English Majors Don't Read Much | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Featured

Yes, I'm An English Major Who Doesn't Read Much Outside Of Class

Strange concept, I know.

898
Yes, I'm An English Major Who Doesn't Read Much Outside Of Class

Yes, I'm an English major. I've loved reading ever since I was little, and I've devoured thousands of pages of words in my lifetime from various genres that have all impacted the kind of person I've become today. Yes, I study English because I love reading and writing. I don't mind essays. I don't mind having to finish an entire book in one sitting.

But I don't read for pleasure much outside of class.

Why?

Because I simply no longer have the time.

When I was in high school, I could finish three books in a week while splitting my time between assignments and exams. But now, while I'm at college, I'm stuck in a very different situation.

I'm no longer reading just for my English courses. I'm reading for my biology course, for my sociology course, and all of the other courses I'm taking.

I'm no longer reading the things I necessarily want to read. I'm reading what I have to read.

Instead of picking up a fun New Adult novel at the bookstore, I'm spending hours upon hours taking notes on classics like "Wuthering Heights" or trying to make sense of Milton's "Paradise Lost." I'm now reading to learn—more so than I ever was before.

Yes, you learn from everything you read. But there are very specific techniques and rules that I'm learning from the works I've been assigned that are unlike anything I'd pick up outside of class, and it's necessary for me to devote my time in the right place.

I can't focus on books that have no direct impact on my academic career. I need to focus on the pieces that will get me the degree I want.

I still love reading. I always will. Otherwise, I wouldn't be an English major. I wouldn't spend my days analyzing texts and writing essays if I didn't love everything about it.

The sad reality is that my life is too chaotic at the moment to juggle reading for pleasure and reading for my degree. I have to make a choice.

And I'm making the choice that will allow me to one day get a job that will allow me to spend my evenings reading the books I want to read.

Report this Content
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

189942
 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

14742
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...

457723
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.

26560
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