When I began this school year, I felt like I’d hit a road block preventing me from getting closer to what I wanted to be in the future: a writer. I had been researching internships and jobs in the areas of online and print journalism, and most had a pre-requisite that applicants were Journalism students. Fun fact: McGill doesn’t have a Journalism program. I called my mom in half-tears, worried that I’d made entirely the wrong choice of school and program.
After much contemplation (and many more phone calls with my mom), I came to the conclusion that it isn’t my degree or my major that will define what I become, but rather it’s what I take away from my time at McGill. It isn’t the long list of philosophical theories that I will study, or the Shakespeare quotes that I will memorize, but rather the state of mind that I nurture and develop throughout the learning process. And with that, I set out to do what I love the most (writing, duh).
I quickly joined many publications, which included the awesome Her Campus McGill chapter. Soon, my writing was everywhere online, and I was gaining momentum. People would (and continue to) privately message me or send me emails saying how much they appreciated an article, or that they read everything I write. The personal connections I was making helped me realize that I was right where I wanted to be: my knowledge from my studies in Philosophy, English and Political Science was serving as the perfect platform for inspiration, insightful topics of conversation, and relatable writing styles.
Suddenly, I was published on Elite Daily and Huffington Post within 48 hours of each other. I was elated to know that I could accomplish exactly what I strived for without existing within the confines of a degree or specific program. Not only am I good at thinking philosophically, but I also know the online writing process like the back of my hand.
Balancing school and writing is a lot of work, don’t get me wrong, but the amount of learning that I get to do each and every day is astounding. I’m simultaneously learning theoretical aspects of different areas of the Arts, and the editing processes for various online publications. Though I write one to two articles per week, it never seems like a burden because I love to do it. It allows me to step away from the demanding lifestyle of an undergraduate student and just let my ideas run out of my fingertips. I get to give advice, or figure out my feelings by writing about them, or give thanks to someone or something close to me.
I guess what I want you, the reader, to take away from this is that, A) Your program doesn’t set the guidelines for your life, you do. Take what you’re learning, abstract or not, and apply it to the world in the way that you feel is appropriate. B) Find what you love, and do it every single day – whether it’s music, reading, math equations, teaching or karate. Nurture your passion so that one day you can make it your job. C) Being busy is a great blessing in disguise. Don’t shy away from your passion because it takes time. You have a lot more time than you think.
Featured image obtained from Jeffrey James Pacres on Flickr.
Image obtained from the author.