It’s no secret that college students are under a lot of stress. Between the high expectations in schools and the numerous part-time or full-time jobs we may take on, we have a lot on our minds. However, that doesn’t seem to stop people, noticeably older folks, from asking us time and time again, “what do you want to do?”

What do I want to do? I spent all of high school wanting to be an actress. I graduated, and I wanted to be a writer. In the course of my freshman year I went from education to agriculture, and I’m near positive it will change again in the next few months. I’ve always considered myself very lucky because I have parents who support me no matter the journey I choose to take. But I was lucky, as this is not always the case.

It must be a generational thing. At least, that’s what I tell myself every time someone tells me, a 19-year-old college freshman, I need to be thinking about my career. It’s that sentiment exactly that’s made me dread the question.

School isn’t just about getting a job anymore. It’s an opportunity to explore subjects that interest you, to find your passion. It’s about taking classes outside of your comfort zone, and discovering who you are as a person. If you find a passion that leads to a career, that’s great! But the fact is that’s not very likely. In fact, in a study done by the Federal Bank of New York, two significant facts were found: First, a large majority of college grads are underemployed. “In 2010, only 62 percent of U.S. college graduates had a job that required a college degree.” Secondly, the authors found that “just 27 percent of college grads had a job that was closely related to their major.”

Employers now are becoming more aware of the fact that certain majors and degrees, which were once thought to be a bad career move, actually teach students important skills for any job in the work force.

Take theater for example. Theater teaches students how to master public speaking, and how to properly communicate with other people. It teaches collaboration and trust in co-workers. Playwriting (or any writing for that matter) teaches writing skills that can be implemented just about anywhere. Those are all things that are irreplaceable in a workplace.

People need to stop assuming college kids know what they’re doing. For the most part, they really don’t. They’re confused and under a lot of pressure, and having an adult tell us that our major won’t lead to a job can be really painful to hear.

We will figure it out. Our parents and grandparents have raised us to be smart and cunning. They’ve taught us how to speak for ourselves and what is worth our time. That’s why these same people need to trust that they raised us right, and let us fly the nest. We’ll never learn until we try.