Majoring in English has been so valuable to me personally because I feel like I’ve learned so much about many different areas of life. I’ve learned so much history, I’ve learned about culture, and I’ve learned the most about people. I think the ability to read, absorb, and critically analyze texts from all over the world has given me a lot of experience with people’s emotions and how they deal with them. I’ve been introduced to a lot of different stories, so, not to say that I’m prepared for ‘anything,’ but I feel as if I’ve experienced a lot.
One of the biggest ways that I could see my English skills being valuable to the job market is through my ability to deal with ambiguity, a trait that Anders talks about in “You Can Do Anything.” On page 109 he says that a liberal arts education has given us the knowledge of, “[how] to move forward as a researcher in the face of ambiguity.”
In the past, I’ve seemed to have made it a habit to choose very interesting–my paper topics have been called “sophisticated” but I think that’s just a nice way to put it–yet difficult topics or arguments for my papers. Either they’re widely under-researched or not suited for the length of paper that I’m attempting (that is the paper would end up being a dissertation of sorts). There have been three major papers in my college career that I have had to spend a large portion of my time dealing with inadequate research, unconventional topics, and unfamiliar technology.
One of my projects was a final paper for a class in which I had to compare a document from the Enlightenment, period, Alexander Pope’s ‘Essay on Criticism,’ and a contemporary piece of media; I chose John Waters’s film Pink Flamingos (1972). For the paper, I had to research reviews of the film when it originally was released, however, because Waters’s film was very underground–it only had midnight releases–this meant that many mainstream newspapers or magazines did not review the film.
Through some creative thinking and the help of the library research staff, I was able to find some really incredible authentic sources. I had to visualize my route to success before I knew what it was. In addition to that, the two pieces of media that I decided to compare were very different. this gave me the ability to work with material that usually doesn’t go together (these are two very different texts). Though the material itself was not unfamiliar, I still had to learn how to make two things that are not similar seem cohesive.
Another one of these projects was a final paper for my American Film Genres class. I decided to write a paper on pirate movies, professionally known as the Swashbuckler genre. Without any prior knowledge of this genre, I began my research and I found it incredibly difficult to find history or journals of substance about the genre or answers as to why it’s not as popular as it once was (in the 1940s). My professor even gave me the option to change my topic before it was too late, but I stuck with it. Eventually, I scrounged together sources to begin my research.
My information grew as did my paper. Though I still had very little to work with, it allowed me to look in interesting places to find information. From there I was able to create a comprehensive and clear final paper about the Swashbuckler genre. In the end, it was wonderful to be able to learn about something that not a lot of people know about but also kind of contribute to a subject that’s under-researched. My ability to come up with creative solutions, my “willingness to [keep] jump[ing] into new areas,” and my ability to create something out of very little are three qualities that I’ve learned from my English degree (87, Anders).
I also learned quickly how to work with media and equipment that I hadn’t worked with before when taking a Film Production class. Most of my time in college has been spent focusing on the academic and the writing part of film, so very recently I filmed my own short film for class. I “improvised my way to success”(81, Anders).
Is it good? No. Did it meet the rubric? No. Did I try my best and learn something new that I can now fine-tune? Absolutely and I’m glad I took the class even though I was scared out of my wits because I didn’t have any prior knowledge of filmmaking. Also, this is kind of like what Anders was talking about when people with Humanities degrees also take classes in coding; it’s about acquiring one new technical skill that opens up new jobs. Unfortunately, I do not have this project because it was on my computer that broke. Sorry.
In my first blog post, I talked a lot about empathy and how being sensitive has been a driving factor in my journey to graduating with an English degree. Though empathy has not helped me specifically with these projects, my ability to step into different spaces, see new angles, and work within uncomfortable circumstances with ease are very similar. The skills that I have as a person and acquired while in college are in no way “useless,” they just needed better explanations as to how they can benefit a company.
Hey Lilly, this is a really great post.
I know exactly what you mean when you write about something with no sources… I’ve had to delve through so many ancient books to find that one piece of information that just unlocks everything — but doesn’t it feel great in the end?
For me, the biggest thing that stood out to me is your ability to work in the face of ambiguity and (seemingly) despair. I really admire that even though you had a chance to change topics, you stuck with it because it was something you cared about. I think that Further, you made sure to work through the gray area, even when I’m sure there wasn’t enough for a full paper at times.
I know that these skills will help you in your career search, even if you don’t say these phrases specifically. Depending on your career, in an interview, these stories would strike gold (use the STAR Method!!)
Michael
Edit — I meant to delete “I think that” before “Further”. Sorry!!
You’ve got a lot of good material here, Lilly, and your examples demonstrate the management of ambiguity especially vividly.
Your third paragraph confused me a bit. I think you might be trying to tackle too much too quickly? I think you’re saying that you’ve learned to manage the scale of your projects better, through these various experiences where your ambition hasn’t quite matched the situation (assignment expectations, or available research, available time, etc.). Is that right? This perspective here could shift a bit to focus on learning rather than (as it seems to) error. In the second paragraph of your John Waters project section, you do a good job of exactly what I’m suggesting. You do something similar in the swashbuckler project discussion, though there I would benefit from hearing a bit more specifically about how you managed to find useful research material. (I like that you refused the professor’s offer. Shows determination.)
The voice that comes through in your second-to-last paragraph is refreshing and individuating. I’d encourage more of that throughout!
I think your very last sentence could use a little more attention, so it accomplishes everything you’d like to. There are other sentences here that, in a future version, would benefit from similar attention. At times your asides (in parentheses or between dashes) throw off the reader’s progress. I’d encourage you to make sure that you don’t present any stumbling blocks, if you can help it. A final round of proofreading wouldn’t hurt, either.
When you are citing or referencing a print work, you should link to the publisher’s page for the book, to give readers the info they need to find a copy themselves.
Hey Lilly! I think you make some really good points here about the viability of an English degree in the professional sphere. I made some of the same points, like the ability to walk into the unknown and come out with interesting perspectives on culture and experience. Like your paper on Pink Flamingos, where your time spent on research was met with many challenges and you had to dig deeper than you originally thought to find sources that backed your argument. I also relate a lot to your experience in researching the swashbuckler genre. For a paper I wrote on manga, I had to read lots of sources informing my topic before I could even start on finding sources to support my thesis. It’s clear that with most all of the projects we’ve done as English majors, we’ve learned vital skills that are needed in any professional field.