No matter what post-secondary institute you attend, there will always be a stigma towards the Ag students. Honestly, if you aren't an Ag kid it can be hard to understand our different lifestyle and experiences. Thus, myths are created about the "redneck farm kids who only have class on one side of campus". Today, we are going to debunk those myths:
1.We are all just going back home to farm- Sure that's an option for some, but for the majority (including myself) it isn't. Luckily, we can be scientists, salesmen, veterinarians, Ag teachers, advocates, customer service reps, marketing specialists, human resource personnel, and so much more.
2. We have poor fashion choices- Chances are we will get dirty at some point in the day so jeans and boots are a reliable go-to. That doesn't mean we can't whip out the dry cleaning and rock business professional when need be. Plus, I will take a man in cinch jeans and a button down over a boy in skinnys and a v-neck any day.
3. All we do is drink- Do we enjoy a nice cold adult beverage every now and then (or 8)? Yes, we sure do. However, we are firm believers of the "Work Hard Play Hard" ideology. We may be out until 2 am on a Wednesday but we will for sure be in our 8am the next day (or try really hard to be).
4. Our classes are easier than other majors- We are basically science, business, and education majors just focused on one industry. We take calculus, physics, biology, and chemistry just like everyone else. Plus, when you can name and describe the different proteins in meat and how they affect the quality of that meat then you can say the classes are easy.
5. We are dumber than everyone else- The requirements to get into college are pretty equal across all majors unless it is a specialty program, which Ag typically is not. That means our high school GPA, ACT/SAT scores, class rank, etc all get taken into consideration with our admissions. Some may argue we are even more "common sense" smart that our non-Ag peers, but that's a different argument.
6. During the summer we go home and farm- Back to the answer for Number 1: Very few of us actually have farms to go home to and even those who do, try not to go home. We are more focused on getting internships and trying to build our professional network.
7. We all have Ag backgrounds- People involved in Ag industry is about 2% of the U.S. Population. However, Ag Majors usually make up more than 2% of the student population. With the laws of probability in mind, there's a good chance a lot of those students don't have an Ag background.
8. We never leave one corner of campus- Not going to lie, I basically live in the Animal Science building most days. But that doesn't mean I don't get adventurous or have random elective classes on the opposite side of campus every once in awhile.
9. We don't like to socialize with non-Ag kids- Please talk to us and be our friends. We want to share what we know with you! We genuinely want to bridge the gap between agriculture and consumers and answer any questions you have about food production. I promise we don't bite.
The average American is 3 generations removed from the farm, so it can be understandable how these myths can arise. Hopefully you have found a new understanding and appreciation for those mysterious aggies trying to feed the world.
1.We are all just going back home to farm- Sure that's an option for some, but for the majority (including myself) it isn't. Luckily, we can be scientists, salesmen, veterinarians, Ag teachers, advocates, customer service reps, marketing specialists, human resource personnel, and so much more.
2. We have poor fashion choices- Chances are we will get dirty at some point in the day so jeans and boots are a reliable go-to. That doesn't mean we can't whip out the dry cleaning and rock business professional when need be. Plus, I will take a man in cinch jeans and a button down over a boy in skinnys and a v-neck any day.
3. All we do is drink- Do we enjoy a nice cold adult beverage every now and then (or 8)? Yes, we sure do. However, we are firm believers of the "Work Hard Play Hard" ideology. We may be out until 2 am on a Wednesday but we will for sure be in our 8am the next day (or try really hard to be).
4. Our classes are easier than other majors- We are basically science, business, and education majors just focused on one industry. We take calculus, physics, biology, and chemistry just like everyone else. Plus, when you can name and describe the different proteins in meat and how they affect the quality of that meat then you can say the classes are easy.
5. We are dumber than everyone else- The requirements to get into college are pretty equal across all majors unless it is a specialty program, which Ag typically is not. That means our high school GPA, ACT/SAT scores, class rank, etc all get taken into consideration with our admissions. Some may argue we are even more "common sense" smart that our non-Ag peers, but that's a different argument.
6. During the summer we go home and farm- Back to the answer for Number 1: Very few of us actually have farms to go home to and even those who do, try not to go home. We are more focused on getting internships and trying to build our professional network.
7. We all have Ag backgrounds- People involved in Ag industry is about 2% of the U.S. Population. However, Ag Majors usually make up more than 2% of the student population. With the laws of probability in mind, there's a good chance a lot of those students don't have an Ag background.
8. We never leave one corner of campus- Not going to lie, I basically live in the Animal Science building most days. But that doesn't mean I don't get adventurous or have random elective classes on the opposite side of campus every once in awhile.
9. We don't like to socialize with non-Ag kids- Please talk to us and be our friends. We want to share what we know with you! We genuinely want to bridge the gap between agriculture and consumers and answer any questions you have about food production. I promise we don't bite.
The average American is 3 generations removed from the farm, so it can be understandable how these myths can arise. Hopefully you have found a new understanding and appreciation for those mysterious aggies trying to feed the world.