A year ago I graduated high school. As you can expect an 18-year-old to be, I was excited. A new life, and a new start. As I got on my cap and gown I saw my reflection in the mirror of who I was going to become. I was destined to finally be the person I was inside. I had a huge smile and walked across that long, anxious stage and finally got all my hard work obtained in 4 years on a tiny paper, my love, my diploma. After that diploma sat within my hand I knew I was going to be ambushed. Loads of people were going to spill the question “What will you be studying at school?”. I knew months before when I picked my school what exactly I would go to a university to study. I would smile real wide and confidently say “English, creative writing."
It was truly my joy to be able to say I was studying something I have always loved and I would really be passionate about. Little did newly graduated Stephanie know, everyone would ridicule her and give her a look at her major choice. To all those liberal major kids out there, you know exactly what look I am talking about; the slightly disgusted, questionable, unenthusiastic, drained look. They would ask, “what do you plan on doing with that?” or my favorite, “will you even get a job?” I was stuck between my pride and what seemed like relentless opinions. It stung. To have people you know look disappointed at your future.
To think you could not make it. But within the midst of all things I still kept my major and finished my first year of college. Within that year I became aware of my voice and how powerful it was to broadcast myself into the world. I became a writer for this website, the odyssey, which is a dream job, I get to write about how I feel, what I think, anything! I’ve grown as a writer with my own experiences and have been able to share my journey with others around. I joined clubs involving my major and I was able to edit writing and help create a fabulous literary book for my school with fellow English majors! This was just year one folks. Within my next three years I hope to accomplish much more and to spread my voice worldwide.
To those who are concerned about liberal arts majors or any “unheard of major” give us time, please. Where there is a will there’s a way. I can speak for all liberal arts majors when I say, we take what we do very seriously and we only want perfection. We create art, visually, audibly, aseptically, in every way. We are passionate, driven beings, and the best will truly succeed in whatever scenario they are exposed to. The future is what we make it and we want to prove the stigma around us is stupid. We will get jobs.
The world will always need creators and visionaries. Believe in us. In the end of my college journey I hope to be established more as a writer within magazines, newspapers, freelance. Some days I even think of becoming a screenwriter for T.V shows. Possibilities are endless my dear companions. I will be fine. Do not worry. Because I know whatever happens my art will carry me and you will always find someone to adore it, and believe in as much as I do. The last thing I want to mention is what we do make us happy.
I feel it is something to celebrate to be able to say you love your career and would work that job forever. Most of us, if not all, love what we produce and we are trying to get the world to produce as well and appreciate the hard work we do. Wherever we go we will feel free and liberated. So next time you hear a liberal arts major please do not cringe or feel disappointed, think about how your child will be the next Pablo Picasso, Robert Frost, Beethoven, or Anna Pavlova!
