Last week Brittany Jackson wrote a column titled “Why college journalism is the toughest thing I’ve done.” That week she spent countless hours working on the 24-page, Sing Song edition of the Optimist. You too may feel like you’re drowning in your major, or maybe your loans, and you also have a list of why it’s so hard.

But whether you think your major is tough or not, putting time and passion into your education is worth the struggle.

Jackson wrote, “No other major could leave me as badly bruised as journalism has.” Around campus, people have legitimate reasons why their major, or their college career, is the hardest.

Some art majors work late into the night on paintings and designs that only their professors will see. Some pre-med majors study for hours to raise their GPA by one point. Some management majors work two jobs, hold an office in their social club and participate in campus events.

If you’re fully invested in your education, then yes, it’s hard. Hard work dates back to Genesis 3 when God cursed the ground because of sin and told Adam he would now have to struggle to provide for his family.

And if the Bible doesn’t convince you, consider any “No train, no game” gym t-shirt. Hard work is part of life.

Jackson wrote truthfully that journalism majors don’t know whether or not their work will pay off. Realistically, no one on campus knows for sure if the four years and $120,000 they put into their education is going to pay off. There might be a depression in the economy when we graduate. There might be another world war.

But no matter what the future holds, we can say for a fact that our education is a gift. People all over the world have to work hard. But only 6.7 percent of people in the world have a college degree, according to College America.

In her closing statement, Jackson wrote, “College journalism is the toughest because it’s forced me to be more vulnerable and open with my work, my thoughts and my confidence “¦with 3500+ people.” Even though it’s tough to be vulnerable, it’s an incredible gift to have so much influence. Journalism majors have a voice in the community like no other.

Other majors have influence as well. Some female engineering majors help teach junior high and high school girls about science. Some social work majors participated in the Texas Silver Haired Legislature forum a few weeks ago.

Whether you feel like your work is appreciated or not, you have influence, especially at ACU where service opportunities abound.

I can’t say you’ll get a six-figure job after you graduate. I can’t say you’ll be able to pay off your loans or that the stress you feel before a test isn’t the same stress you’ll feel every day in your adult job. But I can say, no matter how tough your major is, if you’re working hard, passionately pursuing your major, then you have a chance to make a real difference in the world.