I have always been enamored with words. I enjoyed both reading and writing; both came easily to me. When it came to deciding on a major, English seemed like the right choice…and the more I studied writing, the more fascinating it became! Writers can convey a thought, idea, or memory from one mind to another—that’s magic in itself. Words inspire people, give us a reason to live, shape the way we think. Words help us find meaning in life. I wanted to be part of that.
A BRIEF DEFENSE
When I told people I want to be a writer, people would usually ask about the practicality (“But how will you make any money?”) as if that’s the reason I wanted to pursue the field. Money is important, of course, but it’s not everything. Money supports life, not the other way around.
Every major has its stereotypes. Most people assume that if you major in English, you want to become a teacher. Now, teaching is a noble profession, but it’s by no means the only route an English major can take. There’s also journalism, writing novels, copywriting, technical writing, editing, content creation, marketing, screenwriting, blogging…literally anything involving words. There’s no scarcity of jobs for good writers because our world depends on language to survive.
Here’s the thing: I have so much respect for anyone who tackles a STEM or business field. I believe that every major is important and necessary. For our world to thrive, we need all the disciplines to work in collaboration. One of my favorite films, Dead Poets Society, puts it this way:
“Medicine, law, business, engineering—these are noble pursuits, and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love—these are what we stay alive for.”
—Dead Poets Society (1989)
TOP 10 THINGS I LEARNED FROM STUDYING ENGLISH
1. Good writing is good thinking.
You can only convey an idea well when you truly understand it. That’s why the simplest proverbs are often the most profound. On the other hand, sloppy writing means you either don’t understand what you’re saying or you don’t care to communicate it well. One of my professors always said that the art of crafting a good sentence is a combination of understanding grammar and having something to say.
2. Make the assignment matter to you.
Most professors care more about reading a passionate, informed essay than one that regurgitates exactly what they think. If your professor is looking for the latter, that’s not real education. Real education teaches you how to think critically for yourself. Figure out what excites you about the assignment and focus on that.
3. How to write a zero draft.
A zero draft, in a nutshell, is the roughest of all rough drafts. It’s my favorite exercise because if you have something stewing in your head, there’s no pressure or expectation to get it right. Don’t worry about grammar. Just spill your thoughts on paper until the document is 400 words. Zero drafts tackle the fear of a blank page and give you something to revise later.
4. Good writing happens in revision.
Like any skill, writing improves with practice. Every draft refines your thoughts. I like to follow a three-draft rule:
- 1st draft: Write it
- 2nd draft: Write what you mean
- 3rd draft: Write it well
5. Romanticize learning.
College is hard, and on the days when you have a small mountain of projects to finish, you need to remember why you started. Whether you get into the “dark academia” niche or start following study-blogger accounts, you have full permission to romanticize the excitement of school supplies, post-its and pencils, an organized desk, copious cups of tea. It is no bad thing to be a Hermione Granger in this world. Do whatever it takes to stay motivated.
6. How to do a close reading.
When studying 19th-century literature, attentive reading assignments were one of the most fun assignments of my English major career. Attentive readings taught me to read well. It works just as well with Harry Potter or Mary Oliver’s poetry as it does with Dickens or a classic sonnet. Here’s how to do it:
- Start with a brief passage (a page or a poem) that intrigues you.
- Consider the role of this passage in the context of the larger work. Does it foreshadow future events? Does it shed light on previous parts of the story?
- Underline any adjectives. What are they describing? What gets described the most?
- Look for similes, metaphors, or allusions. How do they contribute to the passage? What do the images convey?
- Is there any repetition of words or phrases? How does the repetition affect the passage?
- What stands out about this passage? What is noteworthy?
Often there are far deeper insights hiding within passages that only emerge when we pay attention. Some of the most fascinating undercurrents of literature are discovered during attentive readings.
7. How to give and take criticism well.
Criticism should always leave you excited to make your project better. It should be specific enough so you know exactly what to fix when you revise. In his book The Craft of Revision, Donald Murray suggests a two-step critique process. To get the best feedback, ask these two questions:
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- What works?
- What needs work?
8. Seek to understand, not agree.
This idea was a game-changer for me, especially as I entered college conversations on race, inequality, immigration, politics, religion, and other areas where I am way out of my depth. Because the English major deals with the written exchange of ideas, I had to learn to fairly engage with people on controversial subjects. By grounding yourself in humility, framing things inclusively, and being sensitive to the words you use, conversations can help people understand each other instead of cause division.
Aristotle said, “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” The way I see the world is not necessarily the way others see it. In the grand scheme of things, I know very little. When I engage in conversation with someone, it’s very likely that neither of us see the full picture—we only see our perspectives of it. I learned that if I wanted to share an open, authentic, honest conversation, I can’t try to persuade the other person to my point of view without first being willing to hear their own thoughts. The point of a conversation isn’t necessarily to agree, but to understand each other.
9. Write for the love of it.
The reader can feel whether you’re interested in what you’ve written. Going into any project, the most important thing to remember is to stay excited. Write because you’re curious. Write for the joy of it! You might surprise yourself.
10. Nobody else can write it for you.
Nobody else can create your poem/essay/blog/novel for you. You are the only one with your voice and your specific idea. You are the only one who can create it, and it won’t exist unless you make it happen. Keep going!
