A Day in the Life of Three Different Majors

I asked myself and two other collegiate women six questions about life in their major. I tried to choose drastically different majors from three different colleges at West Virginia University. Keep in mind their schedules may differ slightly from some others’ in these majors.

First, we have Taylor Deuley, an Occupational Therapy (OT) major from Wert County, West Virginia.  

Next, Ava Melzak, a Horticulture (HORT) major from Cleveland, Ohio.

And, lastly, yours truly, an English (ENGL) major from Wheeling, West Virginia

What does your major entail?

OT: The program is designed to be two years of pre-requisites and three years in the program; we will graduate after five years with a Master’s Degree. There are several pre-requisites that you must complete before getting into the program. Some pre-requisites are physiology, psychology, physics, and so on. We have to fill out an application, write a timed essay, and go through an interview to be admitted into the OT program. The program is extremely competitive, so this process can be nerve-racking! 

HORT: My major is all about understanding and optimizing plant growth.

ENGL: We write a lot and read a lot. The specifics of what you write/read depends on the class and your concentration in the major. An English major can choose Creative Writing or Professional Writing and Editing or no concentration at all.

When do your classes usually start/end?

OT: I am in my final semester before I will begin the OT program, so as of now I start at 11:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Once I am in the program, I will start earlier in the morning. 

HORT: This semester, my classes start at 11 a.m. or 12 p.m. and end around 5 or 6 p.m. It’s great for someone who hates getting up in the morning as much as I do.

ENGL: This semester I have an 8:30 a.m. and my last class ends at 2:30 p.m. I’m a morning person so it works out. Most of the basic English classes that everyone takes are offered multiple times a day. Some of the smaller electives will be limited to one time a day though.

How many hours do you spend on homework a week?

OT: Outside of class, I spend about 15-20 hours studying and working on homework. 

HORT: I generally spend about three hours a week on homework, but I have busier weeks sometimes.

ENGL: I spend anywhere from 5-15 hours studying every week, depending what I’ve been assigned. Reading 19th century poems takes a bit so it’s always good to spread the workload out across the week.

Do you stay involved with major related clubs?

OT:  I am a member of Autism Speaks and the Pre-Occupational Therapy Club. 

HORT: I’m involved with Hort club, but this semester I have a class at the same time as the meetings, so I haven’t been able to be as active.

ENGL: Somewhat. I write for Her Campus, so I get some experience there, but mostly I’m involved in social organizations like Honors Student Association and AOП.

Why did you choose your major?

OT: I chose my major because I was injured in middle school during an accident at cheer practice. I went through several surgeries and many hours of therapy. After seeing how my therapist impacted me, I knew that that is what I wanted to do. 

HORT: I chose Horticulture because plants are so amazing to me; they have their own kind of intelligence and beauty. And I like growing them because there’s no end to the amount of things you can bring to life. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that this is one of the majors that get in-state tuition because of Ohio’s reciprocity agreement with WVU.

ENGL: I actually began as a Nursing major and decided science and math wasn’t for me. I missed writing and literary criticism, so I chose English. In the Fall, I will officially be declaring a double major in English and History.

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