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learner-hunt · 3 months ago

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What is MA?

A Master of Arts (MA) is a graduate degree that can deepen your knowledge of a subject in the humanities, social sciences, and arts. Through an MA degree program, you can gain important knowledge and skills needed for a variety of careers, including in fields like education, art and design, languages, journalism and communications, and human services. You may also qualify for more senior roles because a growing number of employers prefer advanced education. Outside of your career, you may even experience personal growth and acquire lifelong skills, such as critical thinking and problem-solving.

There are many benefits to pursuing a MA Program in India. In this article, we’ll go over the different areas you can earn a MA, the advantages of a graduate degree, and the job outlook for graduates.

What is Master of Arts Degree?

A Master of Arts degree is a graduate degree that focuses on a specific concentration within the liberal arts or humanities, such as English, philosophy, art, or a foreign language. It usually takes about two to three years to earn your MA. In addition to taking advanced courses in your subject area that may include seminars, discussions, and academic research and writing, your program may also expect you to complete a thesis or capstone project.

Master of Arts Degree Fields

Other Master’s degrees, like certain Master of Science (MS) degrees and the Master of Business Administration (MBA), prepare students to pursue specific career paths or industries. A Master of Arts may also prepare you for a designated career path, but you’ll also likely gain valuable- and versatile- transferable skills. For example, the research, language, and critical thinking skills you’ll typically gain in a Spanish language master’s program can lead to work in translation, interpretation, international relations, and numerous other areas.

Some Common Subjects that can lead to a Master of Arts degree include:

Art History

Journalism and Mass Communication

Languages (classical languages, French, Spanish, German, Chinese, etc.)

English

Education and various topics within the topic of education, like educational psychology

History

Political Science

Sociology

Philosophy

Religion

International affairs

Comparative Literature

Education

Many People who earn a Master of Arts degree often end up working in education. As a matter of fact, many people who are already teachers or working in education will seek a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) or education to expand their career choices. It’s also a great option for people who have bachelor’s degrees in other topics and would like to transition to teaching. People who earn this degree typically work as:

Elementary and secondary school teachers

Special Education Teachers

Principals and School Administrations

School or Career Counsellors

Education coordinators at museums, zoos, and aquariums

Educational consultants

Corporate trainers

Curriculum developers

Art and design

While a Master of Arts degree is more about liberal arts than fine arts, you can earn a Master of Arts degree in subjects that focus on your creative side, like art history, art and design, art therapy, dance, and music. This type of master’s degree can help you hone your talents and may lead you to one of these careers:

Art Teacher

Animator

Graphic Designer

Museum Director

Dance instructor

Performing Artist

Museum educator

Music Teacher

Music therapist

Art therapist

Languages

Earning a master’s degree in a foreign language can open up opportunities in any field where there may be a language barrier that requires communication. You might find jobs in both the public and private sectors such as:

Translator

English as a foreign language teacher

Foreign correspondent

Civil Service Employee

Intelligence Specialist

Linguist

Drug enforcement agent

Foreign Service officer

Health care interpreter

Journalism and Communications

An MA degree in Journalism or communications can help you advance your career or lead to opportunities in journalism, advertising, public relations, new media, and mass media. Some Potential jobs in these areas might include:

Staff Writer

Editor

Copywriter

Broadcast Journalist

Political Campaign Manager

Event Manager

Public Relations Manager

Advertising Manager

Social Media Specialist

TV or film producer

Digital Marketer

Human Services

If you are interested in serving others, you may choose a Master of Arts that can lead to a career in human services. You might select a degree concentration like sociology, social sciences, counselling, therapy, criminal justice, or human services. This can lead to careers like:

Social Worker

Health Care Administrator

Mental Health Counsellor

Researcher

Education administrator

Marriage and family therapist

Case Manager

Community Outreach Worker

Probation officer

Occupational Therapist

Public Policy Consultant

Substance abuse counsellor

Which is the Most Important Entrance Exams for MA?

The Common University Entrance Test (CUET) is the most popular and Challenging MA Entrance Exams Conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA).

MA Course Entrance Exams

Admission to some regular universities for MA Postgraduate Programs is based on the entrance examinations listed below:

Postgraduate Entrance Examinations

Common University Entrance Test

Provisional Entrance Examination

Postgraduate Entrance Examinations The Entrance Examinations for admission to MA Program in India is held every year online.

Common University Entrance Test

The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts the CUET PG in computer-based test (CBT) mode. Candidates who pass the CUET PG can cruise for admission to the MA postgraduate degree program.

Provisional Entrance Examination Maharishi Dayanand University (MDU) conducts its own admission test for the MA degree program. The entrance examination is known by the name of Provisional Entrance Examination. The application fee for the MA Entrance examination at MDU is 600 Indian rupees. MDU typically holds the examination online.

MA Course Eligibility Criteria

To apply for MA Program in India, you need to meet certain requirements. Here’s what you generally need:

Educational Background

Bachelor’s Degree: You must have finished a Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university.

Minimum Marks: Most universities ask for at least around 50% marks in your Bachelor’s degree. Some programs might need higher marks in specific subjects.

Subject Requirement: For some courses your bachelor’s degree should be in a related subject.

Entrance Exams

University Exams: Some Universities have their own entrance exams for MA courses.

National Exams: Certain Programs may need you to take a national-level entrance exam like CUET.

Selection Process

Academic Merit: Your Undergraduate Marks and entrance exams scores play a significant role

Statement of Purpose: Craft a Compelling statement of purpose that outlines your academic goals, research interests, and why you’re a perfect fit for the program.

Letters of Recommendations: Strong letters of recommendation from professors can enhance your application significantly.

Other Things to Know

Work Experience: Sometimes, having work experience in a related field can help your application.

Statement of Purpose (SOP): You might need to write a SOP explaining your academic background and career goals.

Letter of Recommendations (LORs): Some Universities might ask for LORs from teachers or employers.

Most Popular MA Courses

Master of Arts (M.A.) degrees offer a diverse range of courses that appeal to students with different interests and career goals.

Here are some of the most popular M.A. courses that students often choose:

M.A. in English Literature

M.A. in Economics

M.A. in Psychology

M.A. in Sociology

M.A. in Political Science

M.A. in History

M.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication

M.A. in Education

M.A. in Fine Arts

10. M.A. in International Relations

M.A. in English Literature

Overview: This course dives into English literature, covering classic and contemporary works. Students study various genres, literary theories, and critical analysis.

Career Prospects: Graduates can pursue careers in teaching, writing, publishing, and media.

Top Colleges: 1. Delhi University 2. Jadavpur University 3. St. Stephen’s College, Delhi

M.A. in Economics

Overview: Focuses on economic theories, quantitative methods, and practical applications. Students learn about microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics.

Career Prospects: Careers in banking, finance, government, and research.

Top Colleges: 1. Delhi School of Economics

2. Jawaharlal Nehru University 3. Madras School of Economics

M.A. in Psychology

Overview: This course explores human behaviour, mental processes, and psychological research methods. It covers areas like clinical, counselling, and organizational psychology.

Career Prospects: Opportunities in Counselling, therapy, human resources, and research.

Top Colleges:

Tata Institute of Social Sciences

Christ University, Bangalore

University of Calcutta

M.A. in Sociology

Overview: Studies society, social institutions, and relationships. Topics include social theory, research methods, and social problems.

Career Prospects: Work in social services, community development, research, and education.

Top Colleges: 1. Jawaharlal Nehru University 2. Delhi University 3. University of Mumbai

M.A. in Political Science Overview: Focuses on political theories, government systems, and international relations. Students analyse political behaviour, policies, and political institutions.

Career Prospects: Careers in government, policy analysis, international organizations, and academia.

Top Colleges: 1. Jawaharlal Nehru University 2. Delhi University 3. Presidency University, Kolkata

M.A. in History

Overview: Explores human history, civilizations, and historical events. Students study periods, regions, and themes in history.

Career Prospects: Opportunities in education, museums, archives, and historical research.

Top Colleges: 1. Jawaharlal Nehru University 2. University of Calcutta 3. Banaras Hindu University

M.A in Journalism and Mass Communications

Overview: Covers Media, Communication theories, and journalism practices. Students learn about reporting, editing, media ethics, and digital media.

Career Prospects: Jobs in journalism, public relations, media production, and advertising.

Top Colleges: 1. Indian Institute of Mass Communication 2. Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communications 3. Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai

M.A in Education

Overview: Focuses on Educational theories, teaching methods, and curriculum development. It prepares students for roles in education and training.

Career Prospects: Careers in teaching, educational administration, and curriculum design.

Top Colleges:

Tata Institute of Social Sciences

Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi

University of Delhi

M.A in Fine Arts

Overview: Explores Various art forms, including painting, sculpture, and visual arts. Students develop artistic skills and learn about art history and criticism.

Career Prospects: Work as artists, art teachers, curators, and art therapists.

Top Colleges: 1. Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda

2. Kala Bhavana, Visva-Bharati University

3. College of Art, Delhi

M.A in International Relations

Overview: Studies global politics, international diplomacy, and world affairs. Students analyse global issues, international law, and foreign policies.

Career Prospects: Careers in international organizations, diplomacy, NGOs, and global business.

Top Colleges:

Jawaharlal Nehru University

Symbiosis School of International Studies

South Asian University

By choosing an M.A. course that fits your goals and interests, you can enhance your knowledge, skills, and career opportunities.

M.A. Courses Career Opportunities

Earning a Master of Arts (MA full form) degree opens up diverse career opportunities across various fields. Here’s an overview of potential career paths you can pursue:

Education and Academia

Teacher or Professor: Teach at Schools, colleges, or universities.

Educational Administrator: Manage educational institutions or programs

Curriculum Developer: Design Educational Courses and Materials

Business & Management

Marketing Manager: Develop & Execute Marketing Strategies

Human Resources Specialist: Manage employee relations and recruitment

Project Manager: Oversee Projects and teams within organizations

Communication and Media

Public Relations Specialist: Manage Public image and communications for organizations.

Journalist or Editor: Write for newspapers, magazines, or online platforms.

Media Producer: Create Content for television, radio, or digital media.

Social Services

Social Worker: Assist individuals and families in need for support

Counsellor or Therapist: Provide mental health counselling or therapy services.

Community Outreach Coordinator: Develop and implement programs to support communities

Government and Nonprofit Organizations

Policy Analyst: Analyse policies and make recommendations for governmental or nonprofit organizations.

Grant Writer: Prepare Proposals to secure funding for nonprofit projects.

Program Manager: Coordinate and manage programs that benefit communities or specific groups.

Research & Analysis

Market Research Analyst: Study Market trends and consumer behaviour.

Data Analyst: Interpret Data to inform business decisions

Researcher: Conduct studies & publish findings in academic or industry journals.

Arts and Culture

Museum Curator: Manage Collections and exhibitions in museums.

Artistic Director: Oversee artistic productions in theatres or performing arts organizations.

Gallery Manager: Coordinate exhibitions and manage art galleries.

International Relations and Diplomacy

Diplomat: Represent a Country’s interests in international relations.

International Development Specialists: Implement Programs to promote development in various regions.

Foreign Affairs Analyst: Analyse international issues and policies

An Master of Arts (MA full form) degree equips you with specialized knowledge and skills that are valued across diverse industries and sectors. Whether you aspire to work in education, business, media, social services, government, research, arts, or international relations, an Master of Arts (M.A full form) opens doors to rewarding career paths where you can make a meaningful impact.

Advantages of a Master of Arts of Degree

There are many reasons to get a Master of Arts degree, including career advancement, specialized knowledge, and skills development.

Career Advancement

Many people choose to get a Master of Arts degree to help advance their careers. You may want to strive for a promotion or move into a leadership or management position, and a master’s degree may be a requirement—or a way to help you stand out from other applicants. According to CareerBuilder, 33 percent of employers raised their educational standards between 2016 and 2021, hiring people with master's degrees for positions that were previously held by those with bachelor's degrees.

Specialized Knowledge in a field

You might want to advance your knowledge in a particular field, not because you're aiming for a promotion, but because you want to be better at your job. You may learn about new technology or methods that are prevalent in your field now compared to when you first started or earned your bachelor's degree. With an MA degree, you may be able to make a greater contribution to your job, or even offer your skills and knowledge as a consultant.

Acquiring Skills and lifelong learning

Perhaps you want to learn more about a subject because it interests you or you'd like to hone your skills, like writing or research. According to the Pew Research Centre, 73 percent of adults consider themselves lifelong learners. About 63 percent of working adults take courses or training to improve their job skills or expertise.

Job Outlook You’ll find that many careers that may require a Master of Arts degree are projected to grow between 2020 and 2030. According to US Bureau of Labour statistics (BLS), careers in social and community services may grow at a rate of 12 percent over the decade. That includes jobs like marriage and family therapists, school counsellors, probation officers, social workers, and mental health counsellors.

The BLS also projects that education, training, and library careers may grow at a rate of 10 percent between 2020 and 2030. That include careers like museum curators, ESL teachers, special education teachers, and general elementary and secondary education teachers. Art and design careers are expected to grow at a rate of 4 percent between 2020 and 2030, according to the BLS. Foreign Language careers, such as translators and interpreters, may see a growth rate of 24 percent. Media and Communications careers may see a growth rate of 14 percent.

Conclusion

The Master of Arts (MA) Program helps people learn more deeply about a specific subject they’re passionate about. It gives graduates advanced knowledge and skills they can use in many careers like teaching, research, writing, and advising. The Program teaches critical thinking, research skills, and expertise in the subject, helping graduates contribute to their fields. By focusing on Specialized learning and advanced study, the program encourages personal growth, learning, and success in careers.

#MA Program #MA Degree Program #MA Program in India #MA Entrance Exams

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icynebulae · 4 months ago

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SOPs for Master's Programs, An Offering to the Void!!

Finding examples of successful Statements of Purpose for applying to Graduate school is quite difficult! This post, using my successful SOP for grad school, is a simple attempt to offer assistance in the writing and editing of an SOP.

This info can apply to Bachelor level SOP’s too - it’s just a different context!

Details are below the cut. Note: long!

There is additional highlighting and interlinear notes in the google drive doc, and the ability to jump across headings, found here!!

Although it should be obvious, it does bear stating - please do not plagiarize my writing in part or wholesale.

Rather, use this as a guide on how answering the prompt might get structured in the actual SOP, and how much word count real estate is dedicated to each part of the SOP prompt.

For privacy, I’ve put filler for names and locations. Otherwise, the grammar, diction, and overall structure remains the same from the copy I submitted in my application, and thus should still be useful.

(Also, there are some faq specifics breaking down the process of write/edit/write at the very end. Useful for SOPs and in general perhaps, ymmv).

Hope this is both interesting, and helpful!

The prompt at the time from my School, for the SOP:

Statement of purpose: Approximately 1,000 words explaining your reasons for choosing to undertake graduate work in English, your intellectual training, areas of interest, and why you have chosen to apply to School of Interest.

The Statement Of Purpose:

Undertaking graduate studies in English is the natural next step as I grow as a human in my social and academic communities, as I advance my teaching skills, and as I pursue a career that includes writing, language usage, and research. While the intricacies of the English language have always fascinated me, it was through my Bachelors degree that I gained foundational knowledge about the socio-cultural and linguistic history of it. Because of these experiences, I'm even more invested in studying language and literature; these are also part of why I see graduate work in English as the enticing and obvious next step in my studies. Additionally, my work as a tutor at the Mysterious Tutoring Center in A Nearby City has reconfirmed my aptitude for teaching, especially with reading, writing, and language instruction. I’m driven to matriculate from School of Choice’s MA either directly into an editing or analytics career, or to a PhD program focused on one of my areas of interest.

My intellectual studies and training primarily occurred during my Bachelor's degree, which I earned cum laude in Year. I majored in English and Medieval Studies, and minored in Linguistics and Creative Writing. I delighted in gaining a broad knowledge of the English language, chronologically and across these interconnected disciplines. I have a solid foundation in English and British literature, and am familiar with how stylistic periods like Romanticism are demarcated (and, in fact, fueled) by historical events. I had the opportunity to study Old English in my last academic year, part of which focused on reading, and speaking, the text of Beowulf. Simultaneously, I studied Old Norse (or Old Icelandic) across two trimesters, in an advanced reading and discussion course, utilizing E.V. Gordon’s An Introduction to Old Norse, 2nd Edition. Both of these language and literature studies offered key development in the precision and relevancy of my analysis and translation.

Another essential part of my Bachelor’s was “The Special Creative Writing Workshop.” During this year-long creative writing program, I studied fiction intensively, and produced a Special Inquiry Essay – the workshop’s cumulative thesis – investigating the relationship between first-person omniscience, and how the points-of-view of different types of narrators can support that omniscience. With several years hindsight, the essay needs a narrower focus on the texts I synthesized, such as Jorge Luis Borges’ “Borges and I,” and Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief. Dissecting how creative writing techniques facilitate the story and thus thematic elements is an area of fascination for me. I easily envision myself using these creative writing lenses in conjunction with rhetorical and cultural analysis frameworks during the Master’s.

In a natural extension of my undergraduate studies, the Medieval era is of interest, particularly in the Scandinavian countries and in Britain. While understanding that the English language and literature are intimately entwined with knowing the associated cultural and linguistic history, there are other areas that I’d like to explore in depth during my Master’s of English. The intersection of gender and literature, studied cross-culturally, is very important to me. This is an area of study that my academic experience has lacked so far, and so I’m excited by the opportunity to investigate these areas with professors at School of Interest. Critical theory is an area of study that’s increasingly essential; I hope to investigate it in the context of political theory, in order to better understand how literature and rhetorical arguments are used tactically in the political sphere. Lastly, I’m interested in Twentieth Century literature from a global perspective, synthesizing how cultures understand and tell stories of human bodies and gender identity. I’m looking forward to narrowing my focus among these interests as I proceed with the Masters, especially for the Optional M.A. Essay. The structure of this essay is an essential opportunity to further my writing and research experience in preparation for pursuing a PhD in English.

A final area of interest is in teaching. My tutoring work among all ages at the Mysterious Tutoring Center has helped refine my career goals. Working with younger students and getting to see the real impact on their literacy is deeply fulfilling. That said, tutoring work I’ve done with older students in prep for the SAT, for teaching essay revision and writing styles, have all demonstrated my further aptitude for teaching older students. Earning the Master’s of English at School of Interest gives me the prerequisite skills and qualifications to pursue teaching at collegiate levels.

School of Interest is the right school to advance my academic and intellectual training for several reasons. That the school is known for fostering a diverse, accepting, and supportive academic community is critical. I believe that having supportive peers and faculty is a key part of supporting peoples’ growth as critical thinkers and ethical community members. Of even more importance, many of the professors and faculty have fields and specializations that align with my areas of interest. This assures me that School of Interest faculty will best support me toward pursuing an editing career, or toward further education in a PhD program. The overlap also assures me that my areas of interest will be a support to current faculty and fellow students; I’m excited to join the ongoing conversations, and learn even more in a collaborative environment.

Overall, my decision to pursue the M.A. in English at School of Interest is driven by genuine passion for the language and literature, a commitment to rigorous growth and study, and a desire to contribute meaningfully to the academic community. I look forward to advancing my rhetorical skills, in conjunction with my teaching, in order to better serve students. School of Interest is the ideal choice in all respects for studying the English language and literature, and the socio-cultural history thereof; I can’t wait to begin.

Word count in my successful application: 952

Word count in this modded copy: 963

Presumed FAQ / SOP Writing / General Writing Advice:

How does this SOP reflect me as a writer/person?

I’m a rather literal person at times, and I am often terrible at telling jokes/perceiving jokes. I do like being poetic sometimes, but not at the expense of being clear and direct (...unless a point cannot be expressed except via poetry…), especially in contexts that want some clear answers to specific questions (an SOP as a case in point). My writing reflects that: In the SOP, I don’t use any metaphors/similes to describe/contextualize my writing, experience, or goals. Once I state a fact of my skills/experience, it’s rarely repeated. My goals, though, do get repeated/reinforced a little.

I see the MA as about developing rhetorical and analytical skills, learning about genres, styles, historical context, etc. Synthesizing analytical frameworks with works of writing, and being able to understand why and how these writings are structured, and what they communicate. These are in fact some of my academic goals. All of this requires clear writing, the ability to interconnect ideas, etc. My SOP is, in itself, an example of my ability to complete those things, and my aspiration for those goals, how I balance writing about complicated things (...writing sample of course is primary proof of the latter, tho). My writing also reflects how I like things -- organized, flowing from one thing to the next, with a little bit of interweaving of topics/ideas.

I also love to understand the intersection of culture, linguistics, and history, with a given work of writing. My Bachelor’s degree reflects this, and it’s also demonstrated in the interests I have for the Master’s.

A point of contrast is James McGirk’s successful MFA SOP, one of the few I found to guide myself. Found here: http://jamesmcgirk.com/mfa-personal-statement/. He writes in a direct style as well, but it’s much more a narrative than mine (which is very fitting for his MFA fiction program). He provides essential details of his intellectual training, his inspiration, what he’s lacking, and his goals for the program, all at the same time as telling a bit of his life story and work history, and the story of how all of those things came about for him. It’s both incredibly succinct, and incredibly detailed; his word count lands at 503 words. Specific word choice tells a story: “dragged” in his second sentence gives the impression of reluctance; McGirk, the kid carted around at his parents behest. Different choice of verbs in this context – traveled, lived, explored – could get across the same facts, but with less emotional context, and less development of the story of his experience. Choosing a verb like “dragged” over others is what makes a piece of writing have your voice and not others. For McGirk, this experience was of being dragged (negative experience); for a different kid and different context, it could have been “explored” or even “adventured” (positive experiences). McGirk telling a story of himself in his SOP is thematically relevant for his application; his SOP is demonstrating his storytelling skills in itself, proof for the storytelling work he’ll have to do in the MFA, even as it communicates the factual details that the SOP needs to have.

Key things that we both ultimately have in common? Clear demonstration of the training we currently have, an understanding of what we currently lack, and statement of what we want to accomplish through the program.

Back to my SOP - How the heck did I start writing?

As the corresponding highlighting indicates (between prompt and essay), I first broke the prompt into the Big Ideas that I needed to answer.

Then, for each of those ideas, I brainstormed facts/examples/details and made a little list and collection of sentence fragments. Then, those turned into full sentences and paragraphs – the very first draft. It was rough, jagged edges, no pretty transitions.

Expect your first draft to go over word count. That’s normal! It’s also normal to be under-count!! Both of these states have happened to me, and will no doubt continue to happen. First drafts are mainly about getting complete sentences written, and then put in the barest of bare minimum structure of some organized thought. And that’s the writing done! (for now.)

But… the word count??

Word count is just about the last thing to worry about when it comes to writing SOPs (or anything that requires a word count, really). Word count generally gets fixed by editing, not by writing… unless you’re really short of words. In theory, content editing and line edit will do the brunt of the work to getting the correct word count. Editing to reduce word count is also part of what makes your writing more precise. Editing to get rid of passive voice, for example. Passive voice generally uses more words to communicate information; changing to active voice can make your grammar less complex, and also reduce that word count. But again, worrying specifically about this is the last thing we do! First, we need to figure out if we’ve even answered the prompt yet!

So what, that’s it for writing? What’s next then?

Yup, first bit of writing is done! Now, it’s development editing (which secretly include writing, but writing with a specific goal)!

Think of editing like this:

A beautiful triangle, but upside down, so the widest part of the triangle is at the top. And the narrowest part of the triangle is at the bottom, and is the “last” thing you do for the piece of writing.

The different stages tend to overlap a little as you go along. You might notice a paragraph level issue as you think about the structure of the whole essay/statement, for example. But overall, this triangle represents a gradient of editing, where as you resolve big picture things, your editing focus narrows to more specific and more detailed changes in the essay/statement. This editing process also reflects what essays themselves do – take a big idea/question, and get specific about part of it. Then going into detail, and arriving at pointed conclusions — and finished works.

Development Edit??

This one’s pretty much on the tin. We look over the writing, and see if we really do have the key big ideas, the key parts of the SOP prompt written down. Ask yourself questions, try to think about things from different angles/ POV’s.

Is there context missing? Do we really state why, specifically, we want This One School? What are the benefits of This One School, that might not be found elsewhere? And not just its location or its cost! Does the structure of the program match your goals? Does the length of the program, or any perks it has?

Structural Edit??

Getting into this phase, we think we have the SOP prompt mostly answered. We’ve got the key info. Now we’re making the essay organized.

In mine, for example, my first paragraph acts almost as a thesis, demonstrating what the subsequent paragraphs of the SOP will discuss, and also what order that discussion will happen. In my first paragraph, the order mostly goes pink (why a Master’s), orange (academic training), green (interests), blue (why school). That pattern mostly continues through the rest of the SOP. My second paragraph and part of the third are all orange. End of the second and all of the third paragraph are green. A bit of red and blue get interwoven, since it’s logical that my orange academic training and my green interests are what drive me to want a Master’s, and drive me to a specific school. Paragraphs six and seven are almost entirely blue - why specific school. For me, this makes a strong conclusion to the SOP – showing that I have clear goals and drive to graduate from the program, and that I know why this school is right for me, and I for it.

The red (why a Master’s) is the only thing of the prompt that I don’t dedicate a paragraph to. Info for that is woven throughout, and is partly answered in the blue text itself as well.

Why this order for everything?

Academic training is, for me, a foundation for all the rest, and so after the “introduction/thesis” of the first paragraph, I liked to have academic training be the very next topic. This info contextualizes all the rest for readers. This goes naturally into my interests… and then my interests drive what school I choose, and how my goals will be met a Specific School.

It’s entirely valid to use a different structure, though!

Fronting the blue, about why school, makes a lot of sense too. Putting that info in the second paragraph sets up the why a Master’s and why this program in the same paragraph. Stating the importance of those things, your goals for the program. Then, it would transition to why qualified… next paragraphs about training (orange). The green (interests) might be the interwoven thing, in this case. It would be touched on in the why program. It would be touched on in training as well… did your training inspire current interests? Or are your interests something new or beyond what the training was?

Whatever you start in the first paragraph, keep that pattern/organization.

Content Edit??

This is getting back into writing, but on a more detailed level than the first draft and the broad development edit view. This is looking at each paragraph on its own. And also thinking about the bridge (or transition) from one paragraph and to the next. Are the ideas expressed clearly? Are there details missing? Are there too many details that are distracting from the “topic” of each paragraph? During this, you might be adding sentences that are interweaving info (that had been missing) into appropriate spots in the statement.

In content (and in line) edits, we also think about the tone and voice. Is the style – academic versus casual – consistent across the topics/paragraphs?

During this, we touch on word count a little. Are there parts that are irrelevant or tangential? Can we make this part shorter, express the same idea with less?

Line Edit??

At this stage we’re getting narrow – thinking about each sentence. Is a sentence really long – unnecessarily so, or is the length because of expressing a complex idea? Are there sentences in the passive voice, which could be written instead in the active, and thus be shorter?

Is there any unnecessary repetition - perhaps of adverbs or adjectives? Are there more precise alternatives, or could we delete for clarity and/or word count?

This might also touch on style and word choice. Is that higher diction word choice really the one you need? Or is the “simpler” version better, just for clarity’s sake. For example, using “shows” versus the various “demonstrates,” “proves,” “exhibits,” “displays,” “presents,” and etc.

Final Proof??

Self explanatory, I think? Find a friend to help, perhaps. If not, then change the font or size of the text. Change to a different word processor. Read aloud as slowly as possible, to read every word. Find ways to “see” the writing with fresh or different eyes, and look for those sneaky minor errors. Spelling. Punctuation. Verb conjugation – are you consistently using past and present tense at the right times? Point of View - do you only use a first person pronon once in the whole statement? Would consistency be better with only using third person? Do you accidentally use slang, or more casual writing?

Editing for word count – how do I do it?

Ideally, the brunt of managing the word count is done during content and line edits. But if at the end, we’ve still got too many words…

Process-wise, this is just rereading, over and over, checking what can be changed and what cannot.

First, double check - can any transitions or conjunctions be shorter? Have we cut non-essential adverbs? Do we need to reduce adjectives, any poetic or descriptive language? Do we have repeating words or phrases that are all expressing the same idea already? Can we use abbreviations for the school name or other organizations?

If we’ve already done all of that, then we need to cycle back up to content editing, and if desperate, development editing. This is backtracking and thinking about our Big Ideas… can we make the examples of them shorter? Or reduce how much space is dedicated to a given topic? Are we sure this info isn’t already stated elsewhere in the application?

Development and structure, then, what are things I left out of the SOP?

I didn’t feel the need to state the actual name of the school where I earned my Bachelor’s. That info is listed in the resume required by the application, and in the secondary form of the application where you fill in prior education history. I didn’t need to use word count to state that fact, already found elsewhere. Also, the name of the school is more-or-less less important than what I learned there. Also also, just saying “Bachelor’s” is more succinct than the full school name.

I only wrote out the full name of the Master’s program school once or twice, and used abbreviations for all other references.

I didn’t talk about some of my other recent job history… In the interim since earning my Bachelor’s, I’ve mostly worked in restaurants. While that’s been great for my Spanish speaking skills, and my interpersonal skills, details about restaurant are less-than-relevant for Master’s level academic work. So, if your current work history isn’t directly related to your program of choice, or demonstrating a key skill for it, I’d say don’t include that work history. Also, it’s prob already in your resume, so.

A sidenote: The tutoring work that I’ve done I only use in the SOP as proof of teaching capability (I was trying to be a Graduate Teaching Assistant…didn’t get chosen for that, alas), and also as part of what led me to desire Master’s level work in order to be qualified to teach older students/college level students. If I had a lower max word count (like, 750), I probably would have cut this information.

I didn’t talk about the writing sample I submitted for the application. The writing sample I used was an essay from one of the English classes focused on the Medieval time period, which I edited and expanded to fit the application’s page count requirements (15-20 pg sample). My thought is that the writing sample should speak for itself. Meanwhile, the SOP is about things the writing sample can’t say/demonstrate.

I didn’t talk about how I had to withdraw from one of the terms of my Bachelor’s for a legit medical reason (.... it was back surgery 🙃). I did have this info in early drafts of my SOP, but ended up cutting it for a couple reasons. For one, this info is in a note on my official transcript already. And ultimately, the withdrawal didn’t dramatically affect my GPA, or what my Bachelor’s accomplished. It just made my graduation term bumped out to a Fall term (a weird time, but eh). Also, trying to include this information in a logical way was making my second paragraph too dense, and the medical info was distracting readers from the more interesting/important info – my intellectual training. I also couldn’t make it fit nicely in the first paragraph, and it definitely wasn’t topical to anything in the third paragraph and beyond.

I didn’t talk about the Honor and Professional Organizations that I’m part of… both from during Bachelor’s and now. Those are mentioned in resume. And often, there's the extra form to fill in, on the online application. And SOP didn’t have a direct question about these… and they don’t directly contribute to my training – that is mostly in classes.

So the content of the SOP… what do I include and exclude?

Well, first priority is to answer the school’s SOP prompt. I cannot overstate that. That is a number one basic thing that the application reviewers will look for. Word count allowing, then you think about secondary things.

Secondary things… what are things that I can include, can state/demonstrate relevantly in the SOP, that cannot be found anywhere else in the application (not in resume, writing sample, other Q’s, and other form questions). Similarly, use different annecdotes to prove skills/experiences throughout the application.

And on the flip – to an extent, exclude things from the SOP that can already be found elsewhere. A little info might overlap, because in the SOP I need to contextualize the info somehow. But overall as little overlap as possible. And in editing the SOP, look for things that don’t answer the prompt, and cut them. What these things are… it's gonna vary based on the SOP prompt, what your program is, and word count.

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theeversocelebratedmarktwain · 2 years ago

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Introductions are in order...

Hello all

My name is Toni Morgan. I am a college student majoring in English with a minor of Creative Writing. I am in my final year before graduating with my Bachelor’s Degree (as I type this). I am currently sitting on 86 completed hours of Literature with another 30 hours before I graduate.

This blog is to take a mental and personal record of my thoughts, reactions, and responses to a class where the main focus is on the author of Mark Twain. I would consider myself entry level when it comes to my previous knowledge (or lack there of) of Twain himself. In a previous class, I had read “Fenimore Cooper’s Literary Offenses” and that was it. I know more American History that he influenced than I do of any of his work. I am familiar with some of his titles but not his content. So, as I read and type, these thoughts are to be noted as my introductory thoughts and responses to my new exposure to Twain himself.

My first impression of Twain might have been a bit judge mental. This is based off of the idea of an author of today’s time stopping what he is doing to shit on another author to the extent of writing AND PUBLISHING an itemized list of why their work should not be considered in the taste of ‘good literature’. I feel like by this day and time that we all recognize that there are all kinds of kind that makes the world turn and literature, like all art, is subjective to its specific audience. If an author of today’s time did the same act, he would receive a lot of press and attention, but at the end of the day, it is still an asshole move. I mean for real. Imagine James Patterson and Stephen King going at it.

Within our first week, the class (and myself) have been assigned to read “The Christmas Fireside”. I found myself very taken aback by my lack of criticism for Twain, his style, or the story here. It is not very hard for someone like to my form an opinion or critique anything of any author. And yet, I found myself oddly satisfied by reading a story of a timeless theme of “good vs. evil”, family dynamics, moral values, and more. I particularly love how Twain wrote this not just for children, but for adults too. I feel like when choosing the title, it really felt like a “come on kids, gather around the rug and listen to pawpaw’s story about little James” around Christmas time when behavior is already under a microscope either for religious honors or adapted holiday tales. I feel there was a story to be heard by both children and adults within. I mostly liked that I had not read much literature from this time that really addressed family dynamic issues. For this time period, a lot of literature is focused on outside of the house. Maybe this is Twain’s way of saying Evil or Good starts from within the house.

As this entry comes to a close, I would like to state that I hope that I can learn a lot not just from this class, but from blogging it in a form as such. This is my first time blogging and I am interested to see where this goes.

Warmly, Toni

#mark twain #literature #americanlit

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nymphadoratonqs · 5 years ago

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on the concept of ‘death of the author’ and JK rowling, by someone with a degree in literature who’s a fan of harry potter

ok, so i’m a fan of harry potter and, in part, that’s the reason why i have a degree in literature today. this series of books was fundamental to my trajectory as a reader, and to my decision of learning english at all. i’m grateful to harry potter and its universe; the friends i’ve made because of this series, and the ideas it’s given me throughout my life; the way it’s fueled my creativity and passion for writing all these years.

that said, i think it’s time to talk about the relationship between a work and its author. what roland barthes meant in his 1967 article was to incite people to abandon a traditional way of interpreting art work which connected a work’s interpretation directly to its author’s biography and intentions. in (perhaps overly) simplified terms, what that meant was that someone who wanted to truly interpret a work of art had to find out what the author had “truly meant” by it, and should dig into that author’s life and experiences to figure that out.

that made the interpretation options very narrow. it didn’t allow people to propose new theories about a piece of writing because there was a “correct” one, and that was the thing to strive for when reading something.

so what barthes advocated for was a reading that took into consideration that a text wasn’t a product of a single person’s ideas, but of centuries of culture that just “came to be” thanks to that author. that meant that a good piece of art (one that was worthy of being read and interpreted) was made of layers and layers of meaning and cultural background. and reading it critically would always be an enriching experience, because there would always be something else to find there.

which takes us back to harry potter, and JKR’s constant adding to the series, even after some of the books have been out for over 20 years.

(i’m choosing not to get into how late stage capitalism plays into this, or else we’d be here forever, but please keep in mind that JKR is the first novel writer to ever become a billionaire; and you don’t make billions just by selling some books people have forgotten about. she’s got several movie franchises, merchandise, games, etc going on, and that’s a big thing in this story, but we’re here to talk about books, so. back to that!)

in my humble opinion, barthes’ proposition makes a lot of sense. it democratises the interpretation of books; it makes them bigger than what their authors intended to do with them. and when you’re talking about harry potter specifically, there are things in the series that did not just appear there because JKR wanted them to, but despite what she wanted.

a third person narrator focused closely on harry tells us all about how attractive he finds men all the time. harry notices and has many opinions about cedric’s, bill’s, charlie’s, draco’s, and even sirius’ looks. it’s all there. and a critical reader may very easily argue that pointing out how attractive a man looks is... something a person who’s attracted to men would do. that’s something the text allows you to do. the literary evidence is all there.

remember the cultural tidbits part, though? that’s over there, too. the money thirsty, morally condemnable race that runs banks just happens to have long hooked noses. i honestly doubt that JKR consciously decided to be anti-semitic in her world. but it slipped. the heinous jewish stereotypes were lurking in the back of her mind and came forward when she was writing, despite what she might’ve wanted to include in her text.

so my point is: we, as a fandom, have already killed the “entity of the author” that is JKR, in a literary sense (legit science over here, btw). we’ve been reading and rereading her work for 20 years and finding out new things to pick apart every day.

what we need to do now is remember that, as critical readers, we are entitled to the opinions we have. we’re entitled to point out the contradictions, the bigotry, and the lack of representation that is a part of this text.

so TL;DR: you’re allowed to enjoy harry potter. you’re entitled to have opinions about it. JKR could have gracefully accepted that her views were a product of the time and the culture she was exposed to, and that her work was not perfect. instead, she chose to pretend to be “woke” to get our money. and now she’s come out as a blatant transphobe.

so fuck her. death to her opinions and her one holy interpretation. we’re all about being plural and inclusive around here. that’s what death of the author is about.

#harry potter #discourse #transphobia #death of the author #roland barthes #literature #professor gigi strikes again

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jawnkeets · 4 years ago

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just saw that you love rilke's letters to a young poet as well! it's one of my favorite reads when i need a pick-me-up or motivation. but i wonder whether you agree with him when he says "works of art are infinitely solitary and nothing is less likely to reach them than criticism. only love can grasp them and hold them and do them justice"? xx

it is beautiful!! 💕

funnily enough this has been driving me nuts this entire year to the point where it has become almost academically central, especially during term time when i’m writing weekly essays and reading loads of crit. this is just my two cents, and i’m only just beginning to attempt to put my thoughts in order, which will be obvious, so pls no one hold me to this lol. this is also specifically about literature, though i’d love to hear people’s thoughts concerning other arts!

anyway, this started when i was working on george herbert, whose poetry is just stunning, but it’s so easy to push his ideas until they fall apart or contradict each other, and many critics have done so. however erudite and academically interesting this work was, though, i couldn’t shake the idea that it was entirely missing the point, and i couldn’t get a quotation by monet out of my head: ‘everyone discusses my art as if it were necessary to understand, when it is simply necessary to love’.* critics try to unravel the thread of herbert’s poetry, herbert pulls at their critical thread in turn. i’d read secondary criticism when trying to work out what to say about him, then come back to herbert and realise i had nothing to say at all which truly added to his poetry, or to use rilke’s words, did it justice.

and so from then on i often felt like i was writing to say something that seemed clever, or being original for originality’s sake (because i didn’t want to fall into certain critical grooves), or saying what everyone else had already said (and if it was bang on why not just read the poetry itself?!), and returning to the poetry would always make me feel so silly, though in a gentle, humbling way. rilke says as much: ‘it [criticism] will either be partisan views, fossilised and made meaningless in its lifeless rigidity, or it will be neat wordplay, where one opinion will triumph one day and the opposite the next.’ this was partly, practically, because i didn’t have time to discover what i ‘truly thought’ - when you’re reading the primary stuff, secondary stuff, and writing the essay in two or three days you often have to pick an idea somewhat arbitrarily and run with it. but it’s also embarrassing to say what you actually feel about a work of literature, even if it is possible within a critical framework (which i’ll come back to); if a tutor didn’t like something i’d written when i didn’t care for the opinion myself, no big deal, back to the drawing board. if it had been what i really thought about an author i revered, it would be hideous. sharing love with someone else makes you vulnerable, as in any other area of life.

but, to use the rilke quote, how can you ‘do them justice’ if not by criticism, and by criticism truly meant, if there is such a thing? by writing creatively yourself? by reading, absorbing and sharing with other people? passion/ effusion rather than ‘rigid’ academic analysis (i.e. old-school romantic 'criticism’, like lamb’s thoughts on hogarth)? this is kind of the problem with english literature as a discipline. i’m no expert on its development, but when i’m in a cynical mood i think it’s because to study english literature (i.e. for it to be institutionalised and taken seriously as an academic discipline, for us to ‘do’ it at all as anything other than recreation) it needs to have grounds for legitimacy, by which i mean that it needs to have scholarly method, quantifiable elements, be teachable, etc. unlike classics which arguably the institutional study of english (or substitute any vernacular) literature rose out of in european education, there’s no immediately obvious linguistic rigour (as in, fluency in another language or languages isn’t a primary focus of the discipline**), so we also need, if not english language as a module or core part of the course, which some courses do have, a focus on language and its constituent parts, or close-reading (the verb does this, the parallel structure does that, etc). but, less cynically, i think it also emerged because we felt there’s something to say about vernacular literature, and we wanted to try and do that. but the paradox is that whatever that is can’t really be said. hence the increasingly complicated 20th century stuff culminating in deconstruction, and now in the 21st century what is often a focus on manageable specifics - pathways through texts (like ‘wind in shakespeare’), spotlighting something in the historical moment and reading it in conjunction with the text (the laryngoscope really helps us read george eliot because...), etc.*** i should say that i do find this stuff really interesting, i just struggle to reconcile it with the feeling i get when i read and am spellbound by what i read, and what is so fundamental to reading for me - the ambiguity, the innumerable elements comprising the text that cannot be separated or delineated without the magic fading,**** the wholeness or completeness, the feeling of comprehending many if not all elements of the text at once.

i do think, as well, that reading and practicing critical writing has helped me to appreciate literature more. partly because it’s helped me realise what i don’t think literature is ‘about’, if there is such a thing, but also in terms of positive definition as well as negative, because rigour, deep thinking, attention to detail, extended and focused meditation on a single text/ idea/ theme/ topic/ word, etc are skills which are enriching. it’s a strange thing where i feel like i’m moving closer at the same time as i’m moving further away.

so basically, as the year’s progressed, i’ve been impetuously trying to fight criticism through the medium of criticism, which has its obvious ironies and shortcomings. i wrote an essay, for example, arguing that keats’ poetry is anti-taxonomical, and that criticism, conversely, is taxonomical - it’s from κρίνειν, to judge or decide, so to be a critic is to choose/ select/ interpret/ delineate - criticism of keats, then, is best when it’s as unlike criticism as possible (and so bad criticism), because otherwise it’s deliberately misunderstanding keats. i’m being as honest as i can be, and at times as embarrassing and embarrassed as i can be, and it’s working much better. but i think after all this that the best criticism, to be as generous to other critics as they really deserve (as i have not been all year, to my discredit), is passionate, and that critics show this in different ways.***** one way around my crisis is to take the view that literature reconciles work and play, and criticism does or at least should do the same, thus running parallel with the text instead of converging (because in ‘playing’ it will naturally be somewhat divergent). i buy this to a degree. and also some people do study literature on the grounds for which i’ve criticised criticism above (they love specifics, or creative pathways through texts, etc), and i don’t want to set myself against them at all; i’ve realised that i am also partly one of these people - some hugely inspiring tutors have shown me that it is amazing to study in this way, and i’ve seen from the work of tutors and fellow students that love can be suffused through criticism like this, that it can be genuinely moving and inspiring. i also get that this perhaps doesn’t feel like a binary split in other places or for other people as it does for me; i think creative writing for example is way bigger in america as a subject, so it might not feel like ‘enjoy literature and write literature recreationally’ and ‘do literature academically/ in an academic setting’ are diametrically opposed, or that you can do both but that they have to be separate, or that there’s a disconnect between the way you do one and the way you do the other. so now i’m trying to be as honest as i can be when it comes to criticism, and pushing forward whilst trying not to cover or lose sight of the little spark reading generates - i think that if your criticism bears this in mind, it might not be able to grasp the poetry like simply loving it does, but it can perhaps reach out and gingerly touch it. whether that makes it worth it is up to you.

i hope this answers your question - i realise this got long. what an interesting ask, thanks very much for sending it!! 🌹

* speaking of - i recommend this poem!!

** though some courses, like the oxford one, teach old english, which is arguably another language.

*** i appreciate that what rilke means by criticism is not necessarily identical to what i mean by criticism, which obviously developed a lot after rilke, but even so.

**** granted, in engineering a car is and should be taken apart so we can see how it works, but the end goal is still the working car!!

***** some would disagree, saying that we should be ‘objective’ and/ or shouldn’t be ‘on a poet’s side’ (i.e. trying to do them justice) and i struggle with them a lot more, but after a bit of grumbling they still have my firm respect.

#asks

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canonicallyanxious · 4 years ago

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Previous anon! I think you mentioned a literature degree in a post a while back. (But the tags you left on the ask certainly showed evidence of it haha). I was curious and wanted you to talk about it but wasnt sure if i should straight up say "pls talk about your degree i am very interested and curious"

lollll i mean as a lit major i feel like i’m morally obligated to drag myself for it bc like i deserve it but yeah i’m down to talk about my degree!! uhhh idk if you have anything specific in mind, feel free to ask me whatever you want to know bc it turns out when asked to talk about my degree i don’t even know where to start rip also if you’re looking for someone who can advise you on what you can do with a lit major i am the wrong person to go to sdkjfnsdkjsnfd what i do for work now has basically nothing to do with what i studied but i’m honestly good with that bc it was always something i studied more because i wanted to than because i wanted to turn it into an actual career

Trying to remember what lit classes i liked the best... off the top of my head: contemporary women novelists, modern english lit, black literature in europe, post-colonial lit [by far my favorite lit class ever, that reading list fuckin slapped]; there was also a class that i don’t remember what it was called anymore but i loved it bc we read a lot of more nontraditional writing that also focused a lot on intergenerational trauma [so like Maus and the Photographer which are graphic novels were on the reading list, and we also read a poem called Zong! and experimental plays and things like that]

hmmm not knowing what specifically you wanna know about i guess i’ll just give some general thoughts about being a lit major [and tossing a cut here bc i got rambly... i’m sorry... you asked a lit major about being a lit major this is what happens i guess]

as one might expect it involves a fuckton of reading and writing literary analysis which might be a con for some but definitely not for me. but like i am the kind of asshole who actually likes reading three books in a week and writing a 7 page close reading comparing the roles of Persuasion’s Ann Elliot and the Bride of Lamermoor’s Lucy so, you know, i certainly don’t expect what works for me to be a one-size-fits-all kind of thing lol

One thing I really liked with the classes i took was the opportunity to push back against the typical canon of the Dead White Man that i feel like was really prevalent in public school. tbf there was still quite a bit of that in some of my classes [James Joyce meet me in the fucking pit] but if you’re strategic with the classes you sign up for you really get the chance to get exposed to a lot of unique and diverse perspectives, i feel like the foundation i got in those classes helped me form a baseline for where to start in finding more literature like that

Although as mentioned i did still have a lot of issues with that in my department. like idk if that was just my school or being in undergrad or whatever but i feel like a lot of lit majors I knew had a very prescriptive view of what “counts” as literature, we got into so many discussions about what qualifies as ~art~ [which if you know me i think is such bullshit like who are we to judge what is more artistic than something else particularly when for so much of history what has been deemed ~proper literature~ was written by white men but anyway we don’t have to get into it right now lol] and while i got the sense that the culture was slowly changing while i was part of it i do still feel like there’s a lot about the lit academia world that still kinda has to catch up, like it can be a field rife with elitism and narrow-mindedness depending on where you are in it. but of course that’s just my own take on it! ymmv and all that

i feel like this major taught me way more about how to read than about how to write, like at my school at least especially in a lot of the upper level classes there was basically no guidance for how to write your papers you’re kind of already expected to know how to write good literary criticism? also tbh i didn’t always love writing papers, in fact sometimes it fucking sucked having to write long analyses about topics i didn’t give a shit about and sometimes you have to do a FUCKTON of writing about shit you don’t care about [especially during finals week rip college Sarah you will not be missed]. but i think the analysis skills i developed while studying lit are genuinely really valuable even if i don’t really do anything directly related to my field of study career wise, like they help me be more thoughtful about pretty much everything i read and watch from the news to fiction and also be more thoughtful about my choices in my own creative writing all of which i really appreciate esp since it’s stuff i’m interested in just in general so I definitely don’t regret this choice of study!

sidenote but big rip to anyone who goes into this major and likes reading for fun in their downtime sdfknsnf i had way too much reading always to do any of my own reading outside of class [anthro is a very reading/writing heavy major too BIG rip to college Sarah] and when i did have breaks i was like fuck no i’m not thinking about words until i ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO [by going back to class] [god i’m so glad i’m not in school anymore]

Lord that got rambly skjfnskdjfnsd idek if any of that is anything you’d be interested in but yeah feel free to ask me more specific questions if you feel like it! then maybe i won’t go off on a million tangents [disclaimer: i probably still will]

#the college struggle #jesus haven't used that tag in a while sndkfdsk #but like it's relevant so w/e #Anonymous #answers

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basia2002ib · 4 years ago

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Profile & summary of my CAS

Learning outcomes

All in all I can say I achieved all learning outcomes.

1. I identified own strengths and developed areas for growth. I got involved in activities that based on my prevailing skills but opened new ways to develop. Language can be deepened without limits; although I have got a certified C2 level in German I can still develop my skills and I continued to do so throughout my CAS.

2. I have undertaken a range of challenges, for instance passing a C2 exam in German seemed outlandish at first but then I got used to the idea and focused all my efforts to pursuing this goal. And I did it, even though it might seem abstract. I wanted to challenge myself to spice up my life a little bit and grow personally from the process. Now I can see a difference - my German language skills developed to such degree that when I am reading literature in German now I see an immense difference - now I can easily spot nuances and extract the deep meaning.

3. I initiated and planned CAS experiences thoroughly. I am a pragmatic person who tends to stick to the plan because it gives direction. CAS stages came naturally to me, I did not have to force them because they are inherent parts of planning process. My intellectual challenges undertaken in German - 2 competition and one language certificate required detailed planning for adequate preparation. Also my internship in the foundation required planning and time-management skills as I had to combine it with my various initiatives and rigorous IB programme. CAS stages were useful to plan my CAS project as well - I was in MUN staff, which means I coorganized WawMUN 2019.

4. Commitment and perseverance are prerequisite for success. I understand it therefore in every action I take these factors resonate. Otherwise I would accomplish my goals such as honours in German, I would not be able to play volleyball in the first-line up or I would not fulfill my demanding duties throughout my internship effectively. These are only examples of actions where I used my commitment and perseverance to succeed.

5. I saw benefits of working collaboratively during the WawMUN 2019 conference, which I organized as my CAS project but also in my internship in the foundation and my service as a student goverment vice president. In the student government we need to rely on one another and have each other’s back. We do share responsibilities to make sure nothing is neglected. We help each other and in case of emergency may replace one another either during a debate or while discussing issues with the head mistress. Throughout my internship I served as an assistant therefore I needed to adjust to the current responsibilities. I was instructed by more experienced employees all the way and assigned tasks. WawMUN conference is the biggest MUN in Poland therefore the organization process is complicated and required the division of tasks. If we did not trust each other and if we did not share responsibilities, the effect would not be so spectacular. The results showed the benefits of the team work from its best side.

6. I engaged with issues of gloabl significance throughout my CAS project which was co-organizing the MUN conference. Practising debating skills is crucial in today’s world and new generations of politicians have a chance to challenge their capabilities on the conference. The topics discussed in individual commitees touched upon issues of global significance. It is great to give my peers a chance to gain skills, delve into controversial subjects and defend their position. Some of them would probably pursue politics further in life; MUN conferences are truly inspirational in this respect.

7. One of the ethical issues I adressed during my activity as a student government vice president was the animal consumption. To relieve the environment, make my own step to reduce cruelty against animals, at least at the local level, I negotiated with the canteen supervisor to introduce vegan food. Unfortunately it was not possible to serve vegan dinners because of technical diffuculties but vegan sandwiches appeared in the canteen soon after our proposal. This is the way to satisfy needs of people on a plant-based diet but also a way to promote environmentally friendly food, with no associated cruelty.

Creativity

I love literature and foreign languages. Throughout my CAS, I combine this two effectively to follow both of my passions simultaneously. I read and write a lot in German and do far beyond what is required in my school. My goals in German are wide-ranging and not confined to my German B classes, but I challenged myslef to take part in competition and to read German literature. Once I have read “The Sorrows of Young Werther”, “Faust”, “The Visit”, “The Trial” in original and it commenced my relationship with German literature. I was captivated by it to such extent that I made a German classic “The Magic Mountain” the center of my Extended Essay. I also chose “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka to use in my oral exam. Thomas Mann and Franz Kafka are one of my favourite writers of all time and they allow me to trace different nuances of German language. Close analysis of these works of art should involve in my opinion delving into the original work. A valuable experience might be to compare it with the translation, which I did throughout my independent study.

My tangible achievements in German (the evidence for my skills) were: a C2 certificate in German, a disitinction in the translation contest “Juvenes Translatores” organized by the European Commision and a finalist title in the National German Olympiad. I reached my aforementioned goals in 2020. They involved CAS stages. 1. I investigated the area I wanted to deepen my skills in and specific aims I wanted to pursue and these were competitions in German. 2. I prepared my strategy, researched the most respectable competitions and exams I wanted to take part in, signed up for them and planned preparation which was necessary because of huge amounts of school work and limited free time. 3. I took specific action, exposed myself to the language days before the exam and throughout multiple months I was doing practice papers, reading and watching a lot. 4. I realized that by pursuing my passion in German and going beyond the curriculum I freed myself and could really delve into the language. The experience provided me with the sense of purpose - my life was not only concerned with my Diploma syllabus but I could get acquainted with literature and recognized the power of translation in terms of its strong influence on the reception of foreign texts.

From then onward I worked to maintain my German on the same high level. I should not take it for granted - I am not a native speaker. My accomplishements required huge amounts of work and also talent but might disappear if not cared for properly.

Activity

In the course of my CAS journey I have been active in many disciplines. Sport is one of my few ways to unwind and stop stressing about reality. I think that the limited possibilities to practice sport were one of the major obstacles during the pandemic. I was deprived of my only way to switch off and relax. Before the pandemic I used to swim and play volleyball in a school team every week plus I attended 3 Physical Education classes per week. Now my prefered activities are not possible to pursue because of lockdown which entailed school, sport halls and swimming pool closures. Moreover I am concerned with the virus. At the start of 2020 we managed to take the fouth place in district-wide volleyball competition. My team and I wanted to improve next year but the pandemic unexpectedly shattered my plans. I am grateful, however, for having been given a chance to represent my school in the first line-up. Moreover, I would attend volleyball practice every Saturday.

My PE classes give me a chance to play volleyball, football or do fitness. I enjoy almost every activity that is physically demanding. And I am also great in sport which boosts my motivation. Beyond school, I used to exert myself a lot in swimming and have difficulties to find enjoyment in it. However, I am a really good swimmer and it strengthens my determination, improves posture and health.

Throughout the pandemic, I have been practising sport independently, as it is an extremely important part of my life. However, in the first lockdown in the spring I used to overexert myself doing long and intensive workouts every day on an empty stomach to the point when I got health problems. I had to give it up and switched to another physical activity, less demanding but equally fun: walking. Never before have I taken walks so often as during the pandemic. Now, in the winter lockdown I also go for a walk sometimes.

Service

I began my CAS journey in 2019 with giving tutoring to a primary school student from a underprivileged background. Teaching subjects I am comfortable in (English and German) and his improved grades were reasons for my satisfaction. It required a lot of patience and perseverance as it was extremely difficult to teach him something because firstly he lacked motivation and secondly he had difficulties memorizing. This made it a huge challenge but turned out to be rewarding.

The second half of my first IB year (2020) I sacrificed for my internship (voluntary work) in a foundation. My scope of activity consisted in the cooperation with the Fundraising Director and the Spokeswoman of the foundation; I had duties related to fundraising and media such as: preparing summaries of the reports from humanitarian missions for fairs in Dubai, translating posts for English social media profiles, collecting data for media reports, translating official requests for the sponsorship, gathering contact details of potential sponsors i.e. big companies and Presidents of the biggest Polish cities, monitoring press mentions.

Throughout 2020 I have also been fulfilling duties of the student government vice president. My team was elected in February 2020 and until now (beginning of 2021) I hold this position. I resolve current problems with the head mistress, co-organize and participate in events e.g. open days, control social media, coordinate logistics. In March we attended an event for student governments across Warsaw. I also tried to organize the Physics conference with my 2 friends in my school but it was cancelled last-minute due to imposed school closure, one week before it was scheduled to take place. Everything had been arranged with lecturers and we had to cancel feeling miserable.

My wide range of CAS activities - other examples

Apart from my core activities which I described, I got involved in numerous other CAS experienced described on this blog. One of the most enriching ones was my participation in the process of creation of a book. I wrote my own essay to a book published this month by my former class teacher. I entitled my work: “School is people: about sparking authenticity and breaking patterns”. I also cooked a lot and published some of my recipes on the blog, wrote to my school newspaper, took part in environmental protests, wrote some poems, some diary entry, practiced Frech, including writing, took many beautiful photos on my trips abroad,...

I also co-organized WawMUN2019 conference as my CAS project.

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jakattax · 5 years ago

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Hello! I followed your blog for the occult content, but I’ve been interested in your recent asks about being an English major because my bachelor’s is also in English literature. However, I’m American and most of what I read in my coursework was American literature. This made me wonder, how much American lit did you take in college? (And a follow up: what American lit do you like?) I only had two classes that were specifically focused on English works, which were called British Lit I and II.

This is so refreshing to talk about my degree ☺️ I like it.

In all honesty not a great deal, my modules in university were; travel writing, literary theory and criticism, sexuality and gender in literature, the literature of the fin de siècle, Elizabethan playwrites and literature, creative writing and rather broadly just poetry in general. There was a module devoted to American literature but I didn’t take it I’m afraid. However we still read American authors, Sylvia Plath, Ernest Hemingway, Jack Kerouac, Toni Morrison and Edith Wharton come to mind. So actually quite a lot! But in comparison to the we did study more of the British classical writers and poets. I really enjoyed reading the works of Toni Morrison, incredibly upset at her passing.

I’m a weird little goth poet at heart so when we studied Poe (albeit briefly) I was in my element, yet it was the American poets that really stuck with me.

If I had to pick my favourite book my ab American author from my university years, it’ll probably be ‘The Bell Jar’ by Sylvia Plath.

Well I’m equally as interested to which British authors you studied! I imagine the Brontë’s, Wordsworth, Shakespeare popped up. Did you study Beowulf out of interest? That was our very first university assignment as really it can be considered the first existing piece of English literature, even though it would have been an oral tradition.

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angeltriestoblog · 5 years ago

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I figured out what I want to do with my life! And made a vision board!

It came to me in a flash, really. One minute, I was watching a handpainted narration of the life and death of one of the greatest painters of all time, and next thing you know, I've abandoned it completely and started furiously typing away at my laptop about what I envisioned myself to be in five years' time. And I know I've had my fair share of false alarms in life: I thought I had what it takes to be a lawyer after seeing Legally Blonde for the first time while on my way to a school field trip, and seriously considered pursuing a career as a fashion blogger or MTV VJ because I was kind of fed up with school.

But this one just makes sense. Advising and assisting clients in producing content, collaterals, and campaigns according to their business objectives and based on collected data! It marries my love for writing, my knack for snooping around (the academic term is research!), and the specialty in technology and management my university ensures I'll have at the end of my four-year degree. i have yet to see how it’ll allow me to give back to society since that’s also a factor I want to consider in looking for a dream job but I’ll make it work. I found it hard to sleep that night, thanks to this nerdy, giddy kind of adrenaline rush I had. I broke down this big idea into smaller and smaller action steps until all I had left was a refined list of ideas and intentions, and a splitting headache.

I needed to make sure I was constantly reminded of their existence so all my choices and decisions would serve as a step closer to reaching all of them. So I caved in to the wishes of the "law of attraction" side of the Internet, and created my very own vision board! Simply put, this act of visualization is a powerful technique that can be used to manifest desires and reach goals. Our subconscious minds mainly recognize symbols and images: by merely looking at our vision boards everyday, subliminal messages are being sent to our brains, which will encourage them to work tirelessly to achieve the statements we are feeding to them. I can't find any explanation for this that's less abstract but since many people seem to swear on it and I have a lot of free time and printer ink, I figured why not, right?

It was convenient that I had this small corkboard from Daiso already stuck to one corner of my bedroom wall with several layers of double-sided tape. It used to be a year-long calendar of birthdays but I realized that I've never referred to it and often have to rely on either Facebook reminders or stock knowledge--there is no in between. All I had to do was to look at my list of goals, and compile photos that correspond to each of them, cut them up and arrange them in an aesthetically pleasing manner. You'll see below that I lacked the stereotypical luxury car and beachfront mansion with a walk-in closet and that's because I decided to focus on my goals for the next five years so it looks even a little bit more achievable.

Here's the finished product, along with explanations for each picture, to make this how-to more personal and to also hold myself accountable.

Make my girl Jenna Rink and everybody at Poise proud by writing for a magazine | I had listed a specific one at the time, and if you follow me on Twitter and Instagram, you already know what it is and how this endeavor turned out - but on this blog, I'll shroud it in a little cloud of mystery for now and talk about it more in a future post. I'm very happy producing content for this space of mine and have no intention of stopping any time soon. But at the same time I know that I'd be missing out if I didn't take the chance to be part of a community that leads me to like-minded individuals, allows me to grow even more in my craft, and "gives creators a space to speak their minds and push the limits of their artistry, without imposing any restrictions or expectations", as I stated in my application form.

Be active in three organizations next school year | (I had to blur one of them out because I'm not a member yet and I don't want to jinx it.) I know it's bold of me to assume that we'll be returning to school any time soon, but if we are ever lucky enough, I want to outdo myself when it comes to the orgs I'm a part of. I have been a good follower throughout my first two years of college but now I believe it's my time to try my hand at leading a group of people and being more involved in the conceptualization and execution of projects.

Go on a trip to Europe | Not even just a specific group of countries anymore (I used to be a France, Italy, Spain supremacist)--I mean the entire continent! (But then again, with its rich history and culture, picturesque tourist spots, diverse cuisines... even the sheer adrenaline rush that comes with being in a land completely different from the one you come from, how could anyone not want to go?

and 12. Get the job of my dreams | I actually nicked these photos from the website of a cooperative I want to work for once I graduate from college. I know that I can't plan out the rest of my career trajectory as early as now: things are bound to change at some point, but I hope that I stay in a field that combines creativity and business strategy to craft campaigns, create meaningful content, and market solutions to brands.

Expand my network | I acknowledge how knowing people who know people who know people can open windows of opportunities that I wouldn't have been able to have anywhere else. But I also look forward to building genuine connections with people from all sorts of industries. Talking to the same circle of friends can sometimes feel like you're trapped in an echo chamber: there is certainly much to learn from others' viewpoints.

Volunteer to teach kids | I don't think the written word could have changed my life as much as it did, had it not been for the presence of English teachers who believed in the power of the language to shape the minds of the youth. I guess this is just me trying to give back and help the next generation express their ideas and bring them to life by channeling my inner John Keating.

Maintain a clean workspace that is conducive to productivity | Especially during these days, I spend a solid 18 out of 24 hours sat at my desk, trying my best to make magic happen. It's very important that I keep it a constant and active source of inspiration, free from any distractions, and at the right level of comfort. Although it's not as minimalist as I hoped it would be and my table is about an inch too high for my liking, I'm still pretty satisfied!

Document memories consistently, be it through a physical or online journal | Speaking of clearing out my room, I recently found around 20 notebooks I had filled up over the years. Though maintaining them must have been such a hassle especially as I got older and reading through them was a distraction from completing the task at hand, I am thankful I painstakingly chronicled everything going on in my life and kept them in good condition. Seeing the goals I had set for myself all those years ago and how I achieved most of them without making a conscious effort has inspired me to do my older self a favor by putting in the work now so she can reap the rewards. (While I'm on this note, can anyone recommend a good app for journaling? I keep all my current entries in my Mac's Notes app because even though I am more of an analog person, I seemed to have lost the patience and persistence required to keep a physical journal. But at the same time, I'm scared of my laptop suddenly cr*shing and wiping out everything I had stored)

Stay focused on my work always | I didn't know how to show this without having to spell it out in words so I Photoshopped my face onto the head of a woman working in a cafe because those who study in coffee shops along Katip always look like they're getting stuff done.

Keep learning about the world even when I'm outside of the classroom | And this is not limited to frequenting the nearby museum, although that does sound like a great idea right now. This could also mean attending seminars, workshops, and talks, buying books and binge-watching documentaries or YouTube videos about a topic that I find interesting, engaging in discourse with someone (plus points if they have a different viewpoint!)

Write my own book | Before I even found out that humans were destined to pick a career and work until they died, I already knew that I wanted to spend my days as a writer. Specifically, I wanted to see my name on the cover of a book: By Angel Martinez. (Please refer to the 4:32 of this video and look at how far this dream actually goes back.) But once I realized that I wanted to enter the world of business, I thought I would have to give this up altogether. Thankfully, I now know that one's ability to get published is not reliant on their career--I mean, even beauty gurus get book deals these days. I'm not really sure what it's going to be about but I'd honestly be down for anything: even if it's just a compilation of my best entries on this blog.

13. Go all out when I take myself on self-care dates | I'm talking about picnics at the beach, with a basket full of fruits, a posh looking hat, and a good piece of classic literature! Or fancy dinners for one complete with as many glasses of red wine as I can down! People watching at Downtown Disneyland like my paternal grandmother in hand, with a plastic bag of souvenirs on one hand and a cream cheese pretzel on the other! (The possibilities are endless and I'm already mapping most of them out.)

14. Be financially stable enough to re-enact that one scene in Pretty Woman where Vivian Ward struts down the streets of Beverly Hills in a chic white dress and black hat, an endless number of shopping bags in tow | The part where I humiliate a sales lady who snubbed me the day before because she didn't think I could afford what she was selling by saying, "You work on commission, right? That's right. Big mistake, big, huge." is entirely optional.

I also included some two inspirational sayings that were originally laptop wallpapers from The Everygirl. I feel like they perfectly sum up the attitude I want to have as I forge my own path and accomplish everything I have set out for myself. If I was somehow able to convince you that this activity serves as the perfect springboard for all your dreams and aspirations, here are a couple of tips that could hopefully help you make yours!

Be ready for some intense introspection | Though it may look like a simple arts and crafts activity at the surface, making an effective vision board simply cannot be achieved if you're not willing to do some much needed reflection and watch it balloon into a full-on existential crisis. Identify which areas of your life are most important to you and how you would like to see them evolve over a period of time.

Specificity is key | The trick is to make your goals as concrete as possible, then translate them into visual elements. I know some people who wanted to get into particular universities, who have Photoshopped their names onto acceptance letters and pinned those to their corkboards. As stupid as that may sound in retrospect, I reckon it's an elaborate way of claiming something that's right within your reach.

Design it any way you want | Don't feel pressured to make it look like it's worthy to be on someone else's Pinterest because that's exactly how you lose sight of why you're doing it in the first place. The only person your final output has to resonate with is you.

Don't get discouraged | Although a vision board can attract positive energy and manifest your intentions to the universe, one thing it isn't capable of doing is granting your wishes in an instant. Don't be upset if what you have cut out and stuck on has yet to happen: I truly believe in the saying that the more you look for something, the more it seems to avoid you. Instead, continue to work hard and focus on the progress that you have already made.

Have you made a vision board of your own already? How has it turned out, and how many of the things you had put up have come true? I know you may be a complete stranger from the other side of the world but I'd be happy to hear from you anyway! Wishing you love and light always, especially during trying times such as this. Wash your hands, pray for our frontliners, and check your privilege!

#recs #personal #quarantingz #angeltriestoblog #vision board #goal setting

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ikementally-deficient · 5 years ago

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I want to take a minute off from my endless stream of smut and snarky comments about otome screencaps to talk about something. Lemme just dig out my soapbox here.

Privilege in Writing.

I see a lot of snark, mostly from shitty anons but not always, about people’s writing quality, specifically in fanfiction. Leaving aside the sheer ungrateful arrogance of bitching about something people are mostly doing for fun, for free, and because they want to share something that inspired them with other people, let’s talk about what I mean by privilege and how it relates.

I’m gonna use myself as an object lesson, bear with me. This gets long.

I am, from a purely technical perspective (this isn’t about creativity or ideas today), a pretty good writer. I have a very large vocabulary. I have a strong grounding in things like sentence structure, clarity of syntax, and the nitty gritty architecture of prose like punctuation and spelling. I understand narrative structure, characterization, and story beats.

Here’s where the privilege comes in:

I’m a native English speaker. The bulk of fandom (and this will vary by fandom, but it’s definitely a factor), is reading in English, which, by the way, is a really confusing language to learn, especially as an adult.

I come from a family of university educated professionals. My grandmother held a Master of Library Sciences. She taught me to read. I grew up surrounded by books, and was encouraged to make use of them.

My family is well-off enough that my grand-parents were very comfortably retired, and so had both the time to spend with me reading, and the money to provide me with more reading material as gifts for holidays and birthdays.

I have always lived in cities where I had, and continue to have, free and unfettered access to very extensive library systems.

My parents, though divorced, were both well off enough that I never had to balance school and work as a teenager. Although they insisted I get summer jobs when I turned 16, I was never forced to sacrifice study time to help support my household.

I was fortunate enough in high school to have very good teachers, who took extra time to nurture my love of reading and writing.

I have a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature. I grew up in Quebec, where tuition is extremely low for permanent residents, even compared to other Canadian provinces. My semesters in Concordia’s Literature Program cost less than 2000$ a quarter (back in the early 2000s).

Now, as an adult, I have managed to always maintain a large enough living space that my collection of books, both fiction and reference, is always to hand.

This is just the really obvious stuff. To whit:

I have anxiety and ADHD. I had enough spare money to find myself a therapist privately, a healthcare system that covers the cost of my psychiatrist, and a job that provides me excellent benefits to cover the cost of my medications.

I have a (now nearly) six-month-old child. I live, again, in a country that provides me with up to 18 months of paid maternity leave. That’s right, Canada is paying me to stay home with my kid. (It’s not nearly as much as I make when I’m actually working, but it keeps the lights on) If I had been forced to go back to work right after giving birth, I assure you I would have neither the time nor the required mental health to write.

I have a partner who is a fully engaged father to our child and participates in the maintenance of our household so I don’t have to carry either load alone.

We have a roommate who adores our child and is happy to take charge of him for a couple of hours so I can shower/nap/just get some quiet time.

What does all of this mean?

It means that I’m writing, in my native language, about works I’ve consumed in my native language. I grew up in an environment that was practically tailor-made to nurture this kind of creative work. My education focused exactly on this type of expression from my first year of high school all the way to the end of university. I have enough resources, both personal and social/civic, to continue educating myself whenever I have the desire to do so. I have enough of a support network, both personal and social/civic, to help me manage any personal issues or conditions that might impact my ability to write (and do a lot of other stuff, not going to lie).

I have a partner and housemate who both encourage me in this hobby, and work to give me the time to indulge it. I have the time and headspace both to write without hurrying, and to be able to go back and review my work before posting it.

If my family had been less educated before I was even born, if my grandparents hadn’t had enough money to retire as they did, if my parents had made less money and I’d had to work more regularly during high school and university, if I lived somewhere with no libraries and no health care, if I had had to pay US tuition rates, if I couldn’t afford my medication or to get diagnosed in the first place, if I’d had to go back to work right after giving birth instead of having time to recover physically and mentally . . .

The list of ways in which I have been privileged that support my writing and quality thereof is very long. Trust me, this doesn’t even come close to addressing all the socioeconomic, racial, and linguistic factors that are at play here, but I’m rubbing up against a thousand words here and I think I’ve made my point.

So, to all of you people who are writing in your second or third language, who are writing at the end of a long work day, who are scribbling in two minute increments in the bathroom because you’re the only parent, who didn’t grow up with a copy of the Concise OED on the dinner table, who haven’t had time over the years to absorb through osmosis literary and syntactical tropes because you actually had to work after school or couldn’t afford books, to all the people who didn’t even realise writing was a thing you wanted to do until you saw this one show or played that game last week:

Keep writing. Fuck the haters. I love you, and as long as you keep at it, you’ll get better, and as long as you love what you’re doing it doesn’t matter if you get better anyways, but I promise you will.

To everyone else:

Keep your goddamned nitpicking to yourself. Stop making people cry and ruining their love of creating because they didn’t match up to whatever arbitrary quality standards you’ve established in your head. Check your fucking privilege.

#meta-fandom #writing about writing #privilege #discussion topics

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ryanfoell-blog · 5 years ago

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Portfolio Epilogue - Final Draft

My writing skills have been on an incredible journey this semester throughout the entirety of this course. At the beginning of the semester, my free writes were all over the place and I was just getting the hang of putting words on paper. My past experiences in college English classes have been very different from this semester. My other experiences were much more structured and seemed to had very rigid rules that I needed to follow in order to succeed in this course and its no wonder that I have never really enjoyed the art and practice of writing. I feel that this class has allowed me to explore the creative side of writing that I enjoy. In-class free writes and the out-of-class tumbler posts over the course of the semester became much more enjoyable and almost therapeutic. I began to look forward to the idea of having a specific time set aside to express my thoughts into words and them put them out into the world with no filter. The class discussions introduced me to a more introspective way of living my life, and as I began to look within myself I found that I had a lot of things going on in my life that were keeping me from being open to the idea of creative writing as well as actually being creative when writing. One lecture of this class that really stood out to me was what I like to call the “I just want a dog” lecture. The emotion and power in that lesson struck me in a way that I had never felt before. I realized that I had many false perceptions that were affecting the way I looked at the world. I became more grateful for what I have been blessed with in my life, which is in such abundance. I learned that the medium of communication often determines the context of the message. I learned that frequently it's not ‘what’ is said that matters most but ‘how’ something is said that also matters and has a huge influence on the message that is conveyed. It was the most beautiful realization and I feel that because of that specific lecture I will continue to try and develop my personal skills as a writer and expresser of emotion.

The research project proposal was the assignment that I spent the most time with. The reason for that is I wanted to make sure that my topic and area of study were in the right place before diving deeper into the research and literature review. I thought that if my proposal were absolutely “perfect” that the rest of the writing assignments this semester would be much easier and that I would be able to complete them more smoothly. I was mostly wrong. I should have better balanced my time working on the next assignments because I feel that I neglected the other assignments in some ways. I enjoyed the literature review in some ways but not in others. I thought that I would choose my research topic and then find research that supported it but in fact, I found that not to be the case. During my research, I had a paradigm shift and found that my original thesis was not based on sufficient research. I was listening to a lecture from Jordan Peterson and he said something that struck me and facilitated this paradigm shift. He said, “You can't help someone that is depressed if they are dead”. This makes a lot of sense and after hearing that I began to shift my understanding of my topic and began researching things that were more balanced in opinions on antidepressant medication. I learned a lot while doing this research and found it reassuring that the research better supported my changed thesis after having this paradigm shift. Over the course of the semester, I found that I spent most of my time writing as apposed to revising and looking back, I would have like to spend much more time revising. This was a learning experience for me because previously I would have spent more time revising. Putting words on paper seemed to be the most difficult part for me in the writing process. This challenge frequently dissuades me from spending the time necessary to revise and rework my writing because I am too focused on meeting a specific word count or having the correct structure instead of just letting the words flow out of me with no judgment towards myself or how bad my rough draft turns out. I think that I would judge myself too harshly at the beginning because for some reason I had the expectation that my rough drafts should be close to flawless so that I would then be able to more on to the final draft. This process of having three drafts allowed me to judge my work less harsh so that I could then spend more time revising and reworking my writing to then develop into the best final draft possible.

My ability to express myself through writing has improved this semester. I don’t know how much my technical writing skills have improved but I feel that as I continue to develop my reading skills and my ability to express myself through writing my technical abilities will improve as a result of the other improvements. I have developed a better understanding of what it takes to become a better writer. It takes a tremendous amount of effort and time to make subtle improvements but I believe that these skills will benefit me for the rest of my life. My major is digital cinema, and I never thought that I would need the skills of being a good writer in order to excel in my career but as time has passed and I have worked on my reading and writing that I realized that when you improve your reading and writing you also improve your ability to express yourself and communicate better with those around you. The ability to communicate is invaluable and will continue to serve me in whatever career or job I end up in.

I may not have the best words or writing skills but I feel that I can finally conceptualize the skills necessary to continue my learning even after this class and semester end. The life lessons that I learned from this class I believe to be more beneficial that the improved writing skills alone. As I better understand myself I better understand others. Therefore I wish to continually strive to be more creative and honest in my writing. Not because I want to pass a class with a specific grade or even graduate college and receive a bachelors degree, but because It can bring me joy and because the medium of writing is almost universal and will allow me to connect with the people around me in a more authentic and fulfilling way. Thank you for facilitating this beautiful experience. I am grateful.

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