I really don’t like telling people I’m an English major. Not because I’m ashamed of my degree or anything, but because I’m really tired of people automatically asking me, “So, you want to be a teacher?” I’m tired of dealing with the assumption that that’s the only thing an English major can do and that’s the only thing your degree is good for. Being an English major, you develop so many skills that you can use in so many different areas. You learn practical skills that you can use in everyday, real-world situations. You develop critical analysis and critical thinking skills, you learn how to interpret various situations, how to write a letter or a research paper, how to communicate, how to portray emotions and thoughts, and so many other things. And yes, becoming a teacher is a major reason why people undergo an English degree, but you can also be a writer or editor, you can help students and other people who don’t speak English as their first language, or you can go outside of the “english” world. You can go into Law, Journalism, Public Relations, Social Media, Counseling. The possibilities are practically limitless. So many people hear “English major” and just assume that means teaching. I’m honestly so impressed and grateful when someone asks “what do you want to do with that?” rather than “oh, you want to teach.” They don’t know the difference between the questions, nor do they realize how much that difference means to me, but it does, and I’m silently grateful to them for it. Because, while I admire teachers, professors, and anyone who wants to deal with children and teenagers for a living, I don’t and can’t see myself doing that. My dreams and goals are far outside the realm of teaching and grading others, and to know that my major, the classes I took and the time I spent working towards my aspirations, are packaged into “teacher” is upsetting, because to me it means that people don’t realize everything that an English major can do or everything that English courses can help them with. So, yes, an English major can be a teacher, and that’s absolutely, perfectly fine. But they can also be so much more. Please don’t automatically label an English major as a teacher just because that seems to be the logical, attainable profession. Even though you may not mean it that way, it gives the impression that you don’t think anything else can be done with an English degree. Also, don’t assume that people become English or Liberal Arts majors as the “easy way out” or for lack of anything better. It’s insulting and again, it diminishes everything that you can actually do with an English degree. Encourage those who want to pursue English degrees. Support them in whatever they want to do with it, even if they themselves don’t know. At least they’ll know that they have your support and that they’re not wasting their time or future by pursuing it. An English degree is just as valuable as a Math or Science degree, just perhaps a little more fun.