When I tell people I study Spanish, the response I get is often one of two things: “Are you fluent?” or “So, what are you going to do with that degree?” Those responses used to bother me, as I was frustrated by the lack of enthusiasm. I felt interrogated — as if the choice I made was bizarre or useless. Now, as I enter the last semester of my undergraduate career, I lean into these responses. Over the course of this fall, I’ve identified what the Spanish major truly means to me. I also realized that I don’t need to justify this significance to anyone but myself, but here I am, telling you why it’s so important to study languages.
Even though I’m about to graduate, I’m not 100% fluent in Spanish, but that’s not why I decided to study it. I don’t take courses at UMass to become an expert at speaking Spanish (or writing it, or reading it). If that were the case, I’d move to Spain or Mexico and live there for a year or two. I wouldn’t bother with obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Spanish if it was just four years of grammar and vocabulary. I mean, by the time I matriculated to UMass as a freshman in 2019, I already had seven years of Spanish under my belt. I was ready to dive into the nitty-gritty. I decided to study Spanish in college to better understand the history, culture, social challenges, and sources of pride within the Spanish-speaking community, both in the United States and around the world.
In my four years at UMass, I’ve taken two courses on Spanish literature, three courses on the linguistic and sociolinguistic aspects of the language, and even a course about the ever-so-important profession of translation. I was fortunate enough to spend six weeks in Spain this summer, soaking up the Basque culture in the northern region of the country. Next semester, I’ll wrap up the major with a course that prepares students to use Spanish in the medical profession. As my time here comes to an end, I feel my academic experience has been a comprehensive one that has prepared me to engage with a diverse population in my career.
Speaking of careers, I still don’t exactly know what I plan to do with my degree, but the fact of the matter is: I can do anything that requires the knowledge and use of Spanish. I’d love to work with children, so maybe I’ll teach students who are still learning English. I am drawn to social work, thanks to my secondary major in Sociology, so maybe I’ll become a medical social worker that interprets for Spanish speakers. I could even be a lawyer to assist immigrants from Spanish-speaking countries. When I think about my professional career, I believe my opportunities are limitless.
All of this is to say, if you’re thinking of taking on a language major, do it. At UMass in particular, the requirements are often manageable, and this is intentional. The Spanish department hopes all of its students pick up a second major because Spanish is one that pairs nicely with just about everything, as it gives social context to so many other studies. Certain majors like Psychology, Anthropology, Education, Communication, Nursing, and as I mentioned, Sociology, all seem like great complements for a language major. I am graduating with no regrets about the major I chose and will certainly remember my experience in the Spanish department fondly.
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