Why I Became an English Major

Choosing a major in college defines your entire academic experience. Whether you're an english major, biology major, or political science major, whatever you choose puts you on a certain path. I went to the College of the Holy Cross, which is a liberal arts school in Worcester, MA. At Holy Cross you can major in just about any of the classic college majors, but all of the majors tend to be fairly broad. For example, you can major in political science but not something as specific as criminal justice.

When I started at Holy Cross back in 2015, I basically knew that I wanted to be an English major going in. In high school, English had always been my best and favorite subject. I love reading, writing, and critical analysis. You had until the end of your sophomore year of college to declare your major, but a lot of people declared second semester of freshman year. Even though I pretty much was set on majoring in English, I decided to wait until my sophomore year to declare. I took the introduction classes for the English major my freshman year, but I also took some other introductory classes for other majors I was also interested in. I wanted to make sure that I was fully confident in what I wanted to major in.

I feel like English majors sometimes aren't taken as seriously as some of the other majors in college, like Biology or Psychology. A lot of people think that majoring in English is taking the easy academic route. Not to mention, people think that a lot of English majors aren't on a specific career track. Both of those things aren't true. However, there was a lot to think about when it came to majoring in English. I wanted to make sure that I would be able to do something with my major when I left college.

English majors can go on to do just about anything and that was one of the most promising things about the major. I have always had a few different career interests, and I felt that the English major would potentially benefit me in any of the interests that I had. For example, I've always been interested in marketing, publishing, journalism, and just writing in general. Majoring in English can help me in any of those areas, plus so many more.

You couldn't really focus on a certain area in English, but you could pick classes that were all centered around the same subject. I focused a mainly on British Literature, Medieval and Renaissance Literature, and Creative Writing. Many people couldn't see how those specific subjects could help me in the long run. As an English major, I learned how to write persuasively and think critically. Not to mention, you have to learn how to pay attention to detail, meet deadlines, organize your thoughts, and learn how to communicate effectively. All of these skills are extremely important when entering the working world, and I felt that I am equipped with a skillset that will help me succeed.

Choosing your major is a defining moment in your college career, but you can change your mind based on who you become throughout college. I chose to wait to declare because I wanted to make sure that after a year of college, English still aligned with my goals and interests. Don't feel like you have to rush to declare, even if you already have an inkling of what you might want to do. Take your time and explore your interests.

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