Time spent at university is so often thought of as some of the best years of our lives. We see it in the movies, read about it in our favourite books, hear our parents reminiscing on their wild adventures back in college. It’s a fleeting four years that we carry on with us throughout adulthood, as we develop our careers and eventually grow old. Why are these years so special, though?
For me, it’s simple: my time at McGill taught me who I am. Even beyond honing my optimal study strategy, or learning which libraries make me more productive during exams season – the community at McGill is one of warmth, understanding, and inclusivity. I know I’ll treasure the friendships I’ve forged here for decades to come. What they say is true; McGill really does have a work hard, play hard atmosphere, and with the amount of student groups, on-campus activism, and creative side projects going on within our student body, there’s never a moment of boredom here. I truly believe I’ve met some of the most interesting and passionate people on the planet during my time here.
And that’s what it all comes down to: one thing no one ever tells you when you pursue an undergraduate degree in Arts is how incredibly passionate your peers are. We’ve heard all the stereotypical responses to pursuing an academic career in Arts – “what can you even do with an Arts degree? How will you get a job?” barely scratches the surface. Beyond the fact that studying Arts opens a plethora of professional and personal avenues post-grad, what I enjoyed most about pursuing an academic path that hinges entirely on the pursuit and exploration of creativity is that everyone there wants to be there. When young people are encouraged to go into the Arts, it’s not because of the high-paying career prospects or opportunities to mingle with prestigious peers, it’s because people who choose to study Arts are passionate about what they do. In my case, that’s English Literature
It took me a while to get there. I remember in my U0 year at McGill, Winter 2020 (yes, the dawn of COVID), I was hesitant about my initial plan of majoring in
Political Science. I yearned for more creativity, and reading has been my favourite hobby for as long as I can remember. Still, during those first couple weeks of January, I almost talked myself out of transferring out of an elective History course and into a much more fitting intro to English Lit course because I’d already bought the textbook. Imagine that, the entire trajectory of my life could have been different, and it all came down to a 200-level History textbook.
Lucky for me, I did end up selling that textbook and embarking on my journey as an English Literature student. I remember sitting in my first seminar class, ENGL 410 Studies in a Theme or Movement in Canadian Literature and thinking to myself: How great is it that we have this forum for geeking out about Margaret Atwood’s poetry and it counts for credits?! I was so happy to have chosen a major that allowed me to do what I loved, with people who felt the exact same way. I’ve since served on my departmental student council for three years (shoutout DESA!), attended many a poetry reading, and frequented countless coffee shops for hours on end scrambling to finish my readings before class.
And I must say, getting to know my fellow Literature students was such a wild experience. Suddenly, I was surrounded by people who didn’t think attending a monthly book club was boring or nerdy – instead, it was met with excitement! In my experience, this sentiment is true no matter the major.
Having any sort of niche space to explore your interests with the adequate resources and support is such a blessing, and McGill offers such a vast selection of programs that there really is something for everyone. In fact, something that surprised me was how many people studying outside the Faculty of Arts still regularly showed up and participated in arts-related extracurriculars. When I added my second minor in Environment at the start of my third year at McGill, my new Environment friends’ genuine interest in pursuing Arts-related extracurriculars and hobbies made me realize just how integral the Arts are to our development as academics, as individuals, and as active participants in our communities.
As cheesy as it sounds, I wouldn’t trade my McGill Arts experience for anything. Now that I’ve graduated and started working full-time, I’m actively trying to continue learning on my own time, adjusting to life without the reliability of class time and essays due. I already know I’m going to miss coming to campus (as much as I complained about it during those long winter months). All that being said, if there are any incoming or first-year students in Arts, don’t be afraid to try out classes outside of your anticipated major – one 200-level class might just end up changing the entire trajectory of your life.