I am retrospectively saying the messed up posting schedule that occurred during November to earlier this January was just my winter break schedule. This post is also part of that schedule…
Since this post is late, I’m going to keep it short by only talking about my new classes!
My first class is called “Mentoring Youth in Community Writing Groups” and you’ll never guess what it’s about. In all seriousness, I am so looking forward to this class. In fact, I’m looking forward so much to it that I’m worried.
Guys, I don’t want to be an English teacher. No, no, no, no, they can’t make me. Since I first started even considering doing something writing related, everyone and their mother assumes I plan on becoming an English teacher. No! Some of us are too impatient and lazy to teach! However…
However. God. I know two things that I would like to incorporate in my future: One, I want to write, and two, I want to help people, preferably with their writing. I’ve been thinking about editing jobs mostly, but y’all……… Why does teaching fit this description?
Granted, I wouldn’t be doing creative writing 24/7—it’d be more of a hobby or side job—but at this point I’m realizing that whatever I end up doing I’m not going to be able to only creative write if I want to be financially independent. That is, I won’t be able to do that until I become a super famous author making bank on my writing (manifesting).
And no, becoming a teacher is not the first job that pops into the brain after thinking, “financially independent,” but at least it’s an abundant job market. And be honest, you and I both know I’d be a cool teacher. I feel like I’d be like Mr. [senior year English teacher] if he wasn’t such a creep, ya know? Or maybe Mr. [freshman year English teacher] if he wasn’t such a creep. Why were so many of my teachers creeps…
Anyways, since taking more and more English classes, I have started to truly realize that these are my people. Every professor is so fun and sentimental, yet serious about the art of language. Me! So me.
So yeah, I’m worried that taking this class will make me want to join the dark side (the college of education). Technically, I think I could still manage to become a teacher within the 4-year timeline I got going on, although I think I would have to maybeee take an extra quarter or two, which I’d rather not do. Personally, I’m not a fan of debt. Here’s to banking that my children-tolerance level is still somewhat low. Fuck them kids (affirmation).
I have another class with someone in that one, so let me move on to that next, but before I do let me just shout this person out real quick because she’s cool! Very chill, but she actually talks to me, which is a win in my book. My standards are below sea level.
My next class is Popular Romance for my Literature Across Cultures requirement. Can you guess what this one’s about? I’m realizing all my classes have extremely self-explanatory titles this quarter. Huh.
I’m loving this class already, and I’m already behind! Whoops! We have a long list of romance books written by American (or British?) authors who are part of different cultures; some are immigrants while others are descendants of immigrants. So me!
The syllabus has some promising titles. Each unit has a specific romance niche, so we’re going to get some nice variety. Right now, we’re reading A Caribbean Heiress in Paris (2022) by Adriana Herrera, and it’s good! I have to finish reading the second half of this book by tomorrow, so I’m skipping the review for now, but I’ll just say it’s “fun, frothy, and fiercely feminist.” As the review on the cover declares.
I’m really looking forward to this class because not only is it with one of my favorite professors, but it’s on one of my favorite genres!
The goal every year is to get weirder, and I have decided that one way I will accomplish that this year is by being unabashedly myself. Fellas, I like romance! And what! Just because YOU think it’s cringe doesn’t mean it is! And even if it is cringe, so what?
I’ve been thinking a lot about how everything has meaning, and it’s up to us to figure out why. Romance, though often seen as a simple and lowly genre, demands the same attention any other genre does. Currently I find that not many people realize this, which is partially why we’ve been in a romance rut as of recent. If you do not put thought and care into writing a romance story, then the story is going to end up shit. Similarly, if you do not put thought and care into reading a romance story, then you’re probably not going to end up liking it all that much!
I know that people often read romance because it’s fun and easy, which tends to be my reasoning, too. But I find that books, and I guess art as a whole, are a two way street. The artist and audience must meet each other halfway down it. To me, in terms of reading romance books, this means that you don’t automatically roll your eyes when something corny happens! Consider this: There is no reward for being insincere. If you constantly laugh at someone’s attempt to be genuine, what is it that you want? For the world to be cynical? For that person to be miserable? A gold star? Everything has meaning, dude. Even your sarcasm.
Mind you, this is all coming from Madam Sarcasm. The call is in fact coming from inside the house. But dear lord, have I been trying hard to give into the corn. The thing is, as fun as it may be making fun of something, I don’t really want to just make fun of stuff, you know? Well, actually, it’s weird. I am someone who sort of believes that everything (hyperbole) is both so serious and also so funny. Essentially, everything has meaning, and that makes me laugh. It’s never that serious (because everything always is). Am I making sense?
I have plenty of experience making fun of romance, even though I have basically always considered myself a fan of the genre. But now I want to spend more time on the flipside and really take romance seriously. By this I mean, I want to treat it as if it’s all Shakespeare. Like, what if A Caribbean Heiress in Paris is this century’s Romeo and Juilet but the people don’t know because it’s got a booktok cover? It’s not, but what if it were????
My next class is about the WWII Warlords, fulfilling my history requirement. As it would turn out, I’m not a huge fan of history. Honestly, I find learning about history interesting, I really do, but classes about history have never been my favorite! No matter what the subject is, I am always fighting sleepy spells in them. How unfortunate.
Although, this class being focused on the warlords themselves and the prospect of looking into primary sources they created/delivered does sound enticing, I will admit. And my professor seems very nice. On the first day, he had a picture on the screen that was just the mouths of FDR, Churchill, Stalin, and Hitler, which prompted him, a man with a mustache, to say, “Hope this doesn’t give a bad rep to guys with mustaches.” He just seems chill.
I’ve decided to experiment in this class by giving myself a nickname, simply because I can. For a while now I have recognized how malleable identity could be, but I’m only just now taking advantage of how easy it is to change it.
The truth is… and this may be shocking to you if you read my blog with your eyes closed… I am constantly figuring out who I am. I mean, I know who I am… but do I? Do I like that person? Who do I want to be? How do I become that person? So many questions. I’ve had fun experimenting with my self-expression via my clothes, then my hair, and now I’m experimenting via my name. Granted, I’ve only gone from going by my first name to my last name, and only in one class where we barely talk to each other, but still. I’m making moves.
It was… odd to be addressed by anything but my first name. It has only really happened once so far and it was online, but I still read it and went, “Hm.” I need to be called by it a couple more times before I decide exactly what I feel, but it definitely has got me thinking, that’s for sure.
I’ve actually been considering going by a pseudonym here, too. My name is on the About and Contact page, as well as in several posts (or not. This could very well be a lie), but what if I went back and wiped it off the site? Internet safety. Consider that. But then again, no one really reads this, so……….. Consider that.
I WILL be using a pseudonym on AO3, so prepare yourself for that. A message for you once you see my pseudonym: I don’t care if you think it’s cringe. Deal with it.
My final class is an asynchronous online course, which for the uninitiated means that I just have assignments to complete by certain deadlines. Before the first day, I was nervous about it, specifically how I’ll be able to manage my time for it. But after starting and looking at the syllabus, I’m not all worried. It seems mostly chill. For now. Dun dun dun.
I am so tired. In the most literal sense of the word, I am tired. Getting used to my schedule this quarter has been exhausting, and I’m not yet adjusted enough to it to have a good workflow so I’m slightly behind in some classes. This is especially not good because to make my planned workflow a reality I need to be a bit ahead in some classes, which means I either got to count my losses and move, or grind like sandpaper on a wooden shelf. Woof.
Speaking of woof, I have restarted writing my fanfic now that my secret project is done! My secret project was a gift for a friend by the way. It turned out quite nice! Due to my exhaustion, however, I am quite uninspired to write. It makes me a bit sad actually.
I also have to finish THE F1 video and the White Boy Awards, but again, I’m just so fucking tired, dude. Hoping to finish the White Boy Awards by the end of January. THE F1 video could wait until next month, honestly. If the worst comes to worst, I’ll just do that.
I think I might go to bed right now. Good night.
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