We all go into college beleaguered with questions.
What will it be like when I go back home? Who will my friends be? Will my roommate and I get along? How am I going to keep off the Freshman 15? Am I going to meet a guy? Am I going to pass my classes? What am I going to do with my free time?
Most of these questions tend to be resolved within the first few weeks, if not the first semester of our time in college. But the question that can haunt people, literally for years, is What the h*ll am I going to major in!?
I am one of the lucky ones; even when I was little I knew that I wanted to read and write for my whole life. I bounced back and forth between whether or not to go into biology or English, but when I received my high school diploma, I knew that the next step would be going to the University of Montana specifically to study Creative Writing.
When I tell people I am an English major, the reactions are mixed. Some think it’s the coolest thing in the world, but other people assume I don’t want a job after college. But despite the stereotype, a degree in English can better prepare you for the job world than some of the most “practical” degrees out there. Many degrees are very focused; while you are extremely well educated in one area, you might be totally over your head somewhere else. Other degrees equip you with skills to match certain careers, but if you can’t find work you’re just out of luck.
The beauty of an English degree is that being able to write well, and read critically, can put you ahead of a lot of other job applicants. Knowing how to articulate yourself, and doing it well, makes you invaluable. An English degree can lead to more jobs than just becoming an author or a teacher. You can be a grant writer, an editor, a publisher, a publicist, a critic, a lawyer, a politician…the possibilities are almost endless.
So, whether you are still debating what to major in or questioning why you decided to major in English, try it out, stick with it. See where those classes will take you.