Since switching my major to creative writing, many people have asked me questions that may or may not have been relevant to my experiences. As a previous science major, I can't claim that I thought any differently of humanities majors. Switching majors has taught me quite a bit about what being a humanities major is really like. And let me tell you, it's quite a bit different than what people think.
Here are a few myths I'd like to put to bed.
1. When people ask if I have a ton of less work than I used to.
Since switching to my English major, the amount of homework has positively tripled. When there aren't four papers due in two weeks, there are journal entries. There are 400 page books to read in two days. There are reading quizzes on those 400 page books. There are lively in-class discussions about super detailed sections of said 400 page books. More likely than not, however, there will always be a journal entry. Always.
2. What people think the writing process is like:
Ha. Right.
3. What it's actually like:
Trying to dream up a short story that doesn't suck? Forget it. How about a longer story that doesn't suck? Nope. Trying to write a paper about three different works of literature that are barely connected? Nah. Trying to break away from "How I Met Your Mother" to write that 900 word journal entry due tomorrow? Forget about it.
Also, I'd like to add that because I'm an English major does not mean that I am F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Not one bit. No. He was a god of writing.
4. How people think we discuss literature:
Making some quip. (Gives pitying look to non-major in the room.) "Oh my dear, I'm sorry. Do you not know what quip means?" Making some quip about how the allusion to "The Aeneid" on page 567 was indicative of true artistic ability. This author writes so delicately, a revolution for his/her time. Blah, blah, blah.
That's not really what it's like, though I can't promise that there aren't some English majors who speak to each other in this way.
5. How fellow majors actually discuss literature:
Silence all around for everyone in the class because nobody has a damn clue what we were assigned to read actually means. So we sit back, books against our laps, borne ceaselessly back into the land of bad quiz grades.
Did you not get that? It's a reference to "The Great Gatsby." It's a good book, in my humble opinion.
6. How we react when our favorite characters die:
Enough said.
7. How we react when someone drops an insane literary allusion:
There's nothing like a good literary allusion to spice up a conversation. Or a beautifully timed pun, or a play on words, or a full-circle connection, or...you get the point.
8. How we party when together:
Because even when we let loose, there's always going to be some nerdiness present with us.
In short, being an English major is incredible. It's one of the best decisions I've ever made to switch over. It's been an incredible ride even though it's only been a few months having officially switched.
