When adults find out that I am studying engineering, they typically express one of three reactions.

Reaction one: Wow, you smart girl!

Reaction two: My goodness, I could never do that.

Reaction three: Just wait, it will pay off one day.

These adults mean well, but I cannot agree with what they are saying.

Reaction one assumes that I am smarter than students who study other disciplines, a notion with which I firmly disagree. I started college as a Program of Liberal Studies and French double major and encountered many students in my classes who could succeed in engineering. They simply have decided that they are not as passionate about math and science as they are about literature, politics, or social justice. I admire Arts and Letters students who pursue their passion rather than abandoning it to pursue a more “safe” trajectory. They are willing to pave their own path and accept a more unpredictable future to study what matters to them, which may ultimately lead them to more fulfilling and flexible careers.

Reaction two assumes that the adult in question is not capable of taking and passing engineering classes, another notion with which I disagree. A number of adults in their youth decided that they are not “math and science” people. I do not believe that people exist who are incapable of learning math and science.

There are surely people who learn math and science more quickly than others, as some people can speak a foreign language or write a persuasive essay more easily than others. However, few students decide they are not capable of writing for the rest of their lives based on whether or not they can write a creative and cohesive essay at the age of seven. Unfortunately, many students decide they are not math and science people based on their ability in elementary and middle school to simplify fractions or memorize times tables.

As math becomes more complex, the ability to memorize and compute does not hurt, but it becomes less important than understanding problem-solving logic. In my engineering classes, figuring out what I am supposed to do is far harder than actually doing it. The ability to understand why and when a formula works is much more important than filling in the numbers to get an answer. My professors often refer to this skill disparagingly as “plugging and chugging,” as it does not require true comprehension of natural laws.

Some people get overwhelmed by how far technology has advanced, claiming they could never understand how wireless internet, an iPhone, or even a radio work. I am likewise in awe of these creations. When I decided to become an engineering student, I did not know how these devices worked. I wanted to study engineering to learn what I did not know.

I did not think I was incapable of learning French because I did not speak the language at all when I went to French class for the first time. These adults with whom I have spoken discredit themselves when they say they could never become an engineer as a result of the fact that they do not already understand engineering.

The third response makes two assumptions that I dislike. First, it assumes that I am not already enjoying my classes, but I find the material I am learning fascinating. I already am reaping the benefits of engineering by learning about discoveries that allowed automation, industrialization, and the enlargement of the middle class. Some of these developments brought repercussions that cause citizens of the 21st century to question whether technological progress has brought more harm than good. While this may be true, it would be a logistical and constitutional nightmare to un-introduce these developments. Thus, I find it both interesting and useful to study these inventions so that we can work to minimize the damage they inflict in the future.

Second, this statement assumes that I have chosen engineering for its financial payoff. This is far from true. Just because I have chosen what some see as a “useful” major does not mean I have chosen it for its usefulness. Money is not motivating enough for me to get up for 8:20 lectures. I would rather sleep and shop at Target than be unhappy, exhausted, and dressed in cashmere. Money is not a reason to “suffer through” my college experience and then my career. I only get one life, and I would never sacrifice that for money, which does not make anyone happy in this life and may cause severe issues in the next.

So, while I welcome adults to ask me questions about what I am studying in college, I would personally prefer an adult to respond with, “Wow, that sounds fascinating” or, “Tell me about what you have been learning,” instead of suggesting that my major is extremely hard and unenjoyable, but will be worth it one day when I am rich.

Erin Thomassen is a junior studying mechanical engineering. She lives in Pasquerilla East Hall, Notre Dame’s premiere off-campus dorm. She can be contacted via bird call or email at ethomass@nd.edu.