I’ve talked/written/complained about this before, but I feel like it’s one topic I could forever focus on, perhaps because it’s such a big part of my life. I might as well admit it:

My name is Sohini and I’m a literature student.

“Aaaah!” (© Cartoon Network | via Giphy)

We’re all expected to do something in life. From the moment you finish your studies, even before then, people are very interested to know, “What do you want to do? What are you going to do?” As if there isn’t anything more important to focus on. Whilst this a very common question, what I want to do — to earn money but to more importantly spend my own time and my own life doing is my choice. It can be a personal matter, and is all my choice. Because it’s my own life I’ll be occupying with whatever I do.

So the judgement people are so quick to pass on these decisions is baffling. “I admire people who choose creative professions,” someone told me once. “Because it’s more uncertain. I myself am using not words or language, but Technical Skills for my job,” she added. I could almost hear the capital ‘t’ and ’s’.

Technical Skills. Wow. (© Nickelodeon | via Giphy)

Well, good for you, random woman! The state of the world may be such that people with certain degrees are seemingly accorded more job security. But, I didn’t bother to explain, it isn’t really the degree that matters. Whether my certificate reads ‘English literature’ or ‘Economics’ or ‘Care of Magical Creatures’, it’s the transferrable skills that decide my employability.

I don’t learn how to read books, or to write essays. I learn how to analyse and question, to develop ideas concisely and effectively. I learn about human nature and identity, about gender, class and race. Most importantly, I learn how to wield words better than many.

And I do this because it’s what interests me the most.

For countless reasons, so many people don’t have the freedom to choose their own paths, to follow their dreams. I’m one of the lucky ones who can, so please excuse me whilst I thank my lucky stars and spend my time as I please.