English Studies and Me

Hello, my name is Lauren A., and this is my first year at Kennesaw State University, but my fourth year of attending college. I had previously attended Gainesville State College and received my Associate degree in English Education. At Kennesaw I am an English major working towards a Bachelor degree. I believe English studies is very important to the progressive development of different ways of thinking and understand.

Now that I'm in classes, I focus most of my time on reading and doing homework for classes. On the weekends I go out with friends or to the park. I love reading and I love writing. I think I chose English because it's a subject I've always excelled at. When I was younger I would stay up almost all night reading my books. I read all the time. Now I don't have as much time to read anything other than what I am assigned in classes. I'm in 3 English classes and 1 History class. In 13 more English classes, I'll have my degree. I wanted to be a teacher because I felt my understanding of the material was different; I felt that I could easily convey my understanding of literary works to students. Now, after some student teaching, I'm not sure if I want to become a teacher. It's not because I found it difficult or annoying, but there's a background of drama and politics in schools that distract faculty from giving students 100%. I don't know what I'm going to do with my degree now, but I know for sure, no matter what I do with my degree, I will be published.

My immediate family does not have much faith in my career choice because I won't make a lot of money, but my extended family is just excited I'm going to college because many of them did not. I come from a small county where the common family dynamic is a working man who did not go to college, a housewife who did not go to college, and kids. More and more people are beginning to realize the importance of education and the university system of that state has improved tremendously the past 5-6 years. My mother wanted me to be a lawyer or a doctor, and my father just wants me to be successful in something that will last.

I do believe people's perspectives in my country are changing, but not for the better. People are afforded better styles of living and expect a certain amount due to them. It's unfortunate but many people think in a closed-minded fashion because they only know one way of life. I have had a very miserable life and lived in many different places, even overseas, and I have a very different perspective on how things can be seen. I think literature has also become very repetitive because people are not as challenged by life as they used to be.

I only know that I will continue to write after I graduate at this point. I have no idea what job I want anymore or where I want to live. I will become a published author and hopefully help people think in new ways, if only just a few people. If all else fails, I can continue to work in retail/sales, but an English degree won't do me much good there.

Lauren A.