The Best Advice That Literature Students Never Hear
You receive an unconditional offer from the Department of Literature (or the Department of English Language and Literature). You're about to study literature. Congratulations! You should have heard lots of advice on what to do during your few years in the university, but there's a good chance that you have heard it before. You're about to hear new advice. You read it right.
Studying literature is a challenging task, such that you wonder if the law of diminishing returns apply here. It depends on how you look at it. You're aware that your time would revolve around reading and paper writing, prompting you to wonder if you still have time for other things. If you master time management in a few months or less, then there won't be a problem at all. If not, then you don't have to worry too much about it. You're not the only one in this predicament. And you can count on your coursemates for support. Don't expect anyone to give his (or her) opinion on C.S. Lewis and his foray into science fiction, though. You may (or may not) get some useful tips on how to read a long novel in a few days. And some won't hesitate to tell you the new words that they learn during the first few months of the term. It might annoy you, probably reminding yourself that you're a stuck-up teenager (like many teenagers in college). Relax.
What you're about to read should enable you to look at the B.A. English program with excitement, assured of your abilities and what you can accomplish during the next few years. Are you ready?
The Things That Your Tutor Won't Tell You
If you have any interest in literature, then this is the best time to show it. You should have decided that you would meet all the requirements, even if many of these tasks would test your patience and question your capabilities. Don't ever think of changing courses, not even dropping out. Both aren't options here. The first step in showing your genuine interest in literature is to read the books that have been assigned to you. There's a danger of becoming a heavy reader, even forgetting that you must make new friends. It depends on your perspective, though. (If you don't expect much and mean well, then you would be lucky to find one. That individual might end up as your best friend, if not more than that.) This is an opportunity, so don't fret about what you must give up. There will be another time.
Adjust your schedule when you are most creative. Paper writing requires your mental faculties to be at its sharpest. It won't take a month or two to figure out the time of the day (or night) to devote on reading and writing. If you happen to be a night owl, then make sure that your morning lectures won't be sacrificed at all. You can't miss what your professor would tell you.
Don't be afraid to loaf. The human mind can't withstand pressure all the time. (And varsity players would attest to it.) If you need ten minutes to distract (and refresh) yourself, then do it. If you need more than an hour*,* if not a few hours, then schedule your routine accordingly. You might have errands to do, yet you must figure out if you can do it on the following day. Remember that the best writers have learned to loaf, which they need to pen their masterpieces.
Leave the door to your room open. If you're an introvert, then this is the best way to meet the other students. It can be a scary thought, as one (or not a few) might not fancy you. Don't worry too much about it. You may be too young to know that you don't need everyone's approval, yet it would dawn on you after reading some books. You would be surprised to learn that you're not the only who has trepidation about socializing with teenagers you hardly know of.
Don't watch TV. This may be the hardest thing to do, such that you wonder if you can live without Netflix for a few months or so. It would also mean fewer distractions while you're on the front of the computer screen (or mobile phone). You don't have to shut it out completely, as you would need to look at clips of old films (or TV shows) if you need some references in your assignment. And it would help a great deal. (You need all the information you can get, which should help you write a persuasive argument.) Self-discipline may be a foreign term, even something that you would struggle for months (or a year). You have no other recourse, though. Don't be afraid of failure. The most memorable literary characters are flawed, but it doesn't give you an alibi for not trying to be the better version of yourself.
How to Figure Out Your Life (During College)
You figure out that you want to be an author, following on the footsteps of (name of your favorite novelist). Your conversations with your tutor would be lessons on realistic expectations, such that you would consider other options. It doesn’t have to be a path to an academic career. It can be the corporate world, but think twice about it. If you can’t put to use what you’ve learned during your few years (in the university), then you might as well turn reading into a lifelong vocation. It would improve your communication tremendously, which is a valuable skill. Don’t look too far ahead, though. Your few years in college would be shorter than you think. Make the most out of it, and don’t be afraid to focus more on your friendships (and relationship) from time to time.
