Why did you choose to study in your major?
I decided to double major in English and Spanish for multiple reasons. I had wonderful high school teachers who nurtured my interest in both subjects. So when it came time to make a decision about what area I wanted to specialize in, I chose both English and Spanish because I thought that they fit well together and would enable me to further develop and refine skills that would benefit me in my future endeavors. These majors together will, I believe, be essential to me in the pursuit of a law degree because both foster critical thinking and analysis, but Spanish specifically will give me the ability to communicate with others.
What do you like about your major?
I think that both majors challenge me in different ways and that at the end of my four years I will be able to have two degrees that will give me better opportunities in terms of finding a job. Aside from the job market, both are valuable majors because they touch upon culture and humanity. I think that being able to look at and understand those things and to be able to communicate with people in turn makes me a better component of society. All of my professors also add to what I’ve gotten out of my classes, because they are each passionate about their areas of expertise and that makes the classes enjoyable and interesting.
What is one thing you know now that you wish you knew as a freshman?
Joining clubs and participating in school events is essential to the whole experience. I didn’t join anything my freshman year because Quinnipiac was not my first choice and I had my heart set on transferring. I decided to stay after my freshman year and became involved in the Peer Catalyst program and Ice Cats my sophomore year. Since then I have continued in the PC program and am now involved in the English Honor Society, the Pre-Law Society, Bobcats in the Community, and other on-campus programs as well as starting my own club. It’s important to have things that you enjoy doing, whether or not they can be used specifically in conjunction with your major, because it makes college exciting outside of the classroom. The best advice I can give is this: don’t let your first impression be your only impression. Your experience is your own to do with it what you will.
What advice would you give to a student considering majoring in English/Spanish at QU?
Take the classes that interest you most, because you will get the most out of them and be more likely to want to really participate. But it doesn’t hurt to take classes that may not interest you at all or that may seem difficult. One of my favorite classes I took was about the history of romantic languages for my Spanish major, and it was challenging but really interesting and I gained a lot from it.
What internships/research/experiential learning have you engaged in to help clarify areas of interest or prepare for life after QU?
I have not yet completed an internship, though I aim to apply for those this year. However, I have taken classes outside my given majors in order to explore other areas of study that may interest me, and that alone was helpful because I was able to learn about the subject as well as complete assignments that gave me an idea of what those subjects entail.
