1. What made you want to major in English? Why have you chosen your
particular emphasis in English?
“I decided to go into English,
and especially into professional writing, for creative writing. I’ve always been interested in creative
endeavor, and the ability to communicate abstract ideas and complex emotions
through the written word is such an intriguing thing to me. I love the sounds of words, exploring the
connotations of different words, and combining them in surprising ways. Writing allows both the writer and the reader
to explore the world from a different perspective, which is such a valuable
aspect of life.”
2. What was your favorite English class at UW-Platteville and why?
“My favorite English class would
be a tie between all my creative writing workshop experiences here. I love the collaboration that can happen as
students grow more open and trusting throughout the semester. There’s a sense of shared artistic experience
that isn’t really there in other academic fields. We all have something to say, and writing
workshops help you to say it.”
3. What expectations have you had to meet in college? What should aspiring English majors expect?
“The biggest thing, especially in
English, is to read. Whether it be
literature courses, or writing courses, reading is vital. And reading literature is a very different
method of reading than trying to hack through the droning textbooks for the
next bit of information that will be on the test. The biggest thing is to learn how to read
actively, looking for connection, meaning, and even the importance of word
choice to help convey another person’s perspective. And it’s important to remember that even
though a book or a poem is not directly relatable to a person, there is universality
to human nature; even things centuries old can have meaning for people in the
21st Century.”
4. Why do you feel English (reading, writing, teaching, etc.) is important? In other words, why should someone want to be an English major?
“English is important both
practically and developmentally.
Practically, our country is getting worse and worse at writing and
literacy even in the professional world.
Studying English, learning to write, and being truly comfortable with
your own language will help you excel in any other profession. Every career will have writing and
communicating with other people.
Studying English will help you get your ideas across clearly and
intelligently. Developmentally, English
is important for a person to help understand their place in the world. By really looking at other people’s
understanding of life, a person can learn to analyze their own lives in ways
that they may not have been able to before.
By being able to explore another person’s mind through literature and
other creative enterprises, we can begin to see how people are similar,
different, how we all struggle and triumph, and how the world is so much larger
than the world behind our eyes.”
5. What opportunities are available to expand your writing experience on campus?
“There are a surprising number of
opportunities on campus, and the most important ones are those that connect you
with other writers. I cannot stress
enough how important it is to find other writers, whether they write a similar
style or on similar topics or not. Most of
my experiences stemmed from creative writing courses and workshops that
connected me to fellow students with whom I was able to form bonds and mutually
develop our writing. It’s really
important to keep up these relationships outside of the classroom, as writing
is a continual process that doesn’t end as soon as you get the grade on your
final. Other opportunities are extremely
important: keep your eyes out for writing contests, guest poet/writer readings,
festivals, and other writing-related events that occur all year round. These are such great opportunities to get
exposed to new writing, to get connected to other writers on campus, and to
become a part of the community. For
writing assistance, the writing center is a great tool and should be eagerly
used. There are plenty of people there
who are happy to help you develop your own writing skills in a one-on-one
setting, regardless of writing skill.”
6. What do you intend to do with your degree / what do you intend to do
after you graduate?
“While creative writing is a very
competitive field, I’m hoping to be able to get into a graduate program for
either a creative writing MFA or possibly an MA in literature. With these, I would look into doctorate
programs and becoming a professor. I’m
open to other possibilities, such as editing or whatever may come my way. One of the great benefits of an English
degree is that it is…universally useful.
Many companies are looking for people who can write and communicate
clearly and if they know you can do so it’ll only look good for you.”
7. Are there any other questions you wished were on here? If so, ask
the question and answer it.
What is the most under-rated aspect of an English program?
“As dry as it sounds, grammar is
an extremely important aspect of English to study. By understanding the underpinnings of our
language, a person is able to work with much easier. Grammar is really the underlying building
block of a successful career in English, just like the basic math is to an
Engineer, or anatomy is to a doctor.
While a person may speak English naturally, there is a great deal of
subtlety that can only be really understood by studying grammar. It will help your writing, your reading, and
your verbal communication. I can’t
stress enough how important I feel grammar is to a well-rounded English
education.”
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