• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
College Magazine logo

College Magazine

College Life, Dating, Career & Campus Advice

  • Colleges
    • College Guides
    • College Rankings
    • Campus Life
      • Academics
      • Dating
      • Freshman Year
      • Health
      • Social Change
      • Party
    • Find Your College
  • Majors
    • All Majors
    • Most Popular Majors
    • Choosing a Major
  • Intern
    • Internship Directory
    • How to Get an Internship
    • How to Write a Resume
    • How to Write a Cover Letter
    • How to Interview
    • How to Network
    • Career 101
    • Find Your Passion Career
  • Money
    • How to Make Money
    • How to Save Money
    • How to Get a Job
    • Credit Cards 101
    • FAFSA
    • Ramen Project
  • Travel
    • Study Abroad
    • College Spring Break
    • How to Travel Cheap
    • Things to Do
  • Shop
    • College Magazine Shop
    • Gift Guides
    • College Packing List
Home » Latest Posts » A Letter to the Ambitious English Major
Choosing a Major Life

A Letter to the Ambitious English Major

FacebookTweet
man writing at a table
unsplash.com
Brooks Lockett December 7, 2018

To my fellow English majors,

Did you ever give in to the myth that English is a worthless college degree? Have you ever hesitated when someone asked you what you’re studying? For some reason, people seem to think the career prospects for people who study literature are few and far between.

I’m here to tell you that’s absolutely not true.

As a lifelong lover of books and literature, I know in my heart that English is the right path to pursue. It has always been my favorite subject in school. I was the kid everyone asked to edit their papers; I did it because I could see the grammar mistakes from a mile away and it bothered me. But before graduating high school I was told that I needed to study something more practical. Something “challenging.”

I felt like I needed to impress people with my choice of study. So, my freshman year, I forwent my original idea of English and declared my major pre-med biology. I ended up being miserable for my first two years of college.

During my Freshman and Sophomore Year I spend countless hours and late nights studying for classes I have no interest in.

All I really want to do is read, write and be creative. Despite these feelings, I press on, hoping they’ll go away. The ooo’s and ahhh’s I receive from impressing my friends and family when I explain my findings from molecular biology lab reports are enough to keep me going.

It’s 3 a.m. and I’m the last one in the library. I’m studying for my organic chemistry final exam, feeling too tired and frustrated to even function. After two years, I reach my breaking point. At this moment, I decide it’s time to be real with myself and change my course. I slam my textbook shut and storm out of the library.


trending

110

How Graduation is Causing Me a (Good) Existential Crisis

Gretchen Rubin, author of Life in Five Sense
96

Awaken Your Five Senses with #1 NYTs Bestselling Author Gretchen Rubin

78

Adulting with Your Mom Is Fun


The next day, I march into my advisor’s office and tell her I’m changing my major.

She responds by giving me a look of uncertainty, but I tell her I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life. I’m at a point in my self-awareness journey where I know I need a change. I no longer want to take science and math classes that don’t interest me. So halfway through my undergraduate career, I take responsibility for my passions. I decide to pursue English (at my school the major is called Editing, Writing & Media). I’m lucky, and a little shocked, to have the full support of both my parents.

I hit the ground running and never look back. I feel captivated by my classes because they allow me to be creative. My coursework includes everything from copywriting and editing, to graphic design and video recording. My ability to create compelling stories skyrockets. From all the deep reading and writing, I notice my vocabulary improving over time. Instead of feeling frustrated while doing homework, like before, I have fun with my assignments. My professors inspire me to become a better writer, thinker and speaker.

In pursuing a major that I genuinely enjoy, I’ve learned how to take charge of who I want to become: someone bold and resilient who rolls with the punches and overcomes adversities. The process of changing career tracks when I was already halfway through college was a rocky one. But it isn’t about what other people think. I will pursue something that aligns with my interests and my goals.

I can see myself being passionate about English for the long run. My Editing, Writing and Media track lets me explore the exciting worlds of literature, digital media and journalism. Each of these fields require talented and sharp writers, and the skills we learn can be applied to every industry. Pre-medical studies are a great thing to pursue and many people feel that this is their calling in life, but it isn’t for me. I’m glad I got out before it was too late. Even the mere thought of spending my days sequestered to a lab, staring at beakers and titration equipment gives me anxiety.

I immersed myself in what I actually love and the time I spent wondering what my purpose was diminished.

Instead of focusing on what I’m missing out on, all my energy is devoted to creating, writing and searching for new opportunities.

Despite my initial concerns, I found that the career options are numerous for students who study English. There is also a breadth of internship opportunities. Companies like to hire liberal arts students because, as it turns out, people like hiring creative, idealistic and articulate individuals to work at their companies. Who would’ve thought? The jobs are out there, just waiting to be taken by the next ambitious English major. All you need to do is find them. This is a chance to put those research skills to good use.

The Opportunities are Endless.

Since going with English, I’ve been a writer for my school’s newspaper, lived in Chicago for a summer while working as a communications intern and am now working as a creative marketing intern at a technology startup. Oh, and I’ve written lots of essays.

Image of me in Chicago
Brooks Lockett

The major can prepare you for careers in business, public affairs, education, law and there’s always the occasional best–selling author. Seriously, it could happen. Regardless of which field you want to go into, the English major will make you a great communicator, something needed across the board. In fact, Richard Branson, billionaire founder of Virgin Group, said in 2015 that communication is the most important skill any leader can possess.

To anyone on the fence about majoring in English, I say go for it. Your job prospects are limitless. Don’t get me wrong, the process isn’t going to be perfect. It will have its ups and downs just like anything else. However, it is so important to be doing something you love and care about. No matter what you study, with the right amount of desire, hard work and tons and tons of research, you can land amazing jobs and internships. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. It’s the ambition that matters, not the major.

Godspeed, writers,

Brooks Lockett

About Brooks Lockett

Brooks Lockett is a recent graduate from Florida State University. He is stoked to be bringing his English degree to New York City to work in the communications industry. Catch him writing, rock climbing, or getting way too competitive at basketball in his (shrinking) free time.

What To Do Next When You Don’t Know What To Do

Q&A with ASCEND app Creators Sydney Campos and David Richeson

10 Best College Majors for Those Who Have No Idea What They Want to Do

How a Last-Minute Gap Semester Changed My Life

Is Online Learning Right for You?

10 Things All International Students Understand

5 Pre-Finals Rituals to Follow for Optimum Study Time

Life Lessons I Learned in Fitness Classes

A Dream Deferred

Previous Post:10 Songs to Get You Out of Your Winter Rut
Next Post:Finding Myself 3,734 Miles Away from Home

colleges

  • College Guides
  • College Rankings
  • Campus life
  • Academics
  • Dating
  • Freshmen Year
  • Health
  • Party

majors

  • All College Majors
  • Most Popular Majors
  • Choosing a Major

intern

  • Internships Directory
  • How to Write a Resume
  • How to Write a Cover Letter
  • How to Interview
  • How to Get an Internship
  • How to Network

money

  • How to Make Money
  • How to Save Money
  • How to Get a Job
  • Credit Cards 101
  • College Loans

travel

  • Study Abroad
  • College Spring Break
  • How to Travel Cheap
  • Things to Do

shop

  • College Packing List
  • Gift Guides
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS Feed
  • Twitter
  • About Us
  • Team
  • Write
  • Apply
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sign Up
  • Advertise
  • My Account
  • Cart

College Magazine logo

Copyright © 2023 Powered by BizBudding