Every year, thousands of college students walk onto campus excited about studying the field they’ve always loved: art, English, psychology, education, theater, history and so many others.

But then, just as quickly, an alarming number abandon those passions for something “more practical” or lucrative. And honestly, it’s becoming one of the quietest and most heartbreaking trends I’ve seen in higher education.

We all hear the same message growing up: follow your dreams. But the moment students get to college, that message seems to flip. Suddenly, everyone — from advisors to family members to random strangers online — warns them that their dream major won’t pay the bills or won’t set them up for success. That’s a scary and sad thing to be told.

According to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, nearly half of college students end up switching majors. And in addition to that, only 6% of students who entered in “general liberal arts” actually finished in that field.

While switching majors isn’t always negative and can sometimes be the best move, it’s hard to ignore how many are switching away from creative or human-centered fields in particular.

The real problem is that we’ve created a culture where passion is treated like a liability. Students keep second-guessing the things they’re good at because the world keeps telling them those disciplines won’t lead to stable careers. So they pivot. Not because they suddenly love engineering or business, though sometimes they do, but because they feel like wanting something different makes them irresponsible. It’s an enormous pressure to put on the shoulders of people who are barely adults.

What’s worse is that this pressure is based on an incomplete story. Yes, STEM fields can be lucrative, but that doesn’t mean the humanities or arts majors are doomed. Plenty of people build fulfilling, stable lives in those fields. The issue isn’t that the majors are useless; it’s that society refuses to invest in the fields that don’t produce immediate profit. And instead of addressing that imbalance, we push students into boxes that might not fit them at all.

The result? A generation of students who are feeling guilty or naive for wanting to pursue what they love. A generation learning to measure success only in salary charts. And a society that loses out on passionate teachers, writers, counselors, artists and thinkers, people we desperately need.

Students shouldn’t have to choose between financial stability and authenticity. The real solution isn’t shaming their dreams, it’s creating an economy where following them is actually possible.

Lauren Douda is a sophomore English and secondary education major from Lexington, South Carolina. Lauren can be reached at opinon@thetigercu,.com.