Why English? by Alyssa

Why English? by Alyssa - May 2023 Scholarship Essay

My first favorite book was called, “The Last Boy and Girl in the World,” by Siobhan Vivian. It’s a story of love that sometimes happens at the wrong time, despair of the unknown, and the mystery of the future. Sometimes the future seems inevitable, like nothing can go amiss, and everything will go the way you want it to. But that’s the funny thing about the future. It will throw everything at you, no matter what your plans are. In a way, it keeps you on your toes.
When I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do in college, I was stuck between a lot of options, and everyone saying, “It’s up to you! Choose what you want to do!” Which was hard. I had spent most of my life in a book, reading about people who went to high school, or went to college, or got a first pet, or fell in love at the wrong time. They made choices, but it was hard for me to do that too. The word ‘Major’ stared me in the eyes, and I barely stared back. It almost felt like I was making the biggest decision of my life; it was like life or death. The pressure of choosing a major that would be something I wanted to do, but something worthwhile.
I knew myself; I was not good at making decisions, but I did know what I liked. I loved books. I loved trying to write them, I loved the hidden meaning in the pages, I loved the process. All of this put together made me sure that I wanted to do something with writing. I wanted to know more about the process, and what goes into it.
After some research, I figured that the best thing for me would be to try to go into publishing. To gain more knowledge, I decided I wanted to major in English Language and Literature. I felt happy about my decision, and I knew it would help me get to where I wanted to go. The decision to study this major was made because of my love for reading, and the amount of time I have devoted myself to literature and writing. I feel as though I will be able to get to my goals through taking this major, and I am ready to take this next step to pursue them.