# Psychology Major



## Rayzada (Jul 31, 2014)

Anyone care to share your experience with this major or any classes related to it? Or anything anyone you know has said who was a psych major? I am leaning in this direction. From what I've read about and researched, there is a lot of studying and memorizing. I find it all interesting. I guess trying to find out all I can before proceeding. Any replies are appreciated


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## Richard Pawgins (Jul 11, 2013)

People say its a waste of time/money unless you plan on getting a masters/phd


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## Dunban (Dec 30, 2012)

I was originally going to major in psychology, but I switched after my first year. I only took intro psych, and it was interesting and I did well in the class. But psychology just has too much reading and memorization involved which I did not enjoy, and it will get worse in upper level classes. Plus, you have to take statistics (I hate math) and conduct your own research in your final year which really scared me. Sometimes, I did wish I majored in psychology though. Oh well.


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## Raynic781 (Feb 8, 2013)

I'm a Criminal Justice major, but at the college I go to it's very psychology/sociology based so that's what the majority of my classes are. I find the classes VERY interesting, and personally for me, if I find the subject interesting then it's easier for me to read and study about it. Unfortunately I don't really know anyone majoring in it, so I can't really help you with that part. Do you have an idea of what you want to do with your degree?


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## BlueDay (May 6, 2014)

Raynic781 said:


> I find the classes VERY interesting, and personally for me, if I find the subject interesting then it's easier for me to read and study about it.


Agreed! I majored in psychology and had a double major in philosophy...so yeah a ton of reading but I loved it! I think psychology is great as a general major. Certainly as good as any of the liberal arts. You touch on a bunch of areas. Besides psychology theories, you learn statistics, research, and neurology. I also had a cool class called Transcendental Psychology...all about meditation and alternate states of consciousness.


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## Raynic781 (Feb 8, 2013)

BlueDay said:


> Agreed! I majored in psychology and had a double major in philosophy...so yeah a ton of reading but I loved it! I think psychology is great as a general major. Certainly as good as any of the liberal arts. You touch on a bunch of areas. Besides psychology theories, you learn statistics, research, and neurology. I also had a cool class called Transcendental Psychology...all about meditation and alternate states of consciousness.


Most of my favorite classes have been Psychology classes. I'm taking a class now called Abnormal Psychology and we have to learn about all of these disorders that people have (some I never even knew existed). Just learning about the biological, psychological, and social dimensions of these disorders are so interesting. If my minor wasn't in legal administration, it would be in psychology.


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## BlueDay (May 6, 2014)

Raynic781 said:


> Most of my favorite classes have been Psychology classes. I'm taking a class now called Abnormal Psychology and we have to learn about all of these disorders that people have (some I never even knew existed).


It is fascinating how many different disorders are out there. I remember I did a paper on Williams Syndrome and my professor's eyes lit up because even HE had not heard of it!


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## Imbored21 (Jun 18, 2012)

I think psychology is very interesting, but I wouldn't be able to do anything with it. I can't become a therapist cause I'm mentally ill my self.


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## Rayzada (Jul 31, 2014)

Thank you everyone for your replies!

I agree, I think psychology is very interesting. So far I've taken General Psychology, Sociology and Social Psychology. As for what I will aim for - it may seem strange/not fitting, but I have thought about pursuing counseling. Therapists have helped me throughout the years through a lot of tough times. And being in support groups and also being on this forum, I like being able to support the people who have had similar struggles to my own. I am also an artist so I thought about art therapy too.

Right now just researching and asking a lot of questions to see if it'd be the right thing to do. It'd be a huge commitment if I do decide (time, tuition, studying, etc). Of course, I'd need to get myself together before then and make sure I can keep myself stable. What surprised me is that I read that students studying to be therapists are (sometimes) required to go through therapy during their time in school.

What I'm worried about is that if I go into it, I won't like it in the end. That happened with my first bachelor's in an unrelated field. And that's what I really thought I wanted to do with the rest of my life.


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## BlueDay (May 6, 2014)

Rayzada said:


> Thank you everyone for your replies!
> What I'm worried about is that if I go into it, I won't like it in the end. That happened with my first bachelor's in an unrelated field. And that's what I really thought I wanted to do with the rest of my life.


What was your other degree in?


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## burningpile (Feb 14, 2014)

Psych is not a useless major. It may not fit perfectly into the productivity-driven corporate landscape, but you can make use of it in any career and in any period of your life. My mistake was assuming a STEM major would make me happy and successful, but it didn't. Do what _you_ want to do, don't over-analyse and don't logic your way to a biased conclusion.


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## Rayzada (Jul 31, 2014)

BlueDay said:


> What was your other degree in?


Animation.


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## Rayzada (Jul 31, 2014)

burningpile said:


> Psych is not a useless major. It may not fit perfectly into the productivity-driven corporate landscape, but you can make use of it in any career and in any period of your life. My mistake was assuming a STEM major would make me happy and successful, but it didn't. Do what _you_ want to do, don't over-analyse and don't logic your way to a biased conclusion.


Thank you, I will keep that in mind. You're right, no matter what happens, I don't think it would be useless.

(I didn't know what STEM was until I looked it up just now lol.)


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## Sabreena (Feb 17, 2012)

This thread is interesting to read because I'm considering majoring in psychology too...does anyone here think it's slightly ironic to be studying mental disorders when you have a mental disorder? Like I went to a change of major workshop yesterday and I was having hella anxiety and I couldn't stop thinking, _these people think I'm such a freak. _


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## Rayzada (Jul 31, 2014)

Sabreena said:


> This thread is interesting to read because I'm considering majoring in psychology too...does anyone here think it's slightly ironic to be studying mental disorders when you have a mental disorder? Like I went to a change of major workshop yesterday and I was having hella anxiety and I couldn't stop thinking, _these people think I'm such a freak. _


Yea it is kind of ironic. I wasn't expecting to even want to consider this route. Were you?

I'm in a social anxiety support group, and I was asking/talking to the therapists leading the group about their path. And one of them said it was a common thing for people who have experienced pain/difficulty to want to be therapists. He put it as "people are trying to discover themselves through the process." He himself started off in computer science, and was working doing that, but was also in therapy and had social anxiety/other issues as well. And the help he has gotten through therapy made him want to change careers. He says he still has social anxiety but it has gotten better since he's been working on it.

My therapist (separate person) said that anyone who goes through a lot of pain results in most the ability to feel empathy and compassion for other people. Which makes sense, I definitely relate to it.

As for what you thought people were thinking, nobody is a mind reader. I think it's a normal thing for people to change majors. I heard once that on average, a person changes their major like 3-5 times.


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## Sabreena (Feb 17, 2012)

Rayzada said:


> Yea it is kind of ironic. I wasn't expecting to even want to consider this route. Were you?
> 
> I'm in a social anxiety support group, and I was asking/talking to the therapists leading the group about their path. And one of them said it was a common thing for people who have experienced pain/difficulty to want to be therapists. He put it as "people are trying to discover themselves through the process." He himself started off in computer science, and was working doing that, but was also in therapy and had social anxiety/other issues as well. And the help he has gotten through therapy made him want to change careers. He says he still has social anxiety but it has gotten better since he's been working on it.
> 
> ...


I did think about studying psychology, but I didn't really expect it to happen. And I feel like what your therapist said about people trying to discover yourself through the process is true. I'm always trying to work out how things I'm studying apply to my own life, and how they differ from my life. Some might think that's narcisstic but honestly if we can't relate to something why should we study it?

Oh, I meant people were thinking I was weird because I wasn't talking and I was being physically awkward. Sorry I didn't make that clear. Like everyone else in the workshop was socially competent and knew when to nod and ask questions and I was just like ???


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## dreamloss (Oct 28, 2013)

Richard Pawgins said:


> People say its a waste of time/money unless you plan on getting a masters/phd


This is true if your end goal is finding a psych related job.

But it's not a waste of time if you value academics and learning for your own benefit.

(And yes there is a lot of terminology you have to memorize haha)


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## Rayzada (Jul 31, 2014)

Sabreena said:


> I did think about studying psychology, but I didn't really expect it to happen. And I feel like what your therapist said about people trying to discover yourself through the process is true. I'm always trying to work out how things I'm studying apply to my own life, and how they differ from my life. Some might think that's narcisstic but honestly if we can't relate to something why should we study it?
> 
> Oh, I meant people were thinking I was weird because I wasn't talking and I was being physically awkward. Sorry I didn't make that clear. Like everyone else in the workshop was socially competent and knew when to nod and ask questions and I was just like ???


Some people may see it as narcissistic, but they have probably never experienced the struggle we have. Unless they've gone through it, they'll never know or understand. I actually think it'd be beneficial and healing, a very personal thing. If going through that process to learn will do that (for those who are searching for themselves), I am totally looking forward to my future. And yours if you take the route!

I'm sure we've all been there, I definitely have :[ I always feel awkward around meetings, classes and gatherings like that. But glad you went, I hope you were able to get answers and learn despite feeling uncomfortable.


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## WillYouStopDave (Jul 14, 2013)

It is a perverse world we live in when you can get a degree in brainwashing people.


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## burningpile (Feb 14, 2014)

Two main reasons why people study psych;
1. To discover why people behave as they do
2. To discover why they themselves behave as they do

I think the people who want to learn about themselves initially will become better therapists and counsellors to others later on. The guy who made the audio series "overcoming social anxiety" is perfect example.


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