What does it mean to be a communication major?

To me, a communication major is a person who helps convey messages in ways that everybody understands; this to me is the cornerstone of what it means to have this degree. You are essentially helping link messages in a platform that can be widely accepted. I've been asked more than I can count about what type of future I could have while being in the Speech communication program at OSU, my favorite is when people scoff at my choice of major as if I'm wasting valuable time and money being in this field when I could become an engineer. This might be a shock for a lot of people but those who are in the communication field aren't just used car salesmen. I have many friends who have graduated and are now working regional manager positions at a variety of retail chains or are working with professional sports teams across the country. For me, having this major is an important stepping stone to not only the career I want down the road, but the life style I want as well. This means using the tools and resources I obtained as a communication major to be able to convey and communicate properly with various groups and entities, thus making a life that has open communication, something I think is very important. The funny thing is that you can ask all communication majors to define communication and you will get a variety of different answers. To me, communication is the process with which messages are being sent and received properly. By properly I mean they are conveyed in a way that is simple and is understandable to the masses. I feel that there is a disconnect in not only the work force but with social interactions as a whole that need to be remedied. Communication is the key cog in this process and should be a tool used to wield impressive results with the end goal being to limit the amount of confusion that goes along with not being able to articulate a particular message. I think a small example that many could relate to would be looking at a particular fight you had with a friend in the past. The fight the two of you had were over things that were said and then misinterpreted, you guys stopped talking and then talked to other people about what you think that other person meant. It gets worse and worse until you and the other friend actually sit down and talk and learn that what was trying to be communicated was no where near what you thought they were saying. Another great example is in this video, i'm pretty sure it's based on a true story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwjAAgGi-90 .Now take that great cartoon and ground breaking acting you saw of the miscommunication between the wildlife and imagine magnifying that process to an incredibly higher level such as international relations. This to me is why I am a speech communication major and why I am interested in the field; to be able to bridge the gap between what is being said, what is being understood, and what can be done about it.