One of the most common questions that I get asked on a daily basis is, "what's your major?" Whether it is nosy relatives asking me over Thanksgiving dinner or a fellow student or faculty member trying to help me figure something out, my major defines my college identity. Many of my fellow classmates here at Longwood scoff at the idea of majoring in English, but nothing they say or do could ever take my eyes off of my future goals. Being an English major at Longwood University has its ups and downs, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

During the first couple of weeks here, I felt like a bright-eyed fish out of water learning how to grow wings and fly above the ocean. To begin with, I didn't know anyone in most of my classes, so that was pretty intimidating. Due to the massive college credit I received in high school, I am the only freshman in most of my English classes too. At the time, everyone else seemed so much smarter and more experienced. I often wondered if I had what it takes to be a Longwood English major, but then I discovered how amazing being an English major is at this school.

The greatest part about the Longwood English department is that faculty members are so open-minded. My mind has opened up to hundreds of worldly ideas, and this is only my first semester in college. I find myself rejoicing at the idea of having some of my current professors in the future. In high school, I felt like I had to shelter my love for English due to everyone's outrageous hatred of it. Meanwhile, at Longwood, professors want opinions and different points of view because they enjoy their work just as much as I do. Now that I'm here, I know not everyone loves reading, but that is only because reading and writing isn't their cup of tea.

Although being an English major has its various ups, it also has its downs. Sometimes I find myself working on discussion boards upon discussion boards until I feel like they're coming out of my ears. Counting up the amount of pages I have to do for one reading can range anywhere from a gentle ten to fifteen to a ruthless ninety to one hundred. Some days I find myself being lazy with my words after doing so much with literature. No matter how tired I end up, I always sit back and think about how I am doing what I love.

As an English major, I am so thankful for the many perks, like writing essays instead of taking mundane tests. I relish at some of the classic and modern stories I read for class. At the end of the day, being an English major helps me fulfill my goals and gives me a rejuvenated level of happiness that will encourage me for the rest of my life.