#* then in college or pro

[ed-recoverry]

THERE ARE NO USELESS MAJORS!!

Learning about theater is important! Learning about art is important! Learning about sociology is important! Learning about history is important! Learning about anthropology is important! Learning about philosophy important! Learning about music is important! Learning about English is important! Learning about dance is important! Learning about photography is important! Learning about art history is important! Learning about ethnic studies is important! Learning about theology is important! Learning about performing arts is important!

Usefulness does not equal high income!

All education is important!

[angelicasdigitaldiary]

July 19, 2024, 6am.

Morning study vibe, but of course I have to do a quick Pinterest scroll to set the mood.

[sofiaruelle]

You look sporty today! 🏀🏈⚽️

[creachiergh]

michigan miku!! miku from michigan!!

(and, per my friend's request, assembly line miku)

[singing-not-sleeping-beauty]

Something I think is so important to acknowledge with the Columbia university protests is that these students were the class of 2020

the seniors, passing up on their college graduation, where once high schoolers denied their prom & graduation due to a global pandemic that the American government scoffed at.

They are not children protesting a war they "don't understand", these are students at one of the most prestigious academic institutions in the world, they are well educated young adults looking back at the milestones that have been taken from them and willingly letting go of their second chance, because that is how strongly they believe in this cause

[delicatebarness]

the manuscript | prologue

Summary: The first encounter.

Warnings: Age Gap. (Dr Barnes: late 40s & Reader: 18 in this part)

Word Count: 837

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A/N: Oh, hello Dr. Barnes. - Please feel free to leave feedback or let me know where and how you want the story to continue, this is just as much yours as it is mine. - B

Tags: Let me know if you would like to be added to the tag list!

The university loomed before you, the ivy-clad walls and gothic spires stood as testaments to the centuries of academic excellence. Renowned for its rigorous standards, the prestigious institution drew in the brightest minds from across the globe. You stepped through the grand archway, the air humming with the energy of countless scholarly pursuits, each echoing through the hallowed halls. 

You haven’t long turned 18, now a freshman, driven by a passion for creative writing. Your nights were spent hunched over notebooks, pouring your heart into stories and poems. Determined to make the most of this opportunity, you reflected on your talent that earned you a place here. With the best and brightest. It was a new chapter of your academic journey, and it started today.

Dr. James B. Barnes is a brilliant literature professor yet, reserved. His reputation preceded him– known for his profound insights and standards, he was feared and revered by his students. As you approached his office, your heart began to race. 

Tucked away in a quiet corner of the library, stood a heavy oak door with a brass nameplate glinting in the dim light. You took a deep breath and knocked firmly. Creaking open the door, you revealed Dr. Barnes. Sat behind a cluttered desk, his gaze lifted from a pile of papers, meeting yours. Piercing yet thoughtful, there was a moment of silent assessment. 

You felt the weight of his scrutiny as you stepped inside. The room smelled of leather with a faint trace of whiskey. 

“Good afternoon,” you begin, trying to steady your voice despite the nerves. “I’m going to be joining your advanced English literature class.” 

“Ah, yes,” he responded, his tone measured. “You must be the freshman. Please, have a seat.” 

You took a seat in the heavy leather chair opposite his desk. The two of you exchange a few professional courtesies, keeping the conversation brief but charged with mutual respect. You could sense that he had recognized your passion, and you were determined to prove yourself. 

~

A week later, you found yourself attending his class, surrounded by fellow students. His presence was commanding as he stood at the front of the room. A masterful blend of critical analysis and profound insight, his lectures were delivered with authority. 

Your hand raised after a particularly challenging lecture, Dr. Barnes acknowledged you with a nod.

“Yes?” 

“I have to disagree with your interpretation of his work,” you say, your voice clear and confident. A stark contrast from your first meeting with him. “I believe his use of fragmented narrative serves as a challenge to the notion of a singular, authoritative voice, rather than to obscure meaning.” 

The room fell silent, all eyes turned to you. Dr. Barnes regards you with a mixture of curiosity and annoyance. 

“Interesting perspective,” he replied, keeping his tone cool. “However, I would argue that the fragmentation serves more to reflect the chaotic nature of postmodern existence.” 

You don’t back down. “Isn’t that chaos a direct challenge to traditional narrative structures? He seems to be inviting readers to find their own meaning within the disarray.” 

Your heated debate ensues, intellectual electricity cranking the air. Your classmates watched, their gazes swapping between you and Dr. Barnes like they were at Wimbledon as you exchanged arguments. 

Initially, he was annoyed by your boldness, yet you caught a flicker of intrigue in his eyes. You thrived on pushing boundaries and testing limits, in particular, with those you found intellectually stimulating and authoritative. Leaving everyone, including Dr. James B. Barnes, captivated.

“Your argument is well-crafted,” he concedes, a hint of a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. “I look forward to more discussions like this.” 

As the weeks passed, Dr. Barnes’ class quickly became the highlight of your week. A battlefield of ideas in each session, a place where you could push your intellectual prowess. Dr. Barnes, though initially reserved, seemed to relish the debates as much as you did. 

One chilly autumn afternoon, you lingered after another stimulating class as the other students left. The room fell quiet, as though itself was in thought and reflection. Dr. Barnes noticed and approached you.

“Good work today,” he said, his tone less sharper than usual. “You’ve brought a new energy to these discussions.” 

“Thank you,” you smile, a rush of pride coursed through you. “Your classes challenge me in ways I never expected.” 

He nodded, “To challenge and to inspire, that’s the point of academia. Keep questioning, you could go far.” 

You smiled again, your cheeks becoming flushed. “I’m glad you’re not tired of my questions yet.” 

“On the contrary,” he said as he leaned closer, his eyes locking onto yours with an intensity that caused your heart to race. “I find them… refreshing.” 

The flicker of something unspoken passed between you, a deeper connection yet to be explored. His words echoed as you left the lecture hall, the promise in his eyes lingered. 

What were the boundaries between student and teacher? And, could they transform into something more profound? 

- - -

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[liminaldaydreams]

I get so mad when I think about Asterion, the minotaur. Like, if someone offered me a free cow baby I'd have scooped him up so fucking fast. I'd have raised him right. Like RIP Minos you piece of shit I'd have raised him right and it wouldn't have involved locking him in a dark labyrinth to feed on humans. NEITHER COWS NOR HUMANS EAT HUMANS LIKE WHY THE FUCK WERE YALL FEEDING HIM HUMANS. Like, he's starving so he'll eat whatever you give him but like come on. Y'all did that to yourselves. Asterion my precious baby boy you would have been a perfect son to me. I wrote a college essay about this and got an A if you even care. "He wouldn't suckle at my breast" HE WAS WEANED BITCH WTF YALL JUST GAVE UP AND THREW HIM IN A MAZE??? GIVE HIM SOME GRASS OR A SALAD OR SOMETHING MOTHERFUCKER HES A COW. "He's a monster sent to curse me by the gods" SKILL ISSUE SKILL ISSUE SKILL ISSUE MINOS IM GONNA FUCKING KILL YOU. If we meet in the afterlife it's on sight you piece of shit deadbeat dad wtf.

[machveil]

math and science nerd John “Soap” MacTavish is my beloved because I know he flawlessly passed his chemistry classes and absolutely flopped biology

[amethysttribble]

"In later days [Amras and Amrod] were great hunters in the woods of Middle-earth; and a hunter also was Celegorm, who in Valinor was a friend of Orome, and often followed the Vala’s horn."

So, like, what kinds of hunting to do you the Ambarussa engaged in?

Celegorm 'followed Orome's horn'. Given what we know of Orome (his host, his horses, his dogs, the purging of evil monsters), I've always imaged the type of hunting these Elves and Ainur engaged was modeled after the Medieval mounted hunt.

Dogs chasing down on-foot game (deer, boar, wolves, foxes, badgers) while mounted riders followed with spears and bows (tho some considered bow hunting to be ignoble and an insult to the slain animal). Given Celegorm's canonical spear and bow use... safe bet.

It's important to note, though, that this manner of hunting was more ritual and sport than it was sustenance hunting. These enterprises were performed by the nobility as a past time with nice benefits, it was very well-organized and coordinated and /fancy/. They required an incredible amount of teamwork, preparation, and coordination, as well as grace and skill, so its no surprise someone could gain renown doing it, either in a leading or supporting role

Ambarussa don't follow Orome's horn. They aren't part of his host. And, in some texts, they are noted to be less 'great and renowed' hunters than Celegorm.

Given all this, I'd like to propose that Amrod and Amras engage in different types of hunting (of which there are many) in which they might have gained some renown, but wouldn't have been known as 'great' hunters as they weren't primarily interested in the pageantry and sport of the Hunt.

I like to think that Amrod was a very well-respected falconer and Amras was an excellent trap hunter.

Falconry was a common and highly respectable practice, wherein a falcon or hawk was trained to hunt waterfowl usually. Sometimes small animals. And heck, lets throw in that Amrod liked to train smaller dog breeds (terrier, spaniel) to hunt burrowing ground game. While Celegorm leans more spear, Amrod leans more bow.

Trapping was not really a 'sporting' type of hunting, it was hugely practical and, of course, takes more time (though all hunting takes time, in the kinds assisted by animals, you have the dogs or birds flush out the prey for you, rather than waiting for prey to come to you). And he fishes (fishing as we imagine it really pop up much until 15th century but shhh)! I imagine Amras enjoys setting traps before dawn, then going to fish for several hours before checking his traps and lines.

So there you go, they're very well accomplished hunters, but not in the way that big-game hunting Celegorm was skilled, and thus gained less renown for it.

[mindfulstudyquest]

❥﹒♡﹒☕﹒ 𝗽𝗿𝗼 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮'𝘀

having good grades doesn't necessarily mean you're smart, a test or exam can't always determine someone's intelligence, but it's academic validation we crave, right? so here are some tips thanks to which you will get straight a's.

𝟭. understand what the professor wants ( 🪼 )

learning the entire book by heart is tiring and basically useless. we take our education seriously, but it's impossible to know everything about everything, so inevitably there will be topics we can gloss over. check old tests, listen to the teacher during the lecture, talk to students who have already attended the course and passed the exam. understand which aspects your professor particularly cares about and concentrate on those, your exam will certainly go well.

𝟮. strengthen your memorization ( 🦋 )

very often the amount of things to study is just too much and, even though you spend all day in the library rereading the topics again and again, you feel that it is not enough. you get confused, you forget steps, you get lost in the labyrinth of the subject. investing in understanding your form of memorization will benefit you in the long run. identify your type of memory (spatial, photographic, echoic, etc.) and focus on how to improve it. having a good memory will make your studying for the exam much faster and easier.

𝟯. pay attention in class ( 🫧 )

attend all lectures and take notes. much of your studying comes from your professor's lecture. underline the important things in your textbook, carefully follow their speech and - if there are any - their powerpoint slides, writing only the things that the teacher adds and which are not written either in the book or in the extra material, if necessary, record the lesson so you can listen to it again at a later time.

𝟰. organize your notes the same day ( 🧃 )

when i take notes in class i write badly and quickly to keep up with the teacher, shortening words or omitting passages.  by reorganizing your notes that same evening (at most the next day, if you really don't have time) you can revise your work when the lesson is still fresh in your mind; if you wait too long, you will forget most of the things and you will find yourself staring blankly at pages of notes which, at that point, will seem more like hieroglyphics to you than anything else.

𝟱. use ai responsibly ( 🪴 )

artificial intelligence is everywhere nowadays and why not use it to our advantage? of course i'm not suggesting that you let an ai take care of all your tests and essays, it wouldn't make sense, however very often it helped me make a list of key points to develop in a research paper, or gave me excellent ideas and insights for projects. they can also be used to create flashcards, summarize and simplify articles, or create practice tests based on the material you will have to study.

𝟲. delve deeper into your “whys” ( 🌾 )

sometimes when i study i stare into space and wonder why i am studying something that seems completely irrelevant to my path. i'm sure it happens to you too, don't ignore this feeling. don't be afraid to explore themes and topics that aren't clear to you, if two statements seem contradictory ask yourself why, if you don't understand some passages, don't be afraid to ask a question. we study for ourselves, before studying to graduate, to work. there is no shame in not understanding, your intelligence lies in striving to clarify what seems obscure.

[redbuddi]

While I do believe it can be difficult if not impossible to separate art from artist, especially when the artist is still alive and their success leads to actual institutional change, I think it is absolutely imperative to remove art from fandom. No matter how annoying a fandom is the art can still be good, and no matter how seemingly kind and accepting a fandom is the art can still be harmful. But most of all it's important to come to your own conclusions about a piece before engaging in discourse about it, or else no proper analysis will ever be able to be had.

[blasphemousclaw]

I always see those videos of professional musicians/composers/etc reacting to fromsoft boss music but, while they always have interesting things to say, almost all of them aren’t actually familiar with the game itself and don’t analyze how the music represents the story… so I’m finally gonna write about that MYSELF because I have so many thoughts about it

[thistledropkick]

The poster reads "This summer, instead of college credits, I want you. I'll be waiting, in Ryogoku" And at the bottom it says "Masada Takeshi - college student wrestler"

Masada's tweet says

"I'm real sorry! But I'd actually rather have the college credits."

Despe: "ahhh I'm feeling so attacked right nowwww"

Masada:

"I'm embarrassed to admit it but , , My priority really is earning college credits , , ,"

Despe:

"But four years of college should be enough

I'm doing just fine with about half a year"

Masada:

"That was my plan too but, well, I'm already a 4th year student, I'm running out of time, and I'm stressing out lol"

Despe:

". . . . there's still the second semester! You've got time!"

Masada:

"Am I gonna have to get as many credits as possible in the second semester too? 🤮🤮"

Chris:

"He's our enemy right now, so quit being disloyal and stop flirting with this man"

Masada:

"ah , , ! , ! , !"

[swordscleric]

I can't stop thinking about the post from a few days ago about how Critical Role has been great at doing personal faith but didn't put the necessary work in to discuss the religious/god angle of c3 in-depth. Like the fact that Cardinal Respa was linked to both the Dawnfather and the Chained Oblivion is, on a personal level, very interesting (fallen/corrupted priest goes hard) but like does that mean that there's a Papacy somewhere in Exandria dedicated to the Dawnfather? If so, are there more cardinals who ordain the bishops of the Dawnfather? Are there Conclave-level intrigues going on in the Dawnfather's Sistine Chapel? Why is the Dawnfather so Christianity-coded in vibes alone if there's no actual outline of his religious organisations? With Downfall the Dawnchild/Dawnfather thing makes the allusions to Christ as Son of God co-existing with the Father textual - was there a Dawnfather Schism around whether the Dawnchild was a separate mortal? Was there a Reformation about how the Dawnfather's Pope kept selling indulgences? Is that why the priest of the Dawnfather Grog & Pike offer a drink to doesn't partake because of a cultural shift between Protestant-Temperance-League-coded and Catholic-coded Dawnfather congregations? Why do I have so many questions about the religious organisation of one of the most important Prime Deities in Exandria and to Critical Role's 3 campaigns? How on earth were the cast (and us as the viewers!) meant to care about the gods if all they had were "really tall kings" instead of interrogating how religious organisations provide both a place of healing and community to a wide range of people and also a place of horrific harm and abuse for a wide range of people?

[lostinsidelostoutside]

This is terrifying and what they are calling for is straight out of a horror movie !

Its terrible.

People need to wake up and stop pandering to this evil ideology.

[incorrect-batfam-quotes-mostly]

"The college kids are getting so young"

Shut up Noah Kahan I'm already having feelings