Like any college major, students earning a degree in English can be categorized into stereotypes and general assumptions that may or may not be true. Recently, these common English major stereotypes have been debunked multiple times in online articles. I think it is now commonly known that not all English majors want to be teachers, but there are still many surprising facts about English majors that many people do not know about.
1. Poetry is a delicate subject.
Most of us English majors chose this degree because of our love for literature and reading, yet not all of us enjoy poetry. I know several English majors who simply hate poetry. Others, including myself, struggle with reading, analyzing, and writing poems. Then there are some who absolutely adore meter and rhyme. Granted, most of us have an appreciation for poetry, but not all of us like it. So when it’s poem day in class, half of the class will be alit with passion, while the other half will struggle to keep from yawning and sighing.
2. We each have that one era of literature that we deeply dislike.
Despite what you may think, there are some pieces of literature that we absolutely despise. Our literary tastes vary, and most of us have that one era of literature that we tend to groan at. Some English majors may hate medieval literature, while others might dislike contemporary works. We may appreciate the brilliance of those types of writings; however, there are just some things that we cannot bring ourselves to like, no matter how hard we try or how badly we want to.
3. There is a distinct difference between reading for school and reading for fun.
People, reading literature for class is hard work. Not only do we have to read something and remember the basic plot; we also have to analyze the text while reading, taking note of symbols, motifs, and themes throughout the piece. When I first started taking college literature classes, I had to literally read a story twice in order to fully grasp the storyline and its meaning. We may love the literature we have to read for school; however, there is nothing sweeter and joyous than picking up a book during one of the school breaks and just reading for the love of reading. Reading for fun is extremely important and meaningful to us because it is the reason we chose to pursue an English degree. So if you ever hear us complain, “I haven’t had time to read for fun!” don’t give us a puzzled expression; pity us and our sanity.
4. Some of us are bad at spelling, like really bad.
If spellcheck did not exist, I would be in deep trouble. Some of us are just bad spellers. We can tell you where a comma should go in a sentence, and we know what the word “syntax” means; however, not all of us can spell. One of my beloved professors also struggles in this area; so I know for a fact that it’s not just me. Perhaps, English majors pay more attention to the meaning and flow of words rather than how they are actually constructed.
5. We’ll be glad to edit your paper—after we finish our five papers, two annotated bibliographies, and 200 pages of reading that are due this week.
I love editing other people’s papers. It is so satisfying to take a red pen and make a printed page look like someone had been murdered on it. I honestly wouldn’t mind editing papers for the rest of my life, but school will not allow that. The unrealistic amount of reading and writing we are required to do takes up the majority of our time. Our lives are consumed by words, and sometimes, looking over someone else’s paper is just enough to push us over the edge. Unless you are my best friend, please be considerate before asking me to edit your essay.