I am an English major. When people learn this fact about me they almost automatically assume that I wish to become an English teacher. This is not the case, truth be told. I have complete respect for the educators I have encountered, but this is not what I see myself pursuing. I decided to become a writer after my sixth grade teacher adored the poem I wrote about love. Not to brag or anything, but I was asked to read that poem at my mom and stepdad’s wedding. Looking back, I could write a much better poem about love now, although I may not understand it any better.

My writing skills have been steadily increasing since I first picked up a pencil. I found the first book I tried to write in an old notebook the other day. It was titled simply “A Book About Friends,” and that was it. I hadn’t actually started to write it. Anything from that point has to be moving up in the world, right? I tried to write a second book, from approximately the sixth grade through the eighth grade. It was called “Earth Spirit,” and it was about a girl who realized she had the power to grow and control plants. Don’t judge me, I enjoyed the TV show “Winx Club” endlessly during my childhood, and I that that it rubbed off just the tiniest bit on my writing. I was sure that I would finish it, and become a famous and wealthy teenage author once it was published. As one may assume, I never did finish that book, but it did end up being almost 30 pages.

Hoping to become a professional writer someday is interesting. It is similar to having acting or singing as your future career ambition. Many of my friends majoring in more “creative” majors hear the same response I do. Again, I believe that teaching is an amazing career, but teaching is not the only option available for someone majoring in art, music, theatre, or English. I’ll admit that here is a certain amount of difficulty when it comes to become an actor, singer, artist, or writer, but that does not make it impossible to achieve.

If I am speaking honestly, I do not know what I want to write, or exactly what I want to write about, and that is okay. I have plenty of time to figure my that out. My life isn’t meticulously planned, but I do know what I am capable of. I am capable of finding a career that fits me, not one that I am forced into. Writing is something I feel confident in doing, and I actually enjoy editing other people’s writing. I am thankful that I have found something I enjoy so much. I love to write, and I know that if I dedicate myself to what I love, I can realize my own ambitions. I do not ever look down upon anyone’s future career goals, because I believe that anything is possible with effort and practice. No one should feel stuck in a field they do not wish to pursue, instead one should instead consider what they are truly passionate about in order to follow their inspiration wherever it leads them.