4 Ways English Majors Have It Hard Too | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

4 Ways English Majors Have It Hard Too

You try reading 600 pages a night

164
4 Ways English Majors Have It Hard Too

I know, every major thinks they have the hardest coursework and/or hardest professors. I am not here to say English is the hardest. I just want people to understand that being an English major is not as easy as it may sound. Sure we don't have to spend hundreds of dollars on textbooks that will never be open and sure we don't have huge cumulative exams at the end of the semester but there are expectations for us that other majors do not have have.

1. So many novels

Looking at a required texts list for an English course can sometimes seem like you are just looking at an endless list of books. Sure, I have taken courses that only had four or five novels on the list but I have also taken classes where there are twenty books. To put it in perspective I am taking three English courses this semester and between those three I need to buy thirty different novels. Yes, you read that right THIRTY. But us English majors are lucky because most of the times you can get the novels used for two or three dollars.

2. Constantly reading

Because there are so many books we need to get through in the semester we can pretty much just never stop reading. For each class professors assign about one hundred to two hundred pages for homework each day so with three English courses that equates to me reading anywhere between three hundred and six hundred pages. Some classes even want entire books finished before the next class.

3. Longingly Staring at my bookshelf

While I have to read so many required books for classes the books i brought to read for fun get to sit on my bookshelf unread. Reading for fun does not really get to happen during the semester and is saved for vacations and breaks. As much as I want to read the books on my bookshelf there is no time between the thirty books for class I need to read.

4. Essays on essays on essays

Now I understand a lot of different majors deal with essays but I just think we English majors have it particularly hard. I have seen over the years that when we get assigned an essay in one class it won't be long until we are assigned an essay in every class. Never have I had only one essay due at once. They always are piled on together and due at the exact same time. This leads to long nights close reading four different novels at once hoping I'm not getting them confused.

With all these little complaints I understand we do still have it pretty good. There are not many exams or group projects in English courses. And I mean I became an English major because I adored reading and wanted to read as much as possible. It can just get stressful and overwhelming over time but everything always gets settled in the end and I come out each semester with a new understanding of a genre, author, or time-period. Now excuse me, I have to go read Agamemnon, William Blake and Little Women.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

182750
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

9465
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

454026
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

24204
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments