I studied Latin in high school.

Sharing this practically invites the question, “Isn’t that a dead language?”

I’m studying journalism in college.

Startlingly, the reaction is similar, “Isn’t journalism dying?”

You might replace the word “dying” with something more coded for decorum’s sake, but it sends a pessimistic sentiment all the same. People often remind me that journalism is “changing,” “unstable” or even — as a debt-ridden college student, I love this one — “less profitable.”

Yes, these abrasive adjectives are mostly true. Journalism is a changing and shifting landscape — and yes, positions and pay are changing with it.

But it’s insulting and ill-advised to pity a young journalist.

As the profit strategy of news sources shifted dramatically, pessimists hastily concluded: Technology will kill the newspaper.

This financial turbulence prompted news haters and press critics to emerge from their caves, ready to relish these vulnerable times. They mustered munitions on social platforms, loudly shouting “fake news” and “press is the enemy” into the internet void.

It’s the perfect storm for public doubt and certainly explains why I get looks about my major. But news is still a democratic necessity, and we surely haven’t programmed robot journalists … yet.

Yes, the technological revolution has wrought fear in the hearts of many newspaper people. It’s prompted plenty of layoffs and even changed the way we value work. Cue the obvious adoration of my partner’s aerospace engineering degree over my journalism degree. But if any army of hardworking individuals are cut out to survive these changes, trust me, it’s the press. Changes in technology are uncontrollable and irreversible. But the public perception of journalists? That’s bound to fluctuate.

As tough and thick-skinned as they are, watching some of my seasoned colleagues has taught me that nothing’s more exhausting than doing a job that’s as necessary as it is difficult, even as public doubt looms over your shoulders.

Younger generations traditionally have borne the opportunity for change, and it’s imperative that they not be discouraged, even by other journalists. Though well-intentioned, simply trying to save young newsies from heartache, they’re arguably doing a disservice to the profession.

During these times, I interpret condescending remarks about my choice of major as not only personal disrespect, but also a danger to the future of high-quality journalism.

Allow bright-eyed and bushy-tailed college graduates to flood this field. We know the profession isn’t in its heyday, but how can we give up when our brave predecessors never did?

Where there is truth to be told, there are those dedicated to its telling. It may be rational to march college students off to lucrative fields that promise growth. But some of us hold out hope that this profession is only suffering its worst growing pains.

Whatever happens, I don’t want to live in a world without good journalists. Don’t try to convince me otherwise. If the newspaper industry goes down, I’m going down with it.