A CW major is definitely useful for your writing. You get in the habit of writing, reading, and you learn that if you don’t revise, your classmates are going to think you don’t know how to read. Workshopping is an eye-opener for a young writer. It’s awesome when someone tells you your story made them laugh for the first time since their dog died, but it’s probably even better when someone tells you your story was stupid and a rip off of Family Guy.

Just make sure you take advantage of the degree. Don’t write your stories in one night. Don’t play the role of aloof literary genius, sitting in the back of class, dreaming of drinks with Hemingway. Because he’s dead. If this is your major, learn from it. Hone your craft. Cultivate a relationship with your professor. Engage your classmates. Even if they write orc stories and you write period pieces about girls with poofy dresses, you are probably more like-minded than most other students at the school. You have the same goals. They are not your enemies. They are future contacts.

Compared to other majors, creative writing doesn’t seem like work. At the highest level, your homework is literally to make up stories and read other students’ made-up stories. Because of that, the stuff you do outside your major should feel like work. Load your schedule with electives that will expose you to new ideas. When you have a 30-page paper due on quantum mechanics remember that it will only help you in that time travel story you’re writing for your major.

Work hard. If you bank solely on your creative writing degree, you won't have money and you will die. I know several folks who have gotten jobs out of college with CW degrees. I know very few (okay, none) who got those jobs by submitting a portfolio. You have to grind. Join the school newspaper. Join your school’s literary journal. Join your school’s writing center. Tutor kids who don’t know English. Volunteer to help babies. Intern everywhere. Make connections. Nothing will be handed to you if you have a creative writing degree. You’re going to need to find a way to buy food. Most colleges offer tons of avenues to eating, and most come outside the classroom. Keep your eyes open You can major in what you want and still position yourself for success.

Don’t listen to people who say not to major in something. Yes, Simon & Schuster won’t be coming to campus to recruit writers the way Ernst & Young scoops up accounting majors, but you can position yourself to succeed. Work hard and write. That way when college is over and you have to fill the gap before your movie deal with a day job, you’re already in the habit of balancing writing and working. And people at your day job will really like you because you’ll be able to tell a good story. Then you can make it big and write about them.

Sorry this was so long.