Term Paper Topics: 2.
Term Paper Primary Research: 5 Articles/ paper. (Need 10 per paper, I'm thinking.)
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I thought I'd start with that. Just to remind myself where I am. I've written a thesis proposal really early, so that the University of Birmingham might have the great opportunity to give me money (read: I'm pleading for a scholarship.) All so that I might stay here another three and a half years...
I've been doing some thinking, obviously, and it has occurred to me that the level of distinction that it seems all students give their professors at the Institute, is exactly the level of distinction and respect that I am looking for in my life. It's not where as soon as they walk in the room, we all bow and nod, and count ourselves lucky to be in their presence. It's simply that we shut up and listen respectfully, and actually take notes on what our Professors have to say. Mainly because we know they know a lot more than we do. We don't give them respect for a better grade. We give it to them because they deserve it. I compared this experience with taking a dance class with Fred Astaire recently. If you have ever thought to take a lesson in the textual study of William Shakespeare, wouldn't the guy you'd want to teach it be an editor... maybe an actual editor of the Oxford edition of The Complete Works? Yeah, well, that's my guy. If you were discussing Shakespeare at any length, as we are all wont to do, wouldn't you want to discuss it with a guy who'd actually read it all, theorized it all, and then wrote books on the whole business? That's the Shakespeare Institute.
I would say that "I got this" or "Consider it done." I have two papers to write over the holidays, and I'm only just beginning to get an idea of what I want to write about. Next term, my work doubles. After that, over the summer, I've got an equal amount of work to achieve as my next term, and, well, after that... if all goes well, I have the opportunity of a lifetime to do more work than I ever thought was possible through my dissertation. All that, and I'm paying for the privilege.
Why don't jobs work this way anymore? Do you think anyone might pay for the privilege of working the equivalent amount of time as an Assistant to Steven Spielberg? Should they? Should people pay their employers to do a job they love? Would it make the employees appreciate it that much more? Instead of paying for college, why not pay an employer to get the perfect on the job training? If you were looking for a job in technical theatre, to say that you worked for five years at the Royal Shakespeare Company as an Assistant Designer would be a helluva job credit.
Why not? Well, it simply doesn't work that way.
Yet, I am looking to find a scholarship (read: pay a lot of money) so that I might apprentice at the Shakespeare Institute and the Royal Shakespeare Company, write 80K words on it, and receive the highest terminal degree one can be bestowed with in the process of education. After that, won't I be infinitely more employable, more educated, more humble... and just a better version of myself, deserving of that high-born respect? You're damn right.
This rant has been brought to you by very little sleep, a lot of reading, and no outlet other than this to post my ravings. Thank you, good night.
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