English – Literature

STUDENT STORY

" Attending Redeemer had been an obvious choice for me, and when I arrived in the fall of 2010, I thought the rest of my choices would be obvious too. I’d use my interest in English and history to support the direction of the education degree I’d already been preparing for. I’d graduate, get a job, and teach students to love literature as much as I did. But something unexpected happened; when I was in my third year, I began to seriously question the path I had always planned for. I still loved books, but I no longer felt called to teach. I decided to withdraw from the education program. For the first time, I had no idea what I was supposed to do with my degree. My time at Redeemer didn’t give me precise answers to the questions I was asking. Better yet, it taught me to trust in God’s plan for my life, even when I couldn’t think past the end of my afternoon English class. Faculty, staff, and fellow students surrounded me with prayer, support, and assurance that although living in the unknown was scary, it was also a great opportunity. I read Shakespeare, Milton, Dickens, Tolkien, Fowles, Atwood, Ondaatje. I studied abroad. I learned from knowledgeable, discerning professors. And after a time of not knowing, I discovered a different path. With the diligence and dedication instilled in me during my four years at Redeemer, and with my love of literature still intact, I went on to complete a year-long program in book publishing, and I’m now working in Toronto’s busy publishing industry as an editor. The path I’m on is not the one I expected, not the one I planned for, not the obvious choice. Redeemer prepared me for success by teaching what is continuously necessary: letting go of my plan, and seeking after God’s instead. "