Pay attention in your English classes

We have all been there, having to sit through required English classes throughout every year in school (and even into college), reading books that you are just going to end up Sparknoting and writing essays that keep you up all night. Despite this sometimes being a pain, these classes are necessary and not a waste of time.

It is obvious that reading and writing is needed to get by in this society. Being literate historically has always been a privilege. The upper class used it as a means to gain power. Slaves used it to write their way into freedom. Those in the world who do not have the privilege of learning to read and write are already at a disadvantage. 

But in this day and age, it takes more than just knowing how to get by and be taken seriously in this country.

A strong sense of rhetoric will get you far believe it or not. In a competitive job market, knowing where to put your commas and having a strong sense of syntax will give you an edge over someone who does not. When faced in a situation when you cannot articulate yourself in person, being able to showcase your knowledge in a written form is crucial; it is your first impression.

Some people may not realize that reading and writing is present in every single job out there, from having to email colleagues to writing up reports to maybe even publishing your own work or findings. There are not always going to be editors around to help fully showcase your expertise in your field. 

English majors are more than just people who become English teachers. According to an article from CBS, English majors suffer smaller rates of underemployment than business, managing, and marketing majors. Our skills make us more desirable to employers, but that is not to say that other disciplines cannot take advantage of this as well. 

Yes, everyone leaves school (hopefully) with a decent grasp on how to read and write, and maybe your skills will be enough to land you a job, but if you want to shoot towards moving up the ladder, you got to do more than just the bare minimum.

So what do English classes have to do with it? Well yes, you have to pay attention to pass them, but in paying special attention and always applying what you learn, it will make all the difference. You may not use poetic elements or figurative language, but the authors you read are important for a reason. In order to write well, you need to be able to read well, and reading well involves modeling what works.

So make sure you take the time to read a good book, proofread your papers, learn the FANBOY comma rules and when to use a semicolon. Develop a distinct and consistent rhetoric that will make you stand out amongst the rest.