the most fun a girl can have is contemplating

English has always been my favorite school subject, and I've been an avid reader and writer since I was a kid. I loved literary analysis—making connections, noticing patterns, finding parallels, uncovering metaphors.

Taking ENGL 200 during this quarter was easily one of my most enjoyable classes so far. The class was titled "The Promises of Monsters" and we examined different themes related to monsters and the monstrous. For this particular assignment, I watched a Wong Kar-wai movie for the first time and was astounded by how beautiful and atmospheric it was. I didn't often enjoy movies that were outside of my comfort zone, so I think this was a valuable foray into media that was very different from what I usually consumed.

This class was what ultimately convinced me to pursue a minor in English, despite it not necessarily "fitting" with my Biochemistry major and my career plans to go into the medical field. I wanted my college experience to include something that I genuinely loved and was passionate about, not just requirements I had to fulfill to reach some higher goal.