Assistant News Editor
Stereotypes about majors are everywhere on the CSU Bakersfield campus.
As quickly as the knowledge is given, the assumptions are coming to mind, even if they are harmless.
And every major has one.
The top enrolled majors according to a 2015 survey by CSUB Institutional, Planning, and Assessment Office are the Social Sciences and Education, followed closely by Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering.
With so many forms of study at CSUB, this leaves just as many opportunities for students to be placed into boxes created by those around them.
In an essay written by Richard Dyer, the stereotypes everyone forms are based on the roles assigned by the media and other forms of entertainment, enforcing our own values and beliefs on others, and our own personal view of the world.
With the reinforcement of these ideas from a young age, most stemming from our parents and guardians, they are in turn forced on new individuals we encounter.
First year student Kariana Osorio is a Criminal Justice major who has experienced these stereotypes.
According to Osorio, the automatic response she receives from others is that she wants to be a police officer.
While Osorio may find herself fitting into the box others have made for her, she still finds herself annoyed by it.
“They see the general. They don’t see more than that,” said Osorio. “There’s more that you can do.”
Despite the irritation that Osorio feels when others stereotype her, she finds herself forcing them on others as well.
“There’s always something everyone associates with majors,” said Osorio.
But not everyone finds themselves feeling this way.
Biology major Michelle Cervantes claims to have never been pushed into a category for what she studies, nor has she put them on others.
Though these assumptions may seem harmless, a report released by the National Research Council claims otherwise.
Stereotyping can lead to reduced motivation and a disconnect from society. Even though the source of our stereotyping may be subconscious, an effort can be made to protect others.
By not forcing our perceived ideas onto others, CSUB can continue to grow to be a friendlier place to all who attend.
