Sometimes I wonder what it’d be like to major in nursing or computer science or biology. I’ve never been jealous of the people that do – the STEM field repulses me like little else – but I know those going into the maths and sciences have little to worry about in the public eye. When you tell someone you want to be a doctor, they might ask whether you want to be a dentist or a physical therapist. When you tell your family you’re majoring in anatomy, you receive many approving head nods. As an English major, things are a little different and more along the lines of…
1. “Oh, but that’s just a hobby, not a job!”
People may continue by saying, "You can write on the side; you need something that’s going to pay the bills.” Shockingly, people have actually made careers of writing: authors, journalists and lawyers. A proclivity for writing opens up doors for fairly well paying careers. Who knew you could actually ENJOY the work you do?
2. “It’s a one in a million chance you’ll make anything of yourself.”
English is a selective field, there’s no argument about that. It takes a lot of talent and a lot of hard work to burst through the ranks. But the feeling of succeeding is even more rewarding when you know you’ve had to push harder than most.
3. “What restaurant are you planning to waitress at for the rest of your life?”
This one’s just plain rude and goes off the immediate assumption that someone majoring in English will inevitably end up at a low paying job for the rest of their life. It’s frustrating to hear on our end and it makes you sound ignorant. Chances are you’ve read a book or magazine or newspaper article recently, so stop to think about how often the accomplished writer responsible for your entertainment must have been asked that question. You're putting a college freshman in the same situation when you ask them that question.
4. “Don’t you want to be able to afford a nice house and a nice car?”
What I want is to wake up in the morning excited about the career I’ve built myself. Sure, I want to have enough for rent and groceries, but if being an English major means I don’t get a mansion and a Mercedes, I’m okay with that. What I want is to take pride in what I do and to stick by my passions, despite whatever comments are thrown my way. All we English majors want is to write in peace, to read with fervor and to get maybe just a little support thrown our way.
