Ghost

Around Finals Week is when I get the most criticism about my major. Science majors have labs, subjects like biology, chemistry, physics. Engineers have calculus, physics, engineering specific classes.. Teaching students have big projects and lesson plans to turn in.

For some reason, and honestly, I am not pointing to anyone specific, because it comes from all sides... people seem to think English majors have it super easy when finals roll around.

To be completely forward, my one geography course for this semester is probably my easiest class. I'm not saying it isn't challenging at all, because I promise that I'm not flying through it with perfect scores. But, it definitely isn't the hardest of my classes. When people are going on and on about how English is a slacker major the one modifier they add on, as if to make it sting less, "Oh, but you're a double major so it doesn't count."

Excuse me? I may not sit in labs for hours on end, I may not have to solve mathematical problems that take up full notebook pages, but I am not just sitting on my butt reading Junie B. Jones all day. I work my butt of reading literature that I don't always understand. When I'm done reading it, I have to read it again at least once. Following that, I generally have to write response papers. Oooooh big deal. A Response Paper. Yes. They are a big deal. They aren't just "this made me feel ____" or "I liked this. It was cool." or "This was boring." NO. They are talking about themes, and connecting pieces to other works we've read, adding in historical and compositional details we notices and talking about what the author was trying to do.

Hey, if that comes really easy to you, I applaud you. But I have NEVER been one to easily assess what an author was trying to do. I don't know! Half the time, I doubt the author REALLy was trying to say half the things we try to get out of their writing. I didn't choose English as a major because I thought it'd be a walk in the park, I chose it because reading and writing are my passion, and while I love both, I am not a pro.

This semester, I'm in 3 heavy reading courses: Methods of Literary Study where we tackled Moby-Dick, Shakespeare, we have read a play(sometimes 2) per week, and American Literature 2. Each of those classes plus my memoir course involved multiple large writing assignments.
My next week is as follows:
- The Tempest (and Response Paper)
- Critical Analysis of the character of Lady Macbeth
- Research Paper: How does adapting Moby-Dick for children change the major themes and context of the novel?
- Exam Natural Hazards
- Critical Analysis of Emily Dickinson Poem

Then May 13-15:
Portfolio due for Memoirs (revisions on all pieces still need to be done)
Final Exam Shakespeare
Cumulative Final for Methods of Lit Study
Final Exam American Lit 2
Final Exam Natural Hazards

Maybe it's just me, maybe you think I'm stupid... but my major isn't the easy way out. I honestly don't think any major in college is going to be "easier" than another. Each subject is difficult in it's own way, requires a different frame of thought, and a different attitude.

Please take your negative attitudes about my workload and my future somewhere else, because I promise you the next time I hear it, I'm done.

On a brighter note. Story Telling Reading is tomorrow (today) at 6pm in the library! And, the wait is finally over. I will get to hug my amazing boy in t-minus 13 hours.
Always,
H.Eilene