My Love Affair

English has always had its ways of keeping a leash on me.

It all began when I was seven years old, and my grandmother ordered a set of VHS tapes from A&E television. There were 7 VHS tapes. This set was Pride and Prejudice. It was always tradition that my grandmother would watch movies with me as we drank tea, but this day lasted all night. After being exposed to my first seven hours of Austen, I was never the same.

Throughout high school, my interest in reading always assisted me in English classes, and by the time I was a junior, I was taking English courses for college credit. But to me, it was nothing special. It came as easily to me as anything else, so I thought nothing of it.

I entered college strapped to a hot-air baloon filled with high hopes. I wanted to do something relevant, something practical. For god knows what reason, I decided that physical therapy was probably the best route for me to go. I was always a dancer, and I thought that this might be a good way to keep involved in that. After sessions with people who were telling me about their hospital work, and dissecting a human cadaver in college, I decided that probably wasnt the best route to go.

So I entered University as a Theatre and Communications major. The first semester was one, continuous rehearsal. And one communications class. I spent more time in the theatre building that I did eating, sleeping, bathing, and using the restroom combined. As I fell into bed face first one night it occured to me- I really missed studying. I missed reading. I missed writing. I missed my love affair with Darcy.

It was then I declared my English major. English, like a good man, had always pursued me. Always treated me well, and rewarded me for working. Since the day I declared, I have enjoyed college. I know now the feeling of accomplishment. I know now what it feels like to be good at something. And let me tell you- it feels good.

Last year I had a class on literature of other spiritualities. In the class, students had to write a critical essay on the novel, and post it for the rest of the class to read. Using that pool of papers at research, we would write a comparative essay at the end of two weeks. The other students were reference points. At the end of the semester, an award was given to the student who was most quoted, or most referenced, in the class. It was a class full of all different majors, and I won that award. I smiled and nodded at the professor, but in my head, I was thinking "Wow. This is the proudest moment of my life." I know it was just a token, but to me, it was a victory. It was all the math tests I've failed, all the shows I was never cast in, all the sports I never played. This- this is what it feels like. This is the taste of passion.

From that day I joined the English Honor Society Sigma Tau Delta, and recently I was elected President. Now, I'm not one to "toot my own horn" but I am proud to say now, that English loves me, and I love it for loving me.

But the question is often asked- what does one do with an English major? I only recently discovered my personal answer to that question.

Last semester, I studied in Denmark (the principle on which this blog was founded). During the first two weeks or so, the English of the International students was not at its prime. Nevertheless, Erasmus bonds people together without words spoken. One night I was invited to dinner at my friend Valerio's house. While I was there, Valerio kept holding up objects. A pot. "What's this?" he'd say. "pot. pan. plate. knife" Finally I grabbed some sticky notes and a sharpie, and had the whole apartment labeled. I even drew a poster on the wall of a person, and labeled every body part. I realized then that I had something valuable to him, and it made me laugh with delight to share it. That is when I decided to teach English as a second language.

For me, English is a culmination of everything I have ever loved or pursued. In dance, I loved teaching the younger girls. In theatre, I loved the challenge of presentation. In reading, I loved the profound concentration. All these things combined have created the pinnacle romance of my life- my love affair with the English Language.