Bookish Talk: Colleges, Life Choices, and Lots of My Thoughts

Here I am, back again with another Bookish Talk. I've always enjoyed writing these, but mostly this influx of them is coming from two things: 1) a severe lack of reading anything outside of school stuff because thesis time is stressful time, and 2) I've been doing a lot of thinking lately between obsessive grad school searching, reorganizing and reorganizing my time management since my schedule seems to change weekly, and wondering what this year will bring me with all the impending changes.

Much of this, especially my grad school search, has left me reflecting on my time as an undergrad (of which I have roughly a month and a half left for this semester and then my final semester in the fall). For those of you who don't know, I'm looking at Master's programs in Publishing. I've wanted to immerse myself in this industry for a long time, and I know there are other bookish people out there who want this as well. 

So, because of this undergrad reflection-y time and all such things, I've especially remembered the many helpful articles I've read about grad schools, life after undergrad, getting a job in publishing, etc. that have helped me. Prior to entering college, I was so torn about what to set my career goals as, what path to take, and all those not so light thoughts. From me to all the readers who are struggling with these things (particularly those who want to work in publishing or some bookish field eventually), here are some thoughts I have for you that at best will help you and hopefully, at the very least, provide some food for thought, even if you aren't looking at undergraduate colleges right now. 

  1.) Possibly the most important, DO NOT BE AFRAID TO MAJOR IN ENGLISH. But, also, you don't have to major in English. In the area that I live, few people see any worth in what I want to do. I've received the many common comments English majors get when someone asks about their major: "So, you're teaching," "What the heck are you going to do with that?", "Oh, that's such an easy major. I wish I had majored in something that requires so little work," and the oh-so-clever, "You must really like being poor." They are nearly unavoidable, and the more people say things like this to you, the more pissed off you're likely to become about the lack of value many put on literature,authors, and artsy, cultural things in general. 

But, you'll also get people who DO understand your passion, who support you, who encourage you, and who will wonderfully trade books with you frequently. Ideally, these people will come in the form of your professors and your friends. They actually believe you when you tell them about the versatility of an English major, of the joy you get when you think about working with manuscripts and connecting books to readers. They will be your greatest allies, and occasionally, at your low points, when things seem frustrating and meaningless and full of doubt, will hand you (or otherwise remind you) of one of your favorite books and ask you what your life would be like without it. (And they might just not judge you when you need to order pizza and cry for a bit, because you know how hard you will and have worked to do what you love, but you still have to deal with people who think it's worthless). 

If English major-ing isn't your thing though, that's fine, too! The publishing industry uses so many people with different educational backgrounds from accountants to lawyers to PR wizards. Possibly the greatest and scariest part of the publishing industry is that there isn't a one set path to get a job in it. Research biographies of people who work at them; you'll find it hard to see any sort of majority pathway. 

2.) Top-ranked schools have great benefits, but they aren't everything. Personal growth is such a big part of college, and in my opinion, it isn't worth sacrificing a college where you could see yourself being transformed in the best ways over a place that was ranked more by Princeton or U.S. News or whomever. If those two places happen to be the same one, that's fabulous, because going to a well respected college with a beautiful alumni network does have its benefits. But, don't stress out if you don't go Ivy League or even to the top school in your state. Go somewhere where you'll feel comfortable, but challenged. 

For me, I knew I wanted a small school. I like working closely with amazing professors. When I visited my school, I fell in love with it. I loved their honors program, I loved all the professors I met, and I loved the campus. Having almost completed my time here, I can acknowledge that other schools may have provided me with more connections, but I wouldn't trade what I got from here for anything. I found my best friend, I have multiple, brilliant role models, and for a brief time, I've been part of a home that I will never regret. I feel fully prepared to leave this place, albeit bitter-sweetly because I do love it, ready for the next stage of my life, ready for grad school, and ready for new experiences. 

3.) Use your Internet skills (or hone them if you need to). Talking to current students is one of the absolute best ways to get to know a program or a place. Granted, you should keep in mind that they are not you, and they do not know your specific needs, but if they're honest, they can tell you the pros and cons of a school or program that you probably won't get from the admissions office. Search the school on Twitter, on Facebook, etc., and you'll probably find several people who go there. Email the admissions office or the program director and ask if it would be possible to get in touch with a current student. Ask people around you if they know anyone who goes there or who went there in the past few years. Particularly when emailing admissions, I've had so much success in being connected to really honest and kind students. Several times, they have been the weight that sent my mixed opinions closer to a negative or a positive. Just be polite, make a list of questions you would like answered, and thank them for all their help. 

4.) Make time to read in college, especially when you first start. Your first semester, even your first year, will bring big changes and challenges. It's easy to get overwhelmed, stressed, and/or depressed during that time. Reading something that isn't an assignment, even for ten minutes a week when you get to class early and the professor isn't there yet, can make a huge difference. It won't fix everything, but it's amazing how calming it can be. It might remind you of the many different experiences everyone is going through (whether in a fantasy world or the real one) and put yours in perspective, or it might just be a really great way to escape. If you're at a school where you have a lot of gen eds that aren't your thing, this will also be encouragement to keep going until you get to the classes you really want to be in. Plus, if you want to work in publishing, it's good to be aware of what's getting attention in the current book world, not just why Jane Austen is or isn't the best ever (I love her).

5.) Be open to classes that are outside your major, whether they are gen eds or something that sounds interesting. I've definitely had some gen eds where I counted the days until they were over (looking at you, math requirement), but I've also learned more than I ever imagined in classes I never expected to like. I've never been particularly fond of studying science, but quite possibly two of my favorite classes that aren't English are the Human Biology and Environmental Science courses I took. I had a lovely professor who geared the content to non-majors and focused on how it applies directly to your life. In Environmental Science, I even found loads of ways it connects to the publishing world and ecological criticism in literary theory.      

  6.) Enjoy this upcoming time in your life. I know a lot of people who have loved their college experience because they opened themselves to it. They found people they loved to spend time with, professors whose discussions left them speechless, places they loved to study, etc. It might take a while, but if you put effort into making your college experience a good one, there's a good chance it will be. I also know people who expected everything to be easy and not to have to work at anything (not just academically but socially as well), and they came out of college hating it (if they didn't decide to drop out). College is hard, but it's the kind of hard that's good for you. It helps you grow; it helps you realize the person you want to be and how to get there. Make time for fun things (especially if they are cultural). In the past 3 years, I've gone to book events, took a nearly 20 hour road trip to Boston, lazed on the beach, started blogging (because Sabrina is awesome and was searching for a co-blogger at literally the perfect time), developed a plan for a thesis about what I love (YA retellings of Beauty and the Beast and feminist literary theory), and even became a columnist. 4 years ago, if someone had told me all the things I would do, I would have ran away from them because they obviously didn't know me at all. 

Not every experience will be good. You might find yourself in a procrastination jungle, out of fear of failing rather than laziness, and be up at 2am trying to get an assignment done (I don't recommend this). You might come into college thinking you'll stay in touch with your high school friends and still be in love with your high school boyfriend or girlfriend. I've seen cases where people have and where people haven't done these things. People change. Life changes. You might feel absolutely isolated your first semester when it seems like everyone has found best friends for life, and you're not even that close with your roommate. You'll learn that it's okay to spend 5 hours crying into a bowl of ice cream while watching seasons of One Tree Hill, but you'll also learn how to pick yourself up, give yourself a hug, and move on. Self care is important, and you'll figure out what it means both to need it and to use it. 

So, if you're stressing about college and the future and life and majors and all the scary things, it's okay. Remember what you want or remember why you want to figure out what you want (for you, not for someone else), and you'll be okay.