Is there really a normal?

Two very different videos have been going around Facebook recently, one more newsworthy (by that I just mean in the news more; not my opinion) than the other. However, after watching one and only hearing about the other (I think I might throw up at the sight of it) I've come to a small, but important (at least I think) realization about our society. 

To give some more context, the video I did watch was about a young child that was born with female anatomy but knew from a very young age that he was actually a male. The video I did not watch was the epitome of misogyny that the UCSB shooter filmed before killing and injuring 19 individuals in Isla Vista, CA. I send my love and condolences to the family and friends of those victims.

I believe the video about the transgendered child has had many positive reactions and helped people see that developmental difference from a new perspective, specifically a child's. 

The media response to the UCSB tragedy has been unsettling. Instead of placing the blame on the killer himself, many people are making claims that he was crazy or a madman. As far as police reports prior to the incident are concerned, he was a perfectly harmless individual. 

While these two videos and topics are incredibly different, they've sparked a thought in my mind. Our society categorizes people based on characteristics in situations where that categorization is crucial to the outcome of the situation. Instead of categorizing transgendered people into some outlier group from "the rest of us," why don't we just accept the fact that some people's anatomy doesn't match the gender they identify with? Just because that isn't the case for us, doesn't mean it's not "normal".

And instead of blaming the killers actions on mental illness, why can't we accept the fact that there is a vast amount of gender inequality (and an unsettling amount of expectations from men of women) in our society and do something to change that? Instead he's put into a category outside the "norm". Sexism and misogyny are ubiquitous. We just don't realize it until peoples lives are at stake.

My question is, what is normal? If no two people are the same, is there even a normal?

To change my major or not change my major, that is the question

I entered school in fall 2012 as a health studies major on the pre-med track with a minor in psychology. By the time I ended my freshman year in spring 2013, I was a communication major with psychology and Spanish minors. My freshman year involved a lot of self-discovery and new experiences that I wouldn't trade for anything. After carefully thinking about my interests and what I'm truly passionate about, I realized the communication world was much more suitable for my personality and aspirations than the world of medicine.

I've been a host on PSU television for a year now, learning the "ins and outs" of television news production. I've gained on-camera experience that will benefit my potential future career in the broadcast industry and have made connections with professionals in the field. This summer I will be an intern with a non-profit, working on community outreach and public relations at concerts in the park. This internship will open up a wide variety of opportunities for me as a professional in the future. I've recently traded psychology and spanish for a film studies minor.

I don't mean to bore readers with my life story- I promise I have a point to all of this. If you've been considering changing your major but are apprehensive about it, I highly recommend meeting with a career adviser about a potential major change. By discussing your interests and the careers you may be interested in, the adviser can help narrow your interests into a specific major, a major you might not even know exists at your university.

I've known multiple people that are afraid to leave the area of study they've originally chosen for a variety of reasons. But they absolutely hate what they're doing. If you're already miserable studying that topic, how do you expect to work in that industry the rest of your life? While changing your major may lead you to be in school longer than expected, you won't have to go back later and get a second degree in what you actually enjoy after getting a useless degree in something you don't enjoy at all.

Ever since changing my major last spring, I've been much happier in my classes, I've had many opportunities present themselves to me, I've seen an increase in my GPA, and I've received a lot of support in my decision. If you're even slightly unhappy with your major (or minor), I challenge you to just look and see what else is out there. You never know what other areas of study might interest you and cultivate your skills.