What to say to science students that keep insulting my degree?

Sorry for the essay! I study English Literature and want to be a writer and an English lecturer. I've wanted to be a published author for as long as I can remember, and a lecturer since I was in college. So you can see why I picked English at university. It's what I'm good at, it's what I enjoy, and it's the field I wish to go into.

Most of my friends at university are science students. I love my friends dearly and care a lot about them.

However, now, I'm in the second year. They are still making cheap shots at my degree. They say things like, "What's the point in doing English?", but only when there's a lot of them there. They wouldn't dare say it straight to my face, but when I'm in the room with two or more of them, they do. It's like they don't even consider my feelings.

It makes me feel really uncomfortable, because this is what I have always wanted to do, and it's costing me a lot of money. It's making me angry, too, because it's clear that they think their degrees are worth more than mine. And maybe they are. I don't know. But it's still hurtful to hear. I mean, on one level, the 'value' of my degree doesn't matter - if I know what I want to do and am certain that I'm doing what I need to to get where I want to be, what does its worth to others matter? In an ideal world, I would like my friends to totally change this idea they've got about it. However, at this point, all I want them to do is stop voicing their thoughts on it. And yes, maybe I'll "let them talk" or whatever, but it's still unpleasant to deal with. When I'm where I want to be, of course this will stop, but I'm not yet, and probably won't be until my mid to late twenties.

I once said something back - that they can criticise me as much as they want, but that they weren't doing well enough to get into the fields that they want to get into. They couldn't handle it, of course. I felt terrible saying it and don't want to fight fire with fire.

I honestly even get this from strangers on nights out. When I say that I want to write books and be an English lecturer, they seem to understand. I just don't get what else my friends think I should've done. I tell my friends time and time again what I want to do, and have told them a couple times to stop. That quiets them for a little while, but it always starts up again later. In this day and age, it's near-impossible to get a job as a lecturer without a degree.

Of course, it's not all science students. You will know if you're not one of the ones I'm talking about, so please don't turn this into a 'not all scientists' debate. I've got a few friends that are science students that are total babes about it all. But, sorry, I find that most of the time, it's science and maths students that say this to people that are reading basically any other subject. What gives? What should I say to them?

Tell them if you don't or they don't stop make new friends. ideally non STEM friends.

But gotta say this STEMMASTERRACE.

Sorry for the essay! I study English Literature and want to be a writer and an English lecturer. I've wanted to be a published author for as long as I can remember, and a lecturer since I was in college. So you can see why I picked English at university. It's what I'm good at, it's what I enjoy, and it's the field I wish to go into.

Most of my friends at university are science students. I love my friends dearly and care a lot about them.

However, now, I'm in the second year. They are still making cheap shots at my degree. They say things like, "What's the point in doing English?", but only when there's a lot of them there. They wouldn't dare say it straight to my face, but when I'm in the room with two or more of them, they do. It's like they don't even consider my feelings.

It makes me feel really uncomfortable, because this is what I have always wanted to do, and it's costing me a lot of money. It's making me angry, too, because it's clear that they think their degrees are worth more than mine. And maybe they are. I don't know. But it's still hurtful to hear. I mean, on one level, the 'value' of my degree doesn't matter - if I know what I want to do and am certain that I'm doing what I need to to get where I want to be, what does its worth to others matter? In an ideal world, I would like my friends to totally change this idea they've got about it. However, at this point, all I want them to do is stop voicing their thoughts on it. And yes, maybe I'll "let them talk" or whatever, but it's still unpleasant to deal with. When I'm where I want to be, of course this will stop, but I'm not yet, and probably won't be until my mid to late twenties.

I once said something back - that they can criticise me as much as they want, but that they weren't doing well enough to get into the fields that they want to get into. They couldn't handle it, of course. I felt terrible saying it and don't want to fight fire with fire.

I honestly even get this from strangers on nights out. When I say that I want to write books and be an English lecturer, they seem to understand. I just don't get what else my friends think I should've done. I tell my friends time and time again what I want to do, and have told them a couple times to stop. That quiets them for a little while, but it always starts up again later. In this day and age, it's near-impossible to get a job as a lecturer without a degree.

Of course, it's not all science students. You will know if you're not one of the ones I'm talking about, so please don't turn this into a 'not all scientists' debate. I've got a few friends that are science students that are total babes about it all. But, sorry, I find that most of the time, it's science and maths students that say this to people that are reading basically any other subject. What gives? What should I say to them?

...

Just tell them the reason for doing the degree... To possibly become an English lecturer. I did a STEM degree and we are all very goal-oriented. Doing a degree just because you like a subject is generally seen as a waste of time and money because the other option of self-learning, publishing, and freelancing is seen as a more productive use of your time and money.

I mean, I'm not saying it is. I'm just saying in general this is how we think. You need to give the right people the right answers. If you give a STEM person an end-goal and one that cannot easily be attained without the degree, then they will no longer have questions over why you are doing the degree.

English is either randomly graded or harder than any STEM subject. If you believe the latter, return the banter and say your subject is harder than theirs.

Call them autists.

Anyone who actually thinks they are better for doing a STEM degree, probably has nothing real to brag about, equally the best STEM students always seem to appreciate other academic disciplines.

Just toughen up and grow callus to it. Roll with the punches.

Or, stand up for yourself and tell them to bugger off. Tell them their aggressiveness towards non STEM subjects is based on them being bullied in school and not getting any attention from girls/boys. Tell them "Careful you don't drown in all that pussy you'll be getting with that STEM degree." or similar. So on and so forth.

In short, learn to take a hit or go on the offensive. Staying on the back foot has gotten you nowhere.

I appreciate that people have the right to do whatever degree they wish, it's their choice after all and I respect that, However I do also believe some degrees are more worthwhile than others (Note; Worthwhile, not better)

Lets take my degree (Engineering) and the Op's degree (Eng Lit) They are pretty limited to what they can do, Lecturer and writer is pretty much it, whereas I have many more doors open to me, my degree can lead me into practically any stem subject, aswell as a fair few others without much difficulty, each one of those have countless options within. I have a much wider knowledge and therefore more opportunities. Therefore, I will always argue that my degree is more worthwhile than say a language or English due to what it can provide and lead too. I personally however, will never put down someone else's degree regardless of what it is.

OP - Your degree is yours, you've picked it for your reasons, the same as I picked mine for my own. Nothing anyone says can devalue your degree unless you let it, ignore them, they're only taking the piss because they wrongfully believe in the #StemMasterRace. Unfortunately, alot of people believe in the "Value" aspect, to some extent me included, what they forget however, is that a degrees value is embedded within what you do with it....

There are tonnes of engineering grads, unless you're a mathematical prodigy, you don't exactly count for much in the grand scheme of things.