Well, it’s been a busy first few weeks of school, but at the end of week three of classes, I’ve got enough time to sit back, take a deep breath, and write an actual update.
I really enjoy all of my classes. I’m taking classes in English, history, creative writing, tae kwon do (for fun!) and a seminar on language and technology.
I think my favorite teacher is my professor for English 45B (a survey course in English literature from roughly 1750-1900, I think). Professor Goldsmith has managed to turn books I don’t usually like (most recently Gulliver’s Travels) into treasure troves of interesting facts, and the questions he poses in relation to the text always open up avenues of thought that I never would have considered on my own. He’s also really personable—I went to his office hours today and there were seven or eight students sitting in his office discussing things with him in a really great atmosphere. It was like a miniature discussion section with the teacher! There were even a few kids sitting on the floor, because he didn’t have enough chairs. I don’t like my discussion section leader for that class nearly as much as I like Goldsmith, but he’s so amazing that it makes up for it. I’m especially looking forward to reading Pride and Prejudice in this class—I can’t wait to hear his interpretations of the text.
History 5 (European history from 1300-present) probably ties with Creative Writing for the second place class. I don’t like Professor Laqueur as much as I like Goldsmith, but my Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) for my history discussion section is very nice, which makes up for it. And Laqueur is starting to grow on me—he began his lecture about the Reformation by taking a printed copy of Martin Luther’s 95 Theses and physically nailing them to the door of our lecture hall, saying, “It’s not Wittenberg church, but I suppose it will have to do.” His first few lectures seemed scattered, but the most recent ones (on the Reformation) were much better organized. He’s beginning to live up to the high standards I have for history lecturers—I blame Mr. Koger and Mr. Vargish for this. Also thanks to them, most of the actual facts I’m learning are review, leaving me room to delve deeper into the interpretations and “big picture” ideas.
English 43A, an intro to writing short fiction, is going pretty well. At first I was slightly worried by the teacher’s emphasis on writing “literary fiction,” because her first definition of lit fic specifically excluded science fiction and fantasy, my two favorite genres. But she clarified that literary fiction is simply fiction which focuses on character rather than plot development, which I interpret to mean that I can write fantasy and sci-fi as long as the characters are believable. I love writers’ workshops, so naturally this class is a bit of an oasis. The other writers don’t seem to have as much to say yet, but I’m sure that as we get along with writing and workshopping our writing, we’ll grow into a more cohesive, interactive group. I think there are only 15 or 16 kids in the class, as opposed to my English and History lectures of 200-300.
The freshman seminar I’m in is about the same size as the creative writing class, and I like it more than I thought I would. The focus is on language and technology—how each one influences the other, what changes occur, and whether these are positive or negative developments. Mostly we’re focusing on modern technology such as the internet, instant messaging, texting, etc. but we’re starting out with an overview of old technology. In this vein, we spent yesterday’s class at the Bancroft Library, being taught by a friend of the professor’s about old printmaking technology. The library owns an 1800s printing press, as well as the largest collection of antique documents in any public university (I think). It turns out they even offer a class in printmaking through the history department. Students spend half of class learning about the history of printing, and the other half learning how to use the press itself. They’re graded on their ability to have 35 copies of the text for that semester properly printed, bound, and on the teacher’s desk by the end of the last day of class. I’m really intrigued by the idea, and I’m considering taking the class next semester, assuming it’s being offered. Also, I just learned that the father of my main character in my story for November is a printer, and therefore this information is very pertinent!
Tae kwon do is basically a part of my schedule because I thought I might need the exercise, but it’s still very interesting. I’m certainly sore a lot of the time—I suppose this means I’m getting exercise! Class meets Tuesday and Thursday mornings for an hour, but somehow that’s enough to leave me aching by the next day. At the moment, my muscles are protesting against the sit-ups and push-ups I did as part of warm-up yesterday.
While classes and homework take up a lot of time, I’ve also been spending six or seven hours a week for the past two weeks interning for the Office of Letters and Light, the non-profit corporation responsible for putting on National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). My job description is pretty broad—I do everything from getting together contact lists for mailings to giving opinions about t-shirt and poster design to moving boxes! My actual job title is “editorial intern,” which means I’m responsible for looking over any press releases, online content, printed flyers, etc. Also as of today I’ve been made the official Press Liaison, which entails directing journalists to the people in their area who they can interview about NaNoWriMo, providing factual information in the form of press releases, and distributing these press releases to papers who might be interested in writing about the event. It’s an unpaid internship, but I don’t think there could be a better job. It’s completely casual and the atmosphere is really friendly—everyone’s on a first name basis, and even though I’ve only been working there for two weeks, my opinion matters just as much as everyone else’s when it comes to basic decisions (such as the t-shirt and poster design, which, for the record, will look awesome). If you’re dying to know more about NaNoWriMo, check out www.nanowrimo.org for information. If you were interested in looking me up, my username is Reading Redhead.
I’m also getting involved in extracurriculars here at Berkeley, mostly through the scholarships I’ve received. The Regents’ and Chancellor’s Scholarship Association (RCSA) is really active, as is the Alumni Scholarship Association (ASA). RCSA puts on a lot of programs for current scholars, while ASA does a lot of outreach events. I’m planning to get involved with the Academic committee on RCSA, and I’m already involved with ASA’s Outreach and Alumni Relations committees. I really like the portion of Outreach committee I’m getting to work on. It’s called “I Can at Cal” (usually abbreviated ICC), and it’s all about reaching out to underprivileged and minority students who might need extra help through the admissions process. I wasn’t planning on being a part of this committee at all, but the director was so passionate about it that I wound up attending the first meeting, and I was hooked.
I’m participating in a non-scholarship club, too: the English Undergraduate Association (EUA). Their meetings are really laid back and generally involve a lot of English majors sitting around in the English lounge and gossiping about books, teachers, classes, and everything else remotely affiliated with the English language. I went to the first meeting last week and met some really great people. It’ll be especially helpful when it comes to choosing classes for next semester, because all of the upperclassmen are ready to give advice about which teachers to avoid and which to take.
And don’t think I don’t have friends or a social life! I’ve gotten to know a bunch of people in my classes and clubs, and though I might not be out partying every night, I also haven’t had to wake up regretting anything yet! My roommate and I are getting along really well; she also writes, and I’ve talked her into doing NaNoWriMo with me this November. I love being able to talk to her about writing and reading (we both have really similar tastes), but even just hanging out with Rebecca is fun. The other night we watched “When Harry Met Sally” together on her computer!
In other words—I’m having a great time here. Berkeley is most of the things I’d hoped it would be, and then some. Adjusting hasn’t been too hard—I am eating, and doing my laundry on a regular basis, something that other kids here don’t seem to get the hang of. I’ve got a lot of homework, especially because most of my classes require extensive reading and writing, but it’s not overwhelming yet. There is just so much I’m looking forward to...
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