Alright, so I’ve been digging into this whole criminal justice and psychology double major thing, and let me tell you, it’s been a wild ride. I started out thinking, “Hey, this sounds cool, might be useful,” you know? So, I signed up for some intro classes in both fields.
First off, the criminal justice stuff was pretty interesting. I learned about the different parts of the system, like law enforcement, courts, corrections – the whole nine yards. We talked about laws, how they’re made, and how they’re enforced. We even did mock trials, which were kinda fun, but also kinda stressful. I remember one time I had to be the defense attorney, and I was sweating bullets trying to come up with a good argument.
Then there were the psychology classes. Man, those were eye-opening. I dove into the human mind, learning about how people think, feel, and behave. We covered everything from basic brain functions to complex mental disorders. I remember this one lecture on personality theories, it totally blew my mind. It got me thinking about why people do the things they do, including why they commit crimes.
As I got deeper into both subjects, I started to see the connections. Like, in criminal justice, we talked about profiling, but in psychology, we learned about the actual psychological factors that might contribute to criminal behavior. It was like two pieces of a puzzle fitting together. I started to read extra books and articles, trying to soak up as much as I could. I even joined a couple of student organizations, one for criminal justice and one for psychology, just to meet other people who were into this stuff.
One of the biggest challenges was managing the workload. Both majors are pretty demanding, so I had to get really good at time management. I made a lot of schedules, used a lot of planners, and drank a lot of coffee. There were definitely some late nights studying, but I managed to pull through.
Practical Stuff
I also tried to get some practical experience. I volunteered at a local youth center, working with kids who were at risk of getting into trouble. That was a real eye-opener. I got to see firsthand how early intervention and support can make a difference. It also gave me a chance to apply some of the things I was learning in my psychology classes, like how to communicate effectively and build rapport.
- Volunteered at a local youth center.
- Worked with at-risk youth.
- Observed real-world applications of psychology principles.
I’m still working on my double major, but I can already see how it’s going to be useful. I’m thinking about maybe going into forensic psychology, or maybe working in the court system as a victim advocate. There are so many possibilities, it’s actually kind of exciting. Also, the amount of work I put into studying for the GRE was insane. After I finished the test I went to a bar near my apartment and celebrated like I had just won the lottery.
If you’re thinking about doing a criminal justice and psychology double major, I’d say go for it. It’s definitely challenging, but it’s also really rewarding. You get to learn about two fascinating fields, and you end up with a unique perspective that can be really valuable in a lot of different careers.
Anyway, that’s my experience so far. It’s been a lot of work, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It’s definitely shaped the way I see the world, and I’m excited to see where it takes me next.
