Why I'm Majoring in English | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

Why I'm Majoring in English

Oh captain, my captain.

618
Why I'm Majoring in English
The Minnesota Review

“What are you majoring in?” “English.” Cue an oddly large smile followed by a condescending question as to whether or not I will become a teacher, because that’s the only possible career move that I could hope to make a cent off of with such an outlandish degree, right?

The goal of this article is not to try and persuade anyone of the exact affluence of an English degree because I’m not even sure myself. I’m essentially flying by the seat of my pants here, as I’m sure any soon-to-be college freshman is with their respective majors. The only difference is the reception of that major by friends, teachers, co-workers, and even relatives. Engineering, business, and nursing are well known to get a good reaction out of people. It’s just where the jobs are.

I made the decision to major in English because I wanted to pursue something I love. Whilst at my college orientation a few weeks ago, one of the professors presented a great analogy: if you won the lottery today, and never had to work for a living, would you still want to do what you are majoring in? If the answer is no, you are most likely chasing a degree that just promises a desirable income. If the answer is yes, you are most likely pursuing your passion.

Referring back to the introduction, I am actually planning on teaching. However, there are many more career opportunities with an English major than that. Many graduates have found jobs in publishing, writing, communications, and even social work. The comprehension skills learned through an English degree are invaluable.

Over the past few months, in preparation for college, I have delved into reading classics. I’ve found that literature is extremely rewarding, and helps to turn one into a well-rounded individual.

Here are some quotes from my favorite classics that I feel relate to my passion for English, grammar, and literature.

“My task, which I am trying to achieve is, by the power of the written word, to make you hear, to make you feel – it is, before all, to make you see.” – Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad

“A written word is the choicest of relics. It is something at once more intimate with us and more universal than any other work of art. It is the work of art nearest to life itself.” – Walden by Henry David Thoreau

“I slipped the book into my pocket. I assure you to leave off reading was like tearing myself away from the shelter of an old and solid friendship.” – Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

“Wasn’t writing a kind of soaring, an achievable form of flight, of fancy, of the imagination?” – Atonement by Ian McEwan

“My work is not a piece of writing designed to meet the needs of an immediate public, but was done to last forever.” – History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides

#writeon
Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
girl with santa hat
Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

'Tis the season to be jolly folks, and if you're anything like me, then at the stroke of midnight on Halloween your home went from wicked to winter

Keep Reading...Show less
mistake
Project Eve

Mistakes are something we all make, no matter how old we get. Most of the time, the mistakes we made are little and sometimes due to something out of our control. Yet, there are mistakes that are bigger than others. Personally, I have mistakes that I wish I could go back and undo. Here they are:

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

5 Things To Do That Are Better Than Writing A Paper

Don't waste your time trying to write that paper when there are so many more interesting things you could be doing.

12138
computer keyboard
Unsplash

Writing a paper is never fun and is rarely rewarding. The writer's block, the page requirement, be specific, but don’t summarize, make sure you fixed any grammatical errors, did you even use spellcheck? and analyze, analyze, analyze.

Papers can be a major pain. They take up so much time and effort that by the end of the process you hate yourself and you hate the professor for making life so difficult. Questions of your existence start roaming in your mind. Am I even cut out for college if I can’t write a single paper? Am I even capable of taking care of myself if I lack the energy to open my laptop and start typing?

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

10 Reasons Why Sisters Are The Best

Who could be a better friend than your own sister?

7358
sisters
Taylor Hooper

I can barely remember back when I was the only child. Most would say it’s because it is extremely difficult to remember things as a toddler but I would say it's because I was bored until my sister came along. My mother always says how important the "sister bond" is and with every year that passes I realize how right she is. Instead of writing a novel about all of the wonderful things there are about having a sister I decided to list a few of them instead.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

How To Adult

You're gonna make it after all.

7300
how to adult
Twitter

It is the time of our lives that we are beginning to enter the adult world and most of us, if not all of us, have no idea what we are doing. It's like starting a video game, but skipping the tutorial. We're all just running around aimlessly hoping we accidentally do something right that moves us along the right path. Now that graduation has just happened, or is right around the corner for some of us, it's time to start thinking about how we are going to take care of ourselves once we are on our own.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments