English Majors??

[LightShade]

Schokokeks, what you wrote is absolutely wonderful
This is true passion.
If you have such a calling, then it would be a real shame to go into something else and I wish you the best luck with your scholarships and studies.
If all teachers out there would be as passionate about their subject as you are about literature, I believe education and its effects on students would be different - i.e. positive. The human dimension of education is of utmost importance and, unfortunately, many fail to understand that. So it is that we have teachers who do their job just because they believe there's nothing else they can do and not because they have a passion for it. It's just a job for them and lack of passion makes it a bad job both for themselves and for their students.

I was an English major (minor - Spanish) and I truly believed I could not be a good teacher. I didn't feel any calling and I didn't enjoy the activity in itself (we had to have some teaching practice hours during our final year). So I chose not to go into teaching at all. There are also other jobs available for someone who holds a BA in two languages - translation is one, even if the start may be a bit difficult; second, working your way up in a company from a secretarial or assistant position is not a bad career start.

[A Hard Rain]

one more note is that of course education won't get u anywhere without the effort or ambition. At times i don't have the ambition, to obtain useless and pointless knowledge. But then there is no outlet of expression. So i am studying by myself and attending college in January. Words are the most addictive drug of man. - Rudyard Kipling... or someone.

Insight is great, but only the great have been able to express it.

And maybe the keenest insight is able to see through the futility of expression, but i'm not that perspicacious.

Kind of like buddha denying bliss to come back and show the people?

**** if i know, its 12:30 pm and i'm drunk.

One more thought...

The worst thing about the last temptation is that your doing the right thing for the wrong reasons. -- T.S. Eliot.

[Koa]

Even if this is true, in my opinion this is absolutely no reason for not to enter university or college and pursue a degree in humanities if one really wants to.
My overall goal is to study English and French and to become a professor at university. I come from the smallest and most narrow-minded village imaginable, my parents do not support my wish to go to university and I have absolutely no idea where I should get all the money from that I will need. Yet I'm writing my applications anyway, working retail and waitressing at every free hour and working my way through about a hundred of scholarships that might help me.
Everyone keeps telling me that I should better apply for some course such as Marine Biology or Veterinary Medicine but after having passed some sort of crisis or state of not-knowing-where-to-go-now, I came to the blunt conclusion that this is just not what I was made for. Although career opportunities may look dismal, studying literature and languages and passing my verve on to others is what I really want!
Even if I won't be making big money and even if I end up in a small college in the middle of nowhere teaching Shakespearean sonetts and Greek theatre to a couple of barely interested teenagers, so be it. Then I will do my very very best for the maybe one or two pupils in my future classes who are as passionate about literature as I am. And I will have done what I've always wanted: studied literature, and not spent my days in a subterranean laboratory, but tried to touch the borders of my mind and deriving a lot of joy from what I do because I can do it with all my heart.

This was also my thought at your age, plus I had the luck of having parents who supported me and are proud of it.
But now I'm at the end of it, and I've always known I don't want to teach... I have always liked the idea of translating, but I don't feel I have the qualifications for it... My English is good but who would care, with a stupid 3-year-degree and no experience?I'm starting to send CVs to translation offices cos I have to start somewhere, but I'd be very surprised if any of them bothered with me... As for the other languages, that's out of discussion, they're nowhere as fluent as my English...and for English there is a lot of competition already.
All I see in job offers are requests for people who have knowledge of marketing, economics, sometimes law... (and German or Spanish besides English... which I both know very little...). All I can do is try to make up my mind about specialising... I also sometimes think of some kind of career in diplomatic areas, or in international organisations... not as a politician or such, but in offices or as interpreter/translator... But again, the useless 3-year-uni-that-everybody-can-do-without-even-reading-all-the-texts wouldnt probably be enough to be taken seriously yet... But where can I gain some experience if that is too little to start anything?

When I was a teenager in my small blue-collar hometown (and dinosaurs still roamed the earth), a high school diploma was seen as a ticket to the good life because a lot of kids never graduated and only a few rich kids went to college. I was considered a wonder boy genius because I graduated a year early at age 17 in the top 20% of my class. Things have changed radically since then. Today most kids want to slash their wrists if they can't get into some diploma-mill college. The ironic part is, even with a college degree, they could end up asking customers if they want fries with their order.

Very true. At least here, anyone goes to Uni (cos there's usually no entrance exam, anyone can go) and that in my opinion lowers the level. When I started Uni i was aware of the possibility of it being useless, but I thought I was doing it for myself, who cared if I then got a crappy job, at least I studied what I wanted for my own satisfaction... But now I don't want to get away with any job without trying to get something I want and that has to do at least slightly with my studies (or doesnt, but it's abroad, therefore implies using English or another language)... sure I'd adapt if it needs to, but first I want to try, it doesn't cost much to try for a few months before going into the fries&ketchup business I guess...

[Countess]

Okay, everyone on this thread has taken the words out of my mouth. It is difficult for me to communicate my thoughts on this topic, because I have so many arguments to produce, but first and foremost, I will say without the humanities (and language) there would be no Plato, no Aristotle, no Socrates, no poetry, no art, nothing to inspire and fill the heart with joy.

When art speaks to the heart, it produces a divine spark in us. It elevates our souls to new levels, and we comprehend more about our universe, our world, our fellow man and ourselves. There is nothing in Chemistry, Biology or Physics that can replicate this experience, and if Aristotle is to be believed (Metaphysics) this is the greatest thing to which man can aspire.

Many will argue utilitarian function outweighs aesthetic quality, but I say that God clearly delineates what he values most, for he first was Creator God and built not just a world that works, but a world that is beautiful.

T

[PeterL]

Okay, everyone on this thread has taken the words out of my mouth. It is difficult for me to communicate my thoughts on this topic, because I have so many arguments to produce, but first and foremost, I will say without the humanities (and language) there would be no Plato, no Aristotle, no Socrates, no poetry, no art, nothing to inspire and fill the heart with joy.

When art speaks to the heart, it produces a divine spark in us. It elevates our souls to new levels, and we comprehend more about our universe, our world, our fellow man and ourselves. There is nothing in Chemistry, Biology or Physics that can replicate this experience, and if Aristotle is to be believed (Metaphysics) this is the greatest thing to which man can aspire.

Applause, Language and literature are fundamental to all other knowledge, including the hard sciences.

[Koa]

Okay, everyone on this thread has taken the words out of my mouth. It is difficult for me to communicate my thoughts on this topic, because I have so many arguments to produce, but first and foremost, I will say without the humanities (and language) there would be no Plato, no Aristotle, no Socrates, no poetry, no art, nothing to inspire and fill the heart with joy.



T

I agree...I personally dislike a lot anything that has to do with sciences and practical stuff...which are needed to, but I can't find the slightest interest in them..
...though when you find yourself looking for a job, you realise that if you had adapted to those, your quest would be easier, and if you liked them, you'd find more easily something you like...

I've followed my path of humanities till the end, and I was proud of it till now...when I'm so confused that it makes me scared of having chosen the wrong way in this too, as usual.

[A Hard Rain]

Countess you really wear on me with God this and God that. As a basis for communication we use words-- concepts of thought to communicate to one another. Understanding the definitions of these words is fundamental to discernable communication. I don't understand what God means. It is most probable that it is the consummate of ambiguity, an abstruse word, a sullied concept which is in no way clear to me by what you mean. I mean this in the most sincere and polite way; I don't get it. I realize you only mentioned the word once. It is my latent confusion from previous threads. Please explain your concept of God or faith or whatever it is. You seem to be a truly interesting person and it would be to my delectation to maybe better comprehend our trivial meanders on the board!

[PeterL]

Countess you really wear on me with God this and God that. As a basis for communication we use words-- concepts of thought to communicate to one another. Understanding the definitions of these words is fundamental to discernable communication. I don't understand what God means. It is most probable that it is the consummate of ambiguity, an abstruse word, a sullied concept which is in no way clear to me by what you mean. I mean this in the most sincere and polite way; I don't get it. I realize you only mentioned the word once. It is my latent confusion from previous threads. Please explain your concept of God or faith or whatever it is. You seem to be a truly interesting person and it would be to my delectation to maybe better comprehend our trivial meanders on the board!

Hard Rain, I love the way that you wrote that. Most of that post in poetic, metrical. If you edit it well and carefully, you will have a piece of high grade poetry.

[pcockey]

I'm a double major in English and history, and I want to go on to grad school for folklore & mythology. Ideally I'd like to teach, but the nice thing about this particular choice is that it opens up a few different opportunities to me (museum work, etc.). Yeah, I'd be incredibly happy specializing in Victorian literature, but I figured I'd go with something a bit off the beaten path to give myself a bit more wiggle room--plus the impression I've gotten is that for this kind of a specialization, I'll have a much better shot with teaching jobs than I would with lit.

[jon1jt]

[QUOTE=Schokokeks] My overall goal is to study English and French and to become a professor at university. I come from the smallest and most narrow-minded village imaginable, my parents do not support my wish to go to university and I have absolutely no idea where I should get all the money from that I will need. Yet I'm writing my applications anyway, working retail and waitressing at every free hour and working my way through about a hundred of scholarships that might help me.

I'm just going to guess that Schokokeks is in her early to mid-twenties. I wanted to do cartwheels after reading her fiery speel about working in academia, even if it means, Schokokeks says, slaving as a waitress, etc. and transforming herself into a person of letters working as a professor in Siberia? I feel we've all been a bit dupped into this grandiose idea that "going to college" is our BEST bet, when in fact scores of college grads are working full-time for $7.00 an hour without benefits while deferring tens of thousands of dollars in student loans!! English majors fare even worse! I hope Schokokeks is saving her tip money for the exorbitant cost of doing a masters and doctorate, which takes an average of seven years. I should know, I've done them. Don't take my word for it; check out the college debt burden nowadays.

"College may not provide me gainful employment, but what's important to me is the college experience, knowledge for knowledge's sake." Would somebody please clarify for me why institutionalized learning has become the paragon of such knowledge? Look at the college admissions standards today. Got a pulse? You're accepted! Even the so-called Ivies are dumbing down --- bent on their multicultural quest sacrificing all-toO-often raw talent for diversity, capital "D". (I acknowledge the importance of such...it is a bit absurd, however, how qualified people have been sacrificed FOR THE SAKE OF). One member supposes that people can pursue their own interests while attending college. In other words, you don't have to sacrifice "anything" to "the" institution. I respectfully disagree. One I've all ready mentioned is the god-awful debt factor. Second is we live in a finite world. Most students have to work and maintain a social life. With the rest of the time given over to writing papers, reading "their" books (most often rubbish), commuting, going for lunch with mom, brushing one's teeth; is there even time to read Aristotle's Metaphysics on one's own?! Reading the newspaper...huh?

I'll leave you with the words of Will Hunting said to that pompous-*** Harvard-wanna-be-intellectual: "You dropped $150 grand on an education you could have got for a buck-fifty in late charges at the public library."

[Schokokeks]

I'm just going to guess that Schokokeks is in her early to mid-twenties. I wanted to do cartwheels after reading her fiery speel about working in academia, even if it means, Schokokeks says, slaving as a waitress, etc. and transforming herself into a person of letters working as a professor in Siberia? I feel we've all been a bit dupped into this grandiose idea that "going to college" is our BEST bet, when in fact scores of college grads are working full-time for $7.00 an hour without benefits while deferring tens of thousands of dollars in student loans!! English majors fare even worse!

Even worse, I'm sweet 18.
Actually, prospective debt due to college education is what scared me most about embarking for university. This is even more frustrating if the time spent in college didn't turn out to be worthy of these hours and hours of 'slave work'.

I'll leave you with the words of Will Hunting said to that pompous-*** Harvard-wanna-be-intellectual: "You dropped $150 grand on an education you could have got for a buck-fifty in late charges at the public library."

That actually is my most favourite movie ever!! Really a good one.
I guess I, too, am looking for 'the college experience' that can't be obtained by a walk through the local library. I'd like to share my thoughts with others, discuss igniting ideas and to really deeply dug into a topic, yes, all that idealistic trinket I'm desiring from my bright-naive point of view. Yet even if all my hopes will be disappointed, if all my college experiences will be marked by institutionaliyed learning, over-crowded and tedious lectures and if I won't meet one single amiable fellow student to share ideas and lunch breaks, and if I won't be working with one interesting professor, and if I will never be able to say 'now, this really made my day!' on campus, then at least I've tried and opted for what appeared most compelling to me.
...And, one of my greatest wishes for my future, hopefully I won't wind up in a public bar generously displaying my oh-so-admirable-Harvard-education as did that slimy guy in the movie, but rather treat some guys to a drink

[pcockey]

I look at it this way: I'm a pretty useless individual so far as actual marketable skills go. Someday I want a job I can enjoy. I'm not worried about being rich. I'm far more concerned with being happy. And if I need a piece of paper to do that, then I'll get it. And if I can't get a job? Better to have some hope of it than to give up on it altogether.

[jon1jt]

Even worse, I'm sweet 18.
I guess I, too, am looking for 'the college experience' that can't be obtained by a walk through the local library. I'd like to share my thoughts with others, discuss igniting ideas and to really deeply dug into a topic, yes, all that idealistic trinket I'm desiring from my bright-naive point of view. Yet even if all my hopes will be disappointed, if all my college experiences will be marked by institutionaliyed learning, over-crowded and tedious lectures and if I won't meet one single amiable fellow student to share ideas and lunch breaks, and if I won't be working with one interesting professor, and if I will never be able to say 'now, this really made my day!' on campus, then at least I've tried and opted for what appeared most compelling to me.
...And, one of my greatest wishes for my future, hopefully I won't wind up in a public bar generously displaying my oh-so-admirable-Harvard-education as did that slimy guy in the movie, but rather treat some guys to a drink

Well said. I'm only the messenger; and of course, "my" experience is my experience. Perhaps it'll turn out better for you. I have been besieged in my academic career by wanna-be intellectuals, right up through my Ph.D work. I was fortunate to get a teaching assistantship/fellowship, which paid tuition plus $15K annual stipend for four years to carry me through. Still, I have enormous debt from grad work --- where I towed the line and marketed myself as a "worthy" member of the Worldview Club. Anyway, in retrospect I wish I hadn't done it -- jobs are hard to come by and I'm teaching middle school English at a snot-rag private school. What I think you're searching for is an intellectual community and I don't want to destroy your hopes, but college is the not the only intellectual place, and consider cost, again. Average college tuition debt is like $30K and law/med is 100K and climbing!! This is obscene!! Today, I pay a flat $300. fee to audit Ph.D courses at a top university in NYC, and in a conference room setting, consisting of only 8 students and a professor, I encounter the most intellectually-stimulating discussions! I'm also a member of a writing group in NYC and have met better writers there than any college campus. And most don't have a degree, yet have published extensively. There are other options, but unfortunately society doesn't give credence to those I just mentioned. Only the ones with the big price tag. Realize it's all driven by the egomaniacal or people who acquiesce like those who proclaim they're willing to "take a shot" at any cost. I'd like to see those same people when their monthly tuition statement comes in, when they're at a different stage in their lives, and they want to buy a house and go on vacation and so on. But, oh, almost forgot, the credit card. :-) Good luck to ya!

[lil]

I'm actually an English Major in Hungary (look for that tiny country next to Austria on the map; )
Most of us here are studying to become language teachers. Still, we have to read all (or almost all) that you have to read there...
But, personally, I'm really enjoying it. (Okay, I know I'm a masochist.)
My only problem is that I don't have much time to read any Hungarian books lately (which are also great)...
Here you don't have to pay tuition unless you already have a degree. However, the cost of living is quite high (and the prices of the textbooks can be quite shocking at times... but there is the good old library; )
Fortunately I have a boyfriend who supports me now, but it wasn't always like that. If it wasn't for him I wouldn't be attending university at all. I would probably be working as an assistant or sth like that... answering phone calls and writing letters instead of my boss who doesn't speak English. I would hate it!

[super_maz]

hey guys, im kinda new to all this forum business because i never really saw the point of it, but then i discovered this site and it acutally had INTELLIGENT people and INTERESTING comments and im like wow! lol.
so anyway, im starting uni next year (hopefully i will get onto my desired English literature course!) and unfortunately stressing out about debt! especially since the tuition fees have gone up to £3 000 per annum (thanks a helluva lot mr blair!!) but thankfully i'll be able to get a loan out and stuff.
im just wondering, the students in the US, do they have to pay similar tuition fees as us English? my friend lives in the US and she said that its going to cost her an arm and a leg to go to uni (she does not have a green card yet so maybe thats why).

anyways, im kinda nervous about starting uni in case i dont enjoy the course. how are all you literature student out there finding it so far??