Every time someone asks me what my major is, I have to mentally prepare for a rude comment headed my way in the conversation. People are either really supportive of me being an English Major or they're extremely rude. Luckily, I have a family who supports my choice in major, but outside of that, I have faced more than enough snarky comments whether it's at work, a party, etc. Here are some of them.
1. “What can you even do with an English degree?”
There's a lot you can do with an English major. It's an amazing skill to know how to write, especially in the workplace. Businesses need people who know how to write well, law firms need people to persuade and defend using language, publishing companies need good editors and writers in order to publish best-selling books, and so on and so forth.
2. “You’ll be living at home forever.”
I don't understand the audacity people have to say this to someone. In my generation, it's extremely difficult to find a job no matter what your major is. If I need to live at home for a few years to save up and get myself on my feet, then I should not be shamed for that. It also doesn't mean that I am going to rely on my parents giving me a roof over my head forever, either.
3. “Why did you have to pick the worst major?”
There is no such thing as "picking the worst major." Some majors suit some better than others. Not everyone has the same skill sets. Some people are better with numbers, some people are better with words, but no major is better or worse than another major. Some people don't have the luxury of even declaring a major at first, either. So, to discourage someone from choosing a major that they love is very rude.
4. “So, I’m assuming you want to be a teacher.”
GiphyWhile there are English education majors and there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to become an English teacher, it is tiring for people to continuously make this false assumption about me and other non-education English majors. I can assure you that every single English major has extreme amounts of respect for their previous and current English teachers, but that is not the only kind of career path an English major has to choose from.
5. “Well, you can always change your major.”
GiphyThe worst for last. I become very disheartened whenever someone says this to me. It invalidates all of the hard work that I have put from my major. It makes me feel like I did not choose a legitimate option, even though it is one of the most popular options within my university. To say this to someone is to ultimately go out of your way to make someone feel bad about themselves.
With all of this in mind, please refrain from saying this to someone who is majoring in English. Instead, try to spread words of encouragement and show support for your friends, family members, or even strangers who are English majors. We need all the support that we can get.
