Since I was in the second grade, I knew I wanted to be an author.
Writing stories came so naturally to me, and reading was (and still is) my favorite pastime. So, it was no surprise to anyone who knew me that I was going to enter college as an English major to try and accomplish that dream.
In my last two years of high school, though, I became inspired by some of my amazing English teachers to go to college so that I could teach high school English like them. I’ve always had an unmatched passion for the subject, and I often got upset with my peers who didn’t value reading or the writing assignments as much as I did. Because of this automatic attraction to the subject, I began to consider this additional career plan because I truly believed that I could make a difference in the lives I chose to teach.
Becoming a teacher paired well with my plan to become a published author because I would have a steady job that provided me with breaks and summer holidays to work on my books. After carefully discussing it with my parents, my boyfriend, and after a lot of prayer, this seemed like the best plan for me and what I envisioned for my future. I couldn’t wait to embark on this amazing journey at a university that I believed was going to give me the greatest opportunities to accomplish my big dreams!
Now that I’m at Winthrop diving into the subject that I hold most dear, I can say with complete confidence that English Education is where I am meant to be in life. My professors reinforce my love for my major every single day as they teach subjects that I love: from countless samples of British and American literature to establishing effective strategies that I can implement into my future classroom, I am absorbing all kinds of useful and interesting information that further fuels my desire to share that knowledge with others.
I can’t wait to teach my future students how to appreciate what they read and write in class, because it will prepare them for whatever career they go into. My students might not enjoy learning yet, but I intend on changing that. I want to inspire them to share their experiences and connect life to the literature that they analyze because words have the power to evoke amazing changes in our lives!
I want to look back on my career as a teacher and see that I made a definite impact in the daily lives of my students. My goal is to provide them with better critical thinking skills and an increased appreciation for the subject of reading and writing. I also can’t wait to see how this major and my role as a teacher comes to inspire my eventual full-time career as an author. Just as a Sophomore, I have found myself already having made writing contributions to Winthrop organizations such as Her Campus, The Johnsonian, the WUHA! Sage Page, and The Anthology! I’m so excited to see where my educational journey continues to lead me in my creative efforts.
This is how you’re supposed to feel about your major. You’re supposed to be completely in love with its content and its power until it doesn’t feel like difficult work or something that you dread doing. If what you’re doing doesn’t consume your heart and feed your soul, then maybe it’s not the right major or career path for you.
Collegiettes, the greatest advice that I can give to you is this: Love what you do and do what you love!