College is hard. Constant work, burnout, stress, class and extra-curricular activities. It’s a lot, but when you’re working toward a goal that involves something you love, it all becomes a little bit easier. My feelings toward my college major have not always been this way, though. I changed my major three times in college, and it was overwhelming to try to figure out what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
When I finally figured out what I wanted to do after my major switches, I knew this was where I wanted to be the entire time. For backstory purposes, I should say that I’ve always been an education major. I switched from special education to elementary education, and now, I am a secondary English education major. Even though I went through these switches to get where I am today, I can confidently say I do not regret my previous majors. Special education taught me so much about special education laws, 504 plans and IEPs, which is a crucial aspect of education in general.
My elementary education major was short-lived, but I did learn a lot about different subject areas which ultimately led me to decide to major in English. I’ve always loved reading and writing and I wanted to teach at a higher level, so I decided to enroll in ISU’s English ed program, and I love school so much more because of it.
Eventually, I started getting further into the program and learned a lot about what being an ELA teacher was all about. I completed clinical observations, did TA work, observed after-school activities and taught a high school classroom for three days. I felt even more confident that English education was what I was made to do. My job on campus, writing tutoring, solidified this thought of mine even further.
My major has given me immense opportunities to further my future education career effectively. I remain eager to further my academic journey, and I know that teaching in an English classroom is exactly what I want to do. To all of my wonderful HC readers, I wish you the best of luck in your collegiate endeavors. You got this!