Joe Middendorf – Senior – Psychology – Ohio University
FOR A SENIOR STUDENT:
• When and why did you choose this major?
– I chose this major going into my sophomore year. I chose this major because of a general interest in psychology and the broad nature of the psychology major giving me plenty of opportunities for advancement after graduation.
• Did you start in this major? If so, did you ever question your decision? If not, what was/were your pervious major(s) and how did you decide on this one?
– I did not start in this major I started in a business honors college where I did not have a true major before switching away from business to psychology. I switched because of how being a business major narrowed me down into something that I did not want to do with not a lot of other opportunities than the track it sets forth. With psychology I was given more opportunities and less of a defined role so I could have more choices going through my college career.
• Do you feel you made the right choice of major(s)?
– Yes, I feel that along with skills that will help me after I graduation I developed skills that made me think differently and stronger as well as making me a more complete person.
• What was your favorite major course, and why?
– I have had an emphasis in social psychology and really have not only enjoyed those classes but gotten something out of these classes. Outside of social classes I think research methods is an important class that everyone should take because of how saturated our lives are in data and research and the importance of research and data shows no signs of stopping. Learning how these studies are done and how this data is collected is important to decide which studies/data is important and which are questionable.
• What was your favorite course outside of your major, and why?
– I took a class called the Economics of Poverty. It was an eye opening experience of showing the poverty and its effects worldwide and even the poverty in our backyards like some of the incredible poverty around the Appalachian area. I thought this class is a great example of the great power of higher education to open minds and build a more empathic and educated person.
• What kinds of extracurricular experiences (research, internships, co-ops, student organizations, study abroad, etc) have you had? Why did you choose those particular opportunities? How have they benefitted you? What are your plans for after graduation?
– I have participated in two major extracurricular experiences. A social psych lab my sophomore and junior year focusing on terror management and it taught me all the things that go into research that a class could not teach. I had an internship with an environmental organization focusing on research, sustainability, and outreach mainly focusing on the River Thames in London as well as plastic pollution in the ocean. I learned a lot though the internship and it really has pushed me toward a path in the nonprofit sector after graduation, and I also learned a lot though living a full summer in London. I highly recommend going overseas for a time because of all the experiences and opportunities it presented to me.
• If you couldn’t choose this major (like it magically vanished) and you had to choose another? What would it be and why?
– I would choose English. I have a love for reading, and I think a study in English could really make a person well-rounded and fulfilled. The thinking and writing involved with that major would help anyone in all walks of life post-graduation.
1. How did you find this interviewee, and why did you choose to interview this person?
I found Joe through my brother Sean, a senior at OSU, who went to high school with Joe and has stayed in touch with him since then. Sean introduced me; he had a feeling we’d get along because of our common interests beyond the classroom. We’ve become good friends over e-mail, and choosing to interview him was easy. Joe is a Psychology major, but I already knew about his penchant for literature. He’s interested in most of the same things I am, but he’s three years ahead of me. Joe was a perfect person to interview.
2. How has this interview influenced your major and/or career exploration?
His influence isn’t in making me choose a particular major, but in simply making me excited about the subjects themselves. Whatever I end up deciding, whether it be English, Psychology, or otherwise, I know I’ll be confident and still have that appreciation for those subjects like he does.
3. Did you learn anything unexpected from the interview? If so, what? If not, which ideas did the interview reinforce?
I actually did learn something unexpected from the interview: Joe is a Psychology major! Throughout the entire month since I met Joe before this interview I was under the impression that he was majoring in English and was simply interested in Psychology. I was slightly embarrassed to find out I was wrong, but I think it’s very telling of Joe’s dual passion. This is evident in his answer to my personal question of if he couldn’t major in Psych then what would he major in? He answered that it would be English. No surprise there. Joe and I’s new friendship has been predicated on our common love of literature and Shakespeare, it was really interesting to hear how he ties both of these worlds of study together.
4. What do you feel you still need to learn about this major/career before being able to make a confident decision?
For both Psychology and English, I think I need to take a few classes to really understand the nitty-gritty. For example, I might be interested in Psychology TED talks I watch on YouTube, but a class itself might reveal to be much more scientific than I would like. In addition, English is intimidating because of the amount of literature I would need to read. I’ve always done well in English, but I’m a slow reader. I’m unsure if I have the skills to properly fulfill my passion for English with a college major with a GPA that I would be proud of.
5. Which major exploration tools/activities/resources that you utilized this semester were most helpful to you and why?
The largest exploration tool I have is taking G.E.’s related to my majors of interest and seeing how they go. This is helpful, because I feel like I’m really getting an experience that defines a part of that major of interest, kind of like trying the major out for a semester. It has definitely influenced my opinions and understandings of certain majors both positively and negatively. Hopefully, with this strategy, I can continue to narrow down my decision more and more.