Junior | Cupertino, CA

Why did you decide to become an English major?

Growing up, reading was one of the most rewarding experiences for me. They completely enraptured me; I'd start a book and never be able to stop until I finished it. I'd read for hours and hours and it would only feel like minutes. Writing is really special in the way that it transcends time and space, not only because you can be transported to different worlds and different times but in the way that writing, written at some point in time conveys and shapes the thoughts of a reader, whenever he or she reads it. It's always made me stop, reflect and think. It has allowed me to push my mind beyond its limits and challenged me in a way nothing else has. I knew that pursuing English in college would be a truly valuable experience for me because it would teach me not only of the thoughts and reflections of others but how to think and reflect for myself. It would teach me not only what to think about, but how to think about it. 

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

I loved mystery and adventure novels, including The Boxcar Children, A to Z Mysteries, The Magic Treehouse, Sherlock Holmes and of course, Harry Potter. 

What are you reading right now?

My current classes have inspired a new appreciation for the classics, so I'm going back and reading Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen. I am also a huge fan of Roxane Gay and am reading her new essay collection Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture, which features original and previously published essays on women's experiences harassment, violence, and aggression. 

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

Every single one of the brilliant professors I have had has changed preconceived notions that I had about a text or have taught me to look at a text in a new context. I always walk out of my classes feeling like I know less than I knew walking in, and while that can feel intimidating, to some, it's nice to hear fresh new perspectives on my readings and even readings that can feel tedious for me to read still intrigue me as acts of literature. 

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

People will give you a lot of reasons not to pursue English. That the humanities are not as useful or practical as STEM. That it's a lot of reading and writing and long papers and late nights. But when you're passionate about something, it gives you joy even when it pushes you to your limits; especially when it pushes you to your limits. If English is something you're passionate about, pursue it and no matter how difficult the path gets, it will be rewarding.