You know you are an English major if you run on little amounts of sleep, read millions of books a year, write thousands of papers, and likely run on coffee. I cannot tell you the number of corny English jokes I know. I try to tell them to my science major friends and they look at me like I have three heads.
Yes, English is a great thing to major in but the problems that come with it are impeccable. You are one of the college students that people hear your major and they look at you with confusion. Trust me, I am about to go into my senior year and when people ask, I get the same look every single time. Then they ask me what on earth will I do with it or what will my career be? I get asked this question a lot. It is because if you hear nursing major you assume the person will be a nurse, you hear English and you assume confusion or teacher.
Stay strong. I know it is hard with a lot of negativity but you became an English major for a reason. Use that confidence and tell people the many options you have for work. People cannot write properly these days, so many companies want people simply because we can write well. Be proud of who you are and your love for reading and writing.
Yes, it can be discouraging. Life is hard. I'm not going to lie to you about that. Finding a job post-graduation isn't easy, there aren't many majors out there that do make it easy to get a job. The great thing is we have people like J.K. Rowling to admire.
She came from literally nothing and is one of the best-selling authors in the world. J.K. Rowling is a very respected author, as she should be, and looking at her life shows us that anything is possible. It is important to be realistic, but at the same time dream like you have never dreamed before. Make a plan and tell the skeptics that you have it.
Never let anyone stop you from chasing your dreams. I have written two complete novels and I am working on my 3rd. Everyone has told me to give up, that in this world I won't make it. But I, like J.K. Rowling, has something to fight for – a passion for writing that keeps me going. Find your passions, and once you do, run with them. Go to the ends of the earth to discover the person you could be and not the person you used to be or the person the world expects you to be. Let your creativity fly and show the world what English majors are made of.
