One of the most notable downsides to returning to university is the homework. I didn’t like it much back then, and I sure as heck don’t like it much now.
At least these days I can sort of see the point. The class time is for learnin’… talking about the material, asking questions, being provided with evidence for or against the various interpretations of a work. But you still need to write stuff for an English degree, and that leaves homework and essays.
Granted, my 4th year course is awful for that, demanding weekly comments on an online forum (blargh) as well as journal entries (gah) and a term paper in addition to all that. I don’t think I would mind so much if it didn’t all feel like busy-work. Stuff we have to do because the prof wants to check off stuff we’ve done.
My other course (a 2nd year American Lit course) is better, and provides much more useful feedback, but there is still a significant amount of “Do This Because You Have To Do This.” Oh, and an exam. I have a love/hate relationship with exams… I kinda enjoy them as a challenge or a contest, but I hate actually having to go to them and the buildup to them. Too stressful.
Anyway. A lot of today is going to be devoted to picking essay topics for my two courses, and starting to do the preliminary readings for those. Not the worst way to spend the day… but it does mean less time for the novel (again). Ah well… if I get these essays done soon, I can get right back to putting all my focus into the novel. That’ll be nice!
Hope everyone out there is staying safe and healthy!