While it's not true that anyone who loves reading is an English major, it is true that having a love for books makes being an English major that much more wonderful. Two of the reactions I got the most when I first declared it was, "English? But what do you do with that major?" Or, "You're so lucky, all you have to do all day is read books. Must be easy!" Neither part of that last statement is true, and the answer to first question is that I can do anything I want with my degree. It's true that it doesn't lead to a clear-cut path the way a major like nursing or engineering would, but for me and most other majors, that's hardly the worst thing in the world. Having an English major is beneficial in so many ways, and if you're a skeptic, I encourage you to take a couple classes just to experience exactly how applicable and fascinating it is.
An English major enables you to learn so much about society, people and history. In fact, I would argue that the major or even the minor is one of the best supplements for a Sociology or Psychology degree. Literature produced during a given moment in history, or even at a more modern time period, will tell you so much about the society it was produced in. Most of my classes are surprisingly interdisciplinary — not only do we read and analyze texts, we also learn historical context, sociopolitical context and sometimes even have to use some sources from those fields for any papers.
In addition to learning more about people and history simultaneously, an English class can also lead you to learn an incredible amount about yourself. I took an introductory film studies course to fill a period requirement for the major, and came away feeling like I'd discovered a treasure trove that I didn't even know existed. I fell in love with film studies, and one semester later I've declared a Cinema and Media Studies minor. I learned through my African American Fiction class that I'm fascinated by the sociopolitical side of literature, people and movements; for me, that lead to a Sociology minor.
It all comes down to how applicable the English major is, personally and professionally. It's true that our main task is reading and analyzing, but it leads to a superb set of skills that are always in demand. I've learned to appreciate good writing, to recognize proper character development and plot development, to talk about and examine how different literary tactics enhance someone's reaction (emotional or otherwise) and more. But here's kicker: that doesn't ruin books for us. It makes us appreciate them even more. And to take it a step further, all those discussion based classes and constant papers we write? Nothing is better for teaching you how to be articulate and effective in getting your point across in both speaking and writing. The analytical and research skills we come away with are perfectly honed. And for law school? What better major to teach you how to pick things apart, recognize trends, and make arguments? Most of what we do is crafting, explaining, and backing up arguments.
In short, if you can't tell, I love my English major. If an academic specialty can feel like home, well, this does. I'm never more comfortable than when I'm in class with a favorite professor or discussing a book with someone or writing a review. And yes, sometimes even a paper can be good fun if the prompt is right. There's so much to take away from it. So here's to you, fellow English majors (and, of course, the books that made me realize that there was no other major for me). I could not have asked for a better family to spend college with.
