As Arts and Humanities students, we know all too well the “light” and “original” remarks made at us that ultimately contain a basis of “what good is that?” or even better, “what do you plan to do with that? Let me guess, be a teacher!”
Ha. Haha. Ha.
Now that that’s covered and hopefully behind us forever (which we know is too good to be true), let’s take some real time to discuss the value of our choices.
As arts students, whether disciplinary, fine or literary, we are often considered to have it “easier” or less “stressful” than other faculties. Please know, they truly are the same in a lot of ways: you get out what you put in. If you work hard and stress in a passionate way, you’ll be rewarded. If you work hard and stress in a way that consumes your mind day and night, you may be rewarded, but are you happy? We all feel both kinds at some point in our academic career, but by the time you hit university — the education of choice and liberation to study what you want — I hope you have found the kind of stress with passion in your work. If you haven’t, I am very, very sorry. But know, it’s never too late.
I’d like to see someone write a lab report in one night and write an essay about Beowulf in two days or an oil painting masterpiece in one week. Or vice versa. There are talents and intellect of different kinds on either end of the spectrum and I really was never able to see this divide until I decided to just speak out on something I couldn’t even realize was there. This divide of less or more intelligence does not exist unless your ignorance has become a larger portion of your character than what university has been able to offer to us as future leaders of this world.
We picked our programs for a reason. Not because we couldn’t do math or science or get into a program that pursues further education in such relative subjects, but because we have a passion for things that aren’t necessarily factual. We have a passion for a certain kind of freedom that is unique among our generation, and to be able to embrace that in our University education is something I am truly grateful for.
I chose the program of English Language and Literature because I always figured and believed that having an education and career that I enjoy would make me feel much more rich and satisfied within my own life. Sure I have doubts about my future “success” financially, or in terms of climbing any corporate ladders, but I don’t doubt my future in happiness and fulfillment due to my passion for learning through a language that is constantly evolving.
If you do something you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. It’s disgustingly cliche but it’s true. Taking home 30 essays filled with grade 11 comma splices is a cost I very much look forward to if the reward is being able to mould young minds to believe that pursuing passion in any field is enough to be happy. And although our cost of living is ridiculous and we live in an absolutely corrupt economy, it’s okay to live in freedom instead of fear of the man in the suit. I believe this because I know I will be able to write, and with words create an escape for those working nine to five for the men wearing the suits, which I’m okay with never being able to afford.
Happiness is success and anything less is failure. However, happiness is also a form of desire that constantly renews itself to be achieved and satisfied. It keeps us hungry. In my opinion, my cost of living is this constant desire for happiness: it’s satisfied but never fulfilled. Keep going, and keep improving. There’s always a better version of yourself that only you can be gunning for and if you’re not, you probably aren’t the happiest you can be. Do what you love and never let anyone tell you that what you love is going to be worth more or less than whatever they believe. I take so much pride in what I’ve learned being in my program. I’ve learned about people, character, how important an environment is for people to act certain ways, why people do the things they do. Most of all, I truly believe I owe the growth of my forgiving and loving nature to language and literature. I have been able to express myself in ways a lot of people find strange and I love having developed something I admire so much in myself. So please know that whatever you make them out to be, your choices matter. Words matter. Art matters.
Find your literature. I know that we chose the arts for more reasons than what people paint our education out to be. And we must take pride in being the question marks of our society living in what they see as a grey area which to us is a future of limitless, detailed brilliance. We study and love the unknown and the endless.
Yours Truly, A very happy and proud English major