Greetings, Bears! As always, I am excited to be back for another blog post, and I am especially excited about my topic for this week. I thought it would be fun to share with you what a week in my life looks like as an English major. Accounts like these can be helpful if you are considering changing or declaring a new major and want to know what the experience of a student in that major looks like. Perhaps studying English is not something that interests you at all, but I hope that you enjoy my perspective nonetheless!  

Mondays 

On Mondays, I start off my day with a short shift in the CAST office. I always enjoy this time because I find that it helps me get mentally prepared for the rest of the week. When I work in the CAST office, I’ll typically work on upcoming blog posts or reaching out to my mentees.  

After I leave CAST for the day, I head to my American literature class, followed by my small press production class. I really enjoy my small press production class because we are learning about how the university press operates. Every year, Moon City Press releases an issue of Moon City Review, a literary journal containing selections of poetry, short stories, flash fiction, creative nonfiction, and graphic narrative. As an English student, I have the opportunity to serve as a reviewer for Moon City Review and work alongside other students and faculty deciding what submissions get published. This has been an incredibly rewarding experience for me! Alongside Moon City Review, the press also publishes multiple books every year. Many departments on campus have experiences specific to the department like these, giving students the opportunity to work with faculty and get more involved with the department.  

After my classes on Mondays, I head back to the CAST office for a meeting with the other Peer Mentors. During our meetings, we discuss how we can continue supporting our students and future projects we can incorporate to make CAST even better. These meetings are a great conclusion to the first day of the week, as I always find it enjoyable to see my coworkers! 

Tuesdays 

Once again, I start my Tuesdays with another shift in the CAST office. Tuesday mornings, however, are when I participate in drop-in hours, which is a service that the CAST office offers for any student wanting to meet with a Peer Mentor without previously scheduling an appointment. At this time, we are offering drop-in hours on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and Wednesdays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Come by and see us in Meyer Library 116 if you need help or have a question!  

After my shift and a quick lunch break, I head to my poetry class followed by my English studies class. I really enjoy talking to the students and faculty during these classes. I’ve found that your classes are a great way to connect with like-minded students and make friends. I finish with class around 5 p.m. and usually head home to work on my schoolwork.  

Wednesdays 

My Wednesdays are very similar to my Mondays, with the absence of Peer Mentor meetings in the afternoon. This leaves me with a lot of free time on Wednesdays. When I find that I have free time, I like to head over to Foster Recreation Center for some cardio or a dip in the pool (after I’m all caught up on schoolwork, of course). After that, I usually head home to read my current book or continue working on any of my creative works. Because I’m in a poetry class, I try to write poems as much as possible, which is sometimes easier on some days than others. Regardless, Wednesdays are also the days that I try to emphasize any self-care practices. It’s important to make sure that you are finding time to incorporate self-care into your schedule too! 

Thursdays 

After another CAST office shift and my poetry and English studies classes, I’ll sometimes stick around on campus Thursday evenings to attend readings hosted by the MSU Department of English. Throughout the semester, the department brings fiction writers, poets, and other creative writers to campus to read their works to students. These events are free and open to the public. I especially love when the readers are selling copies of their books and stay afterwards for a book signing! As a writer myself, I always leave these events feeling inspired.  

Fridays 

Fridays are what I like to call my “off day” each week, meaning that I don’t have any classes or shifts in the CAST office. This gives me a chance to catch up on all of my schoolwork for the week so that I can enjoy the weekend. If I find that I’m not too busy with that, I’ll sometimes go to Foster Recreation Center again or attend an event on campus. The student organizations I’m involved in also have their meetings on Fridays, which I always try to attend. Fridays are also another opportunity for me to practice self-care and do something I enjoy.  

Takeaways 

I sincerely hope that you enjoyed learning more about what my life looks like as an English major! I feel very fortunate to have all of the opportunities that I do in my area of study. I also hope that my perspective is helpful to you if you are feeling unsure about what you would like to study in college. There are many important things to consider when choosing a major, and what your daily life will look like and if you would enjoy that is a key factor. If you are unsure of what you’d like your major to be, there are many resources available on campus to help you learn more about different academic programs. Consider contacting the Academic Advising and Transfer Center or visiting us in the CAST office if you need help!  

I hope that you continue to have a great semester and keep working hard! 

~Hallie  

(Bio: I am a junior out-of-state student studying Creative Writing and Philosophy.)