans communicate in order to further understand each other, as well as relay their own opinions.

So what does it really mean to be a communication major? Is it just about how people talk? Communication is more than just the back and forth human interaction; it studies the array of ways in which humans use signs, symbols, and language to send and receive messages, as well as how to master the purpose and process of these different styles of communication. By seeking an understanding of what communication is, we as students also develop a better talent of communicating ourselves. Being a communication major means learning how violating one's expectations can forever alter future encounters; it means analyzing the use of non-verbal cues in interpersonal relationships; it means studying the use of persuasion and logic in all walks of life. Studying communication helps us better grasp the world we've created around us, with the hopes of further improving it through knowledge.