The best part about being an English major is the opportunity to gain a more nuanced understanding of the human condition. The first time I was really awestruck by the scale of the human experience available through a rigorous study of texts was in my Chaucer and Medieval Literature class, taught by Professor Alex Cook. When you’re studying texts that are nearly 1,000 years old and find that they still testify accurately to what it means to live and love, the world feels somehow larger and smaller all at once.

This description is also a great way to characterize the English Department itself: a small community nested within the relatively large UA campus. During my time as an undergraduate, I’ve been able to meet and create relationships with my fellow majors and minors through the English Majors and Minors Association and the English Honors Society, Sigma Tau Delta, as well as the Dystopian Book Club. I’ve also been able to work as a consultant at UA’s Writing Center, helping my peers with writing across a broad range of disciplines. Working in the Writing Center has really helped me find my niche and develop a plan for my professional future. After graduating with an English degree, I plan to apply to graduate programs across the country to study Composition and Rhetoric.