My First Major: Sociology - 5:2

How Did I Decide on This Major?

When I first came to NDSU, I was bound and determined to change the world, but unfortunately, I had pre-declared that I wanted to be an Agri-Business major. Even so, I was still advised to take an Intro to Sociology class. Two class sessions later, and I met up with my academic advisor and requested a major change to my educational path -yes, that was an intentional pun - and settled for Sociology and another major, (soon to be revealed). I chose sociology because I adored the concept of studying people and societies in order to gain a better understanding of how the world functions - plus, that was a skill that came naturally to me, so I jumped at the chance to study something I already enjoyed.

Sociology Classes at NDSU:

In my three years here, I have taken numerous sociology classes - but my most memorable were my first-ever class, and all of the ones taught by my favorite professor, Dr. Goreham. During my first class, I was the only freshman amid a sea of seniors. I quickly became friends with a few of them, and we became teammates from the start. In the class, I had to write several research papers, one being on 10 hours of mandatory volunteer work, which I completed at the Red River Women's Clinic. A team project I remember was a persuasive-based presentation that was on controversial topics, and my team chose the subject of assisted suicide - and we were for it. It was interesting, to say the least. Secondly, all my classes with Dr. Goreham were memorable. I took his classes: "Sociology of Businesses", "Sociology of Religions", "Sociology of Community Development" and "Sociology of the Workplace". All were highly interesting in their own ways, and I am so grateful to have had such a wonderful professor as my mentor.

What I Accomplished and Learned:

Between all my sociology classes, I have written myriads of essays and two thesis papers, I have gained hours of hands-on field experience, been involved in international sociology conferences, got CITI Human Research-Certified, and have presented my works to notable members of the Fargo-Moorhead communities. Additionally, I my work and research has been published in academic journals and has also been cited by professors when writing their own articles.

How I Foresee Sociology Being Useful in My Future:

As aforementioned in a previous post of mine, I hope to travel for my future and to help companies and communities alike in learning how to become resilient and growth-centered. Sociology is a core practice that involves multiple perspectives, methods of research and a lack of bias when it comes to implementing oneself into a society or institution and working on building and improving from within. Sociology will provide me with incentive for improvement, both out of myself and the people I serve in my field.