Senior | Ridgewood, New Jersey

Why did you decide to become an English major?

I became an English major because I have always loved reading, and thinking about deeper meanings to stories that I've read. Originally, I had come to NYU with the intention of majoring in Math, and minoring in English, but after taking a few English classes, I realized that I wanted to contribute as much as I could to the field of English study. 

What did you love to read when you were growing up?

As a child I loved reading horror and fantasy stories. I was obsessed with anything that had a very outrageous, action-packed story line.

What are you reading right now?

Most of my reading right now is focused on my thesis, however, I am also trying to get through Estrella Distante by Roberto Bolaño. 

Tell us about the thesis you’re writing for the Honors Program this year.  

I am interested in how people in the late Victorian era thought about gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity. In using Dracula and The Picture of Dorian Gray, I am exploring how people that didn't fit into any "easy" definition were ostracized, turned into monsters, etc. In this process of "othering", however, there was an urgency for these figures to be understood. The more I research what I am writing about the more my focus changes. 

What are some of your dreams, hopes, and aspirations for yourself after you graduate? 

I plan to go back to school and one day become a professor of English Literature!

What do you consider the most rewarding part of being an English major?

Being a part of classes where eager students come with diverse opinions that help me understand the different ways a text could be read and understood.  

What advice would you give to students considering majoring in English at NYU?

If you feel that reading gives you access to something you've always wanted out of life, then the English major is probably the place for you!