Dear STEM major,

I know what you’re thinking. Here comes the English major trying to justify that being an English major is just as difficult as being a Biology major, for example. But, I’m not here to do that. Well somewhat. I’m somewhat here to do that but more importantly, I’m here to speak out against those who believe that us English majors “have it easy.” That us English majors simply only have to read books and write a few papers - pshh, no biggie right? That us English majors get to relax during final exam week because giving us exams would just be absurd- I mean how would they test us anyway, right?

False. False. False. False. English majors absolutely, definitely, positively, undeniably do NOT have it easy. Please stop with the comments like, “You’re so lucky you’re an English major. I bet it’s so chill and easy.” Or, “Why are you stressing so much? All you do is read books and write papers?” You honestly have no idea how many times people, whether they be friends or family, have said things like this to me. I just brush it off like yeah, I’m lucky because I’m pursuing a career path that I love. I didn’t follow the career path that my parents hoped/wished I would pursue but I chose the major that makes me happy - and that, to me, is the most important thing. And it’s not “chill” and it’s not “easy.” It’s a lot of work. I would love to see a STEM major try to write two 7-8 page papers in a week because they happen to be due on the same day. Or, read a different book at the same time and then remember which book you’re reading for American Literature and which book you’re reading for Romantic Literature, Gothic Literature, etc. You’re probably thinking, but it’s fine they would have different themes that correspond to the different courses - piece of cake. Wrong. I don’t know how many times my Romantic Literature class has overlapped with my American Literature class; or my Gothic Literature class for that matter. I’ve gone into class thinking about one book and when discussion begins I realize I’m thinking about the wrong book and I have to go back and remember the right one.

This semester alone I am reading a total of about 30 books. I have 30 books. In my room. On my bookshelf. For. This. Semester. Alone. How many of you STEM majors would love to carry around 5 or 6 books a day? Just let that sink in. 30 books in the span of about four months. Math majors where are you? If we divide 30 by 4 we get about 7.5, now we can’t read just half a book so let’s just say I read about 7 books every month. We have four weeks in a month, so how long does it take the average person to read a book? Not sure, it varies from person to person. But I’m guessing you need more than a month to read 7 books. So, please don’t underestimate us and don't belittle our major simply because it doesn’t require the understanding of tedious logarithmic equations or applying Bernoulli's principle to fluid dynamics.

With December right around the corner, I want to bring up the topic of exams. YES - English majors have exams. Along with papers and projects. We don’t just sit back and relax while everyone else is scrambling to find a table at Mckeldin. We are right there with the rest of you - chugging along, studying, and working on projects, just trying to get through the semester. And yes, our exams are cumulative. However, instead of memorizing information and regurgitating it onto a scantron, we walk in with a blue book and a prompt and are left with two hours to write. Most likely, when a STEM major looks at a question on their final, they know that there could be only one correct answer, whether they know the answer or not. For an English final, there is no way to guess or BS your way through it. Try writing on a topic you know nothing about, and let me know how that goes. On top of that, the way our writing is graded is totally opinion based; along with the fact that there is no single definite answer. I don’t know how many times I’ve had to talk to professors about my exam and then proceed to further explain why I should receive credit on a particular answer.

On top of those finals, we have term papers and projects. This isn't your typical five paragraph essay - even though some of us really wish it were. I'm talking about research papers in flawless MLA or APA, Chicago - whatever floats your boat - format. They're long and they're tedious. The projects are brutal - the presentations that go along with them even worse. Especially if you’re someone who is shy and would much rather let the words on the page do the talking.

So, if you are thinking about how “easy” life is for an English major, don't. We put in our time and earn our degrees, just like everyone else. Just because I decided to take the path less traveled by (as Robert Frost would say), does not make me any less of an intelligent individual or any less capable of making something out of myself.

Sincerely,
A Very Passionate English major