Ancient History and Classical Archaeology. The future is here
**When you introduce yourself as a student, you usually get asked what degree you are studying. This is logical; as a student, you must be studying something. But after this little tête-à-tête, I usually receive possibly the most irritating question, often asked in absolute genuineness and complete with an incredulous expression; why? **
Perchance it is the confusion over the long name; Ancient History and Classical Archaeology has an entire five words, and even more bafflingly, 14 syllables. Maybe it’s because Archaeology is about ‘rocks and shit’ (you wouldn’t believe the amount of people who confuse Geology and Archaeology). Disregarding the idiocy of these enquiries, I answer any such question with the greatest patience I can muster; usually this leads to some form of at it least feigned interest (my degree is nothing if not interesting), but, simply, why ask? I do not accost Chemistry students and demand to know their motives. I ignore the purpose for the selection of a Philosophy degree, and I am aloof from why someone reads English Literature (Three randomly selected degrees. Be witness to my impartiality). Asking someone why they did their degree is at best ignorant, and at worst plain rude.
I must confess, so far this has all been in the nature of rhetoric; I know why people ask why I do my degree, and frankly, it irritates me more. Most of the time (at least to people I have conversed with) it’s because people deem my degree useless, thinking it has no real use in the world. People doing my degree have no clearly defined career paths; Chemistry students usually do something to do with chemistry in their careers; English is a good base for such professions as journalism. The fact that after my degree there are few obvious career options which relate to my subject appears to baffle people, and this is proven by the fact that I am also frequently asked if later in my life I want to ‘do archaeology’, an offensive question if only because archaeology is not a verb. I study my subject, I am completing my degree, because I enjoy it – it is interesting. In which other subject do you study the charming medley of incestuous deities, constant civil war, blatant stupidity and refreshing bitchiness, all of which form one society? (That is also a rhetorical question). I can get a job after my degree, obviously, but I am here for the education, and I don’t want to do three years of an education which bores me to death. That would be a waste of my time.
So, for those wishing to ask me why I study Ancient History and Classical Archaeology, can I direct you to [Your text to link here…](http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/classics/careers/jobinfo/ug_classics_and_ancient_history_08_09.pdf,) which gives an excellent rundown of the paths classics graduates from 2008/2009 took. Because inevitably, you wish to know what I will do with my degree, and so I no longer have the patience to answer you.
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