If not English, then _____ ?

[TeaOverCoffee]

19 hours ago, FreakyFoucault said:

That’s awesome! I was the kid whose clay sculptures always exploded in the kiln in middle school art class. The phrase “Oh, honey” was often directed at me lol 

What kind of stuff did/do you make? 

Haha! I'm sure it wasn't that bad. I think the main thing that frustrates art professors is when students don't try and step out of their comfort zone, so at least you tried! (My high school English teacher, though, told me that I was the worst poet she's ever met. So here I am pursuing a career in which I critic novels and poetry instead.)

I typically made teapots or dish sets or custom gifts for my professors who wrote my grad school recs. I only worked on the wheel really because that is where I could perfect something versus my topsy-turvy handbuilt vases that I wouldn't even give to my grandparents. I'm actually going to enroll in a ceramics class this semester because I have a relatively chill spring semester (or so I think).

[FreakyFoucault]

13 minutes ago, TeaOverCoffee said:

My high school English teacher, though, told me that I was the worst poet she's ever met

Dear God, how inspiring! Something tells me she's not rolling around in mentoring awards... But on the bright side, when you get your Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, you'll know whom to send the first acceptance-ceremony invite. 

Unfortunately, I can relate. I went through a strange succession of English teachers. In middle school, I had the same teacher for all four years. Also a part-time college professor, he was one of the most inspiring persons I've ever met, and, without a doubt, I wouldn't have majored in English had I not been his student. The day he assigned my class (a bunch of ten-year-olds, mind you) The Metamorphosis, I was hooked on literature and haven't looked back since. In high school, however, I had this really strange, super cynical martinet of a schmuck who told me that I should stick to a different subject. And then my last teacher had us read Beowulf comic books all year (which, to be fair, wasn't awful). 

So yeah. I guess I had, in terms of quality, what was essentially a reverse English-teacher sandwich.

[punctilious]

For my husband, his other major was history. He was particularly involved in Holocaust Studies. However, he seemed to feel like English literature gave more freedom--plus he is an avid writer. But likely his top choice outside of an English PhD would be an MFA in Creative Writing. He's an avid fiction writer and will have a short story published for the first time within the next month! He also has had a book review and a history paper published.

If he couldn't go on in academia, he'd probably just continue trying to pursue writing on his own and likely apply to writing-related jobs, as he's not a huge fan of his current career path.

Edited January 11, 2018 by punctilious

[mk-8]

17 minutes ago, FreakyFoucault said:

Dear God, how inspiring! Something tells me she's not rolling around in mentoring awards... But on the bright side, when you get your Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, you'll know whom to send the first acceptance-ceremony invite. 

Unfortunately, I can relate. I went through a strange succession of English teachers. In middle school, I had the same teacher for all four years. Also a part-time college professor, he was one of the most inspiring persons I've ever met, and, without a doubt, I wouldn't have majored in English had I not been his student. The day he assigned my class (a bunch of ten-year-olds, mind you) The Metamorphosis, I was hooked on literature and haven't looked back since. In high school, however, I had this really strange, super cynical martinet of a schmuck who told me that I should stick to a different subject. And then my last teacher had us read Beowulf comic books all year (which, to be fair, wasn't awful). 

So yeah. I guess I had, in terms of quality, what was essentially a reverse English-teacher sandwich.

In middle school, we had to write a how to essay. It was near Christmas, so I wrote a Grinch inspired essay called "How to Steal a Christmas Tree." My teacher gave me a zero on the essay for not following the prompt; I was kinda too young at the time to understand (or care), but my mom was all riled up about her stifling my creativity. Thinking back to it now I laugh (and agree with my mom! I'm so glad she could recognize my creativity), but I had fabulous English teachers in high school, so whatever.

[FreakyFoucault]

2 minutes ago, mk-8 said:

My teacher gave me a zero on the essay for not following the prompt; I was kinda too young at the time to understand (or care)

I can only imagine how many famous authors failed assignments in school for "not following the prompt." I'm trying to picture Thomas Carlyle or Samuel Beckett writing a five-paragraph "What did you do over the Christmas holiday" essay, and it's not going well... 

Moral of the story: where would we be without our mothers' complete faith in us?! 

[mk-8]

14 minutes ago, FreakyFoucault said:

I can only imagine how many famous authors failed assignments in school for "not following the prompt." I'm trying to picture Thomas Carlyle or Samuel Beckett writing a five-paragraph "What did you do over the Christmas holiday" essay, and it's not going well... 

Moral of the story: where would we be without our mothers' complete faith in us?! 

I ran out of up votes for the day, but yes, too true!

[hats]

@FreakyFoucault

 

[FreakyFoucault]

@hats yeah that was pretty much me in high school haha 

C+ ! 

[ProfessionalNerd]

Honestly, If not English, I would have just gone to Med school or been an admission counselor at a college (maybe for a few years prior to med school). 

[FreakyFoucault]

@ProfessionalNerd, wow, med school would've certainly been a change of pace! 

[ProfessionalNerd]

On 1/13/2018 at 4:43 PM, FreakyFoucault said:

@ProfessionalNerd, wow, med school would've certainly been a change of pace! 

I say it as a joke (slightly). In all honesty, the admin job or a NPO would be more in line with who I am and the things I love to do. Med school would be to appease my mother  

[FreakyFoucault]

On 1/15/2018 at 12:02 AM, ProfessionalNerd said:

Med school would be to appease my mother

I mean let’s be honest, we’re all just trying to keep the moms happy... 

[Ufffdaaa]

I double majored in Business Management and English as an undergrad. When I told my business major advisor that I was going to grad school for English, he said, "But you'd make so much more money if you didn't."

So, it was almost business/accounting for me.