So You Say You Can Write?

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at GCU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

There’s nothing more degrading than seeing an Instagram post of the top ten most useless college degrees and seeing yours on the list. Call it Literature, Communications, Journalism, whatever you want; Professional Writing is a college degree that a lot of people think doesn’t hold much weight anymore. Even I didn’t know if studying writing was a good idea in the beginning. 

Like many people, I didn’t think “writing” was something that you could actually make a decent career out of. At best, it was a hobby that some people were lucky enough to be successful at; at worst, it was a dying art that no one cared about anymore. It was something I enjoyed but could never see myself getting into. Maybe I wanted to write a book. I didn’t want to be a journalist; what else was there? Maybe education was my best bet. Then I could at least teach about writing.

So how did I end up choosing professional writing as a career path? And more importantly, why?

First of all, I chose it because I was dreading education. It only took a couple of weeks being at college for me to question what I thought for months was a practical life choice. I wasn’t at all interested in public education, but there was no guarantee I’d find a private education job right away, plus, I didn’t want to do practicum hours, and little kids scare me sometimes.

Secondly, I had a friend who was doing it. The minute she uttered “Professional Writing major,” something in me woke up. Was that a thing? How was it a thing? Could I do it too? I waited until the first semester was up before I officially changed it, but at that point, I was desperate to avoid any classes with practicum requirements the following year.

And lastly, writing was something I was genuinely interested in. It wasn’t something I thought could be the most successful career, but it was something I knew I could do well. It was, in reality, the thing I had been wanting to do ever since I was little; I just didn’t know it then. But I know now.

However, it only took one day in my first Professional Writing class for me to start questioning everything again. Do they expect that everyone is a big reader? (cause I’m not). Why do I have to learn advertisement writing? How on earth am I supposed to get an internship in something I didn’t even know existed till today? Again, I wanted to find a way out.

Yet here I am, one and a half years later, and proudly anticipating the day I walk across the stage with the degree entitled “Bachelor’s in Professional Writing for New Media.” Why?

Despite the writer’s block, the constant second-guessing, the confused looks from others, and the threat of robots that destroy human intelligence, I feel as though I’ve achieved something. No one ever told me, and I never knew, how much you could do with writing besides being an author or a journalist. Now I’m writing grants for two organizations, I’m pursuing a career in public relations, and I’m writing for a magazine!

And there’s more. So much more.

I want to start a blog someday, maybe even a podcast about my favorite movies, music, and everything in between. I want to learn how to create video and radio scripts and edit my own content. I want to work for a church, school, or nonprofit, even if it means writing small things like newsletters for them. I want to go back to my old high school and teach kids how much they could do with a career in writing, so they don’t have to wait until college before they find out.

And yes, I still want to write that book.

Learning and succeeding in something you never thought you could do is my definition of empowerment. I haven’t just learned about writing, but I’ve had my eyes opened to so many different possibilities that I’m more willing to try new things, even things that aren’t specifically related to what I’m studying. That’s been my favorite part of my academic career so far, finding out what I’m capable of.

My point is that writing, for me, is not dead. And I’m sure thousands of aspiring writers would say the same thing. Don’t let anyone tell you that what you love to do is an empty passion. I know I’m pursuing the right thing because I’m enjoying it, and because now I know what’s possible. If you love something, look into it, learn it, and the opportunities may just present themselves.