At Davidson, I was an English major--a title synonymous with "bookworm" and one I proudly wore. I chose English because I wanted to study a range of topics. Discussions of ethics, history, and even business come up in literature courses.

In the department, there is a wide course selection that permits you to dive into different centuries and different genres with different instructors. I enjoyed that flexibility. On the surface, reading and writing about the books of dead men and women doesn't sound very practical; however, just like digesting a novel, you gain what you want from the major.

I left Davidson with the skills to express myself on paper and in person. I credit the honing of these communication skills to my experience in the honors thesis program. Spending a large amount of time working on a single project terrified me. The defense, the writing, the editing, and the public speaking prepared me for the real world. The creative writing courses also prepped me for my career in journalism.

Now, I write for a living. The major can lead you to some very unexpected places, but at least you're prepared for wherever you end up.