I think the thing I wanted to do most with the intro to this week’s blog is to give you something meaningful. Some heartfelt advice from a senior student, drawn from a well of experience; a touching story about how doing schoolwork has somehow made me a better person (I think I’m worse off, actually); a funny meme wrapped in literary mumbo-jumbo. Nothing too meaningful–try to look too closely at any one thing and the fabric of the Universe has a way of unraveling. What is “funny?” What does “meaning” mean?

How about a funny anecdote?

About a year and a half ago, I was sequestered in a dark corner of the basement library. This was during the brief period where they had blissfully eliminated the social element of signing into computers, but hadn’t moved on to the better system we have now; you had to go to a big computer on the side of the room, sign in, and it would tell you which computer to go to. It must have been finals week, because I was there reading comics instead of doing actual work.

An elderly gentleman signed off of a computer behind me and began putting his things away at a reasonable pace. Enter: one extremely frazzled young woman, who had signed in at the Mother Brain and been told to go to his computer.

“Hey, are you using this computer?”

“I’m just packing up.”

“Well could you hurry up?”

The elderly gentleman gracefully packed up and left without saying a word in reply. I didn’t either, of course, though I imagined saying something about it and savored the fantasy of being a good person. About half an hour later, she cursed extremely loudly, picked up her keyboard, and slammed it into the table. Oof. I don’t think I’ve ever felt that frustrated with schoolwork, ever.

At least, not outwardly. You’re supposed to bottle that up and bury it deep, deep down, not put it out there where people can see. (personal counseling 0203 James Hall)

What I’m trying to say is, it’s important to do your work, and to do it in a timely manner, but also, like, chill out a little, okay? Give yourself time to be you. Sometimes I come home after working all day and I have to really push myself to read a book for fun, or to play a video game. I just want to vegetate in a chair and not watch Gordon Ramsey. But do do that thing. You’ll feel better for it.

Here are some ANNOUNCEMENTS!

Important for English Majors:

The English Department 2019 Awards and Scholarships is here! Submit your writing and win scholarships or awards! What could be better for a writer? There’s:

• The Bernard Grebanier Award for a sonnet written to the Italian (Petrarchan) or English (Shakespearean) pattern.
• The Dorothy B. Jervis Award for Science Writing (awarded to undergraduate students who have submitted the best essay on a scientific subject written in language accessible to the lay reader).
• The Ottillie Grebanier Award (annual drama award to the undergraduate who writes the best play submitted in a contest conducted by the English Department).
• The Sam Castan Memorial Award (awarded to a graduating senior for excellence in
  journalism as demonstrated by his/her writing for campus publications).
• The Sam Castan Memorial Award (awarded to a graduating senior for excellence in
  journalism as demonstrated by his/her writing for campus publications).
• And more! See here for all the awards, guidelines, and regulations!

Go to the English dept., 2308 Boylan, if you want to submit your work!

Also, the Summer Literary Seminars (SLS) 2019 Writing Contests are almost here! You have 11 Days (Due by 11:59 Feb 28th) to submit to the… 

• Fiction & Poetry Category (1st place—free airfare, tuition, & accommodations for the 2019 SLS Georgia program, and publication in Fence Magazine. Prizes for 2nd and 3rd as well!)
• First Chapter contest (1st place—full tuition waiver for 2019 SLS Georgia program, and online publication of the winning chapter with Graywolf Press.)
• Essay and Flash Fiction contests (1st place—full tuition waiver for the 2019 SLS Georgia program, and online publication with Scoundrel Time.)

Please keep in mind that you must pay 17$ per submission. Best of Luck! See specific guidelines here

Some events:

2/17-2/18: There’s the Blood drive, from 12:00PM-4:30PM, in that fancy truck that they have on Campus Road and Hillel Avenue.

2/17-2/23: See I WILL BE GONE by Erin Courtney at the Don Buchwald Theater!

2/21: A job search workshop at 1309 James Hall!

Enjoy that day off. Here’s to a wonderful week.

-M.C.