Growing up, English was my best subject and favorite class at school, because I've always loved to read and write. Yet I didn't know I wanted to be an actual English major until I read "Hamlet" in 11th grade British Literature. It was, and will always be, my favorite play (thank you, Mrs. Mateyka). And from then on, I knew that I wanted to further my knowledge about literature and writing in college. So here I am, three years later, as a Villanova English major.
However, college English courses are nothing like high school English courses. The essays are longer, the reading more dense, and the class discussions make you exit the room in a greater state of confusion than when you entered. Yet when it comes down to it, I am so happy that I chose to be an English major, because I believe that words have the power to change the world, for better or for worse. They've definitely changed and inspired the way I see things, and I hope that the words I write also do the same for others.
So without further ado, here are 10 things all English majors can relate to.
1. The insane amount of reading professors expect you to complete in a small amount of time.
One hundred pages of Graham Greene's, "The Quiet American," in two days, not to mention two supplemental articles and three short stories! These stories aren't even short! Time to speed-read my way through the next 24 hours.
2. That feeling of absolute terror when you didn't do the reading, and the professor calls on you in class, or gives a pop quiz.
Oh, my gosh. This is my worst nightmare, only worse than my worst nightmare because I'm awake. Somebody sedate me!
3. When you think you did amazingly on an essay, and it comes back covered in red ink and corrections.
Why do bad things happen to good people.
4. Speaking of essays, forget about sleeping during finals.
Time to break out the sugar and caffeine, because it's gonna be one long night (nights). Those 10-page papers aren't going to write themselves! Must... finish... paper!
5. When you're reading something and you react out loud, your roommate looks at you like you've officially lost it.
Happens all the time.
6. Treating and talking about the characters in your books as if they were real.
I'll try, Ben Affleck, I really will.
7. Let's not forget about the countless times we've heard this one: "Oh, so you're an English major. How do you expect to find a job with that?"
You could actually do a ton of things with an English degree: law, marketing, publishing, writing, teaching, research -- the list goes on and on!
8. When you leave the classroom completely shell-shocked because the professor just dropped the most mind-blowing knowledge, and you're still recovering.
Brain. Explosion!
9. You're actually excited to buy books for class, and treat them like they're your children.
(Golem voice.) My precious.
10. You completely love your major, and wouldn't want to be doing anything else.
Same, girl. Same.
