As an English major, there are a lot of questions that people ask me. At first, I was completely fine with answering them, but after a while, I noticed that there was a common theme: people were obsessed with what I was going to do with my degree. I kept on hearing the same questions over and over, and it was, and is, exhausting to answer the same questions. Rather than asking me what classes I'm taking, people ask me about what I'm going to do after graduation, which, fortunately, is still a year away. Admittedly, fears about career stability were part of the reason why I started out as a Biology major, but since switching to English, my professors and advisors have shared the endless possibilities of careers for English majors. Some careers are more familiar (teacher, editor, journalist, etc.) and some are less so (lawyer, CEO, non-profit work, etc.). The point is that English majors have a less direct career path than many majors. For instance, if someone is majoring in Accounting, it's pretty clear what career field they're going into. However, for English majors there isn't one direct path; usually it is a series of paths to finding the right career. It doesn't just happen. It takes time and experience. This career path adventure is why many people are unable to comprehend why someone would decide to be an English major.
The most frustrating things as an English major are the reactions I receive when I say these four simple words: "I'm an English major." Rarely is the initial response something positive. The standard reply (almost word for word) is: "Oh! Are you going to be a teacher?" I honestly have to stop from rolling my eyes when I get asked this because I've heard it so many times. Now don't get me wrong, I love those brave souls that decide teaching is their calling, however, teaching is most definitely not for me. Many of my English major friends are also frustrated by this question. Yes, teaching is an option for English majors, and it's a great option for some people, however, it's not the only option and it's not for everyone. Believe it or not, English truly is a versatile degree, and it goes beyond teaching.
If I don't get asked if I'm going to become a teacher, the other standard reply I receive is: "What do you plan on doing with that?" As if English is a completely useless major. The reason why English majors like me get so frustrated with talking about our major is that people don't understand the value of English as a major and why it's so important to encourage people to major in it. English is used in multiple contexts and there is no set career for English majors; there's a world of endless possibilities because of the skills that we, as English majors, learn. As English majors, we read a lot, and by doing so, we learn how to read well and in an efficient manner. This means being able to retain the basic plot as well as understanding the underlying message because there usually is so much more than merely a surface-level meaning to any written work. How is this useful in the career world? Well, it conditions us to be more attentive to the world around us and ask the important questions. This is something that employers value.
When people ask me questions about what I'm going to do after graduation, I'm not upset because I'm afraid of what I'm going to do after I graduate. I'm upset because they don't understand how important, valuable, and versatile an English degree is. English is more than reading and discussing texts, understanding basic grammar, and writing papers. It's also about thinking deeply about complex topics and theories in order to understand the world around us more. English is a significant major, and I absolutely hate how it is constantly devalued when someone asks what I'm going to do with my degree. I'm not entirely certain what I'm going to do after graduation yet, but I do know that my degree and the experiences and lessons I've learned by being an English major will be a valuable asset in my job search. I'm an English major not only because I love to read and write, but also because I am infatuated with what I get to do as an English major and how my career post-graduation is not set in stone for the rest of my life. My career can be whatever I want it to be and wherever there is opportunity. I love being an English major because it combines everything I love in one major, and I absolutely do not regret changing my major. I don't care if other people are concerned with my ability to find a job after graduation because I know that there are more opportunities out there than I can even imagine. While I have a couple ideas about what I'd like to do post-graduation, who knows if that's where I'll find myself. Maybe something even better will come along, but either way, my point is this: I love being an English major because it makes me incredibly happy, and I don't need a stranger, or in some cases a loved one, to question my major for me. My major is my decision, and I'm confident that I'm on the right track. So, if you want to offend an English major in the quickest way possible, ask them what they're going to do with their degree, or start an argument about the Oxford comma; either way, you'll definitely have an angry English major to argue with.
