Of Essay Writing

It is the eve of my trip to Italy and what am I doing? Well, besides updating this blog I am putting the finishing touches on my 3,000 research essay for "Crime Fiction" and packing. Here in the UK, they assign essays by word count instead of page count. So unlike the way students do it in America with increasing the period sizes, increasing margins, and other fun ways of increasing page count, the way students here increase word count? Cite, cite, cite. And you know that you've become a real British student when you have written 1,500 words which did not seem like a lot when it got assigned but then, you realize, "Damn, that's 5 pages double-spaced." Here, that's a practice essay.

And according to a number of American exchange students I have run into here: writing essays in the UK is more difficult. Having written 3 papers so far, one 1,500 words (5 pages) and two 3,000 words (10 pages), I have figured out a fun, almost non-painful way to go about writing research papers in the UK. Please remember that this is coming from a student who has never written a research paper for English but is now learning how to use MLA citation all over again, woot!

1) Get your "essay titles." Which are really just your essay prompts but the difference between these and prompts are that they are really the title of your essay. Unlike the US, they do not make you come up with a witty and suggestive title. And the prompts are usually about a sentence or two long. Case in point: "Discuss images of the female body in Victorian poetry" (I turned that paper in Monday).

2) Think of author/title of literature/subject that you will be discussing in your essay. Jot down some ideas on how you might go about answering the question. When in doubt, jot down ideas for all the prompts you think you might be able to answer, the one with the most notes next to them wins!

3) Go to the library ASAP and check out the relevant books, if there are any. Most of the time, towards the deadline, all of the books you need will probably be checked out. What to do? Article databases online, make friends with JSTOR and Web of Science. Look for articles that have some semblance to what you may be writing about. Sometimes, this may be just background information or they'll use a word that you may want to use in your essay, like "feminism" or "fruit." Take as many kind of relevant sources as you can, you can figure it out later whether or not you'll need them.

4) Skim, DO NOT READ THE WHOLE BOOK. One, it's a waste of time because you probably won't remember all of it. And two, you're going to have to cite around 10 sources within your paper so unless you start two weeks before (which will not happen if you're a college student), you will not have time to read all 10 articles and books. Writing down points that are interesting or the page numbers they are on helps as well, you can stick that into the essay later.

5) Now think of a thesis since you're supposed to think of a point to your essay after you've read everything. I know, it's backwards. I don't like it, I feel like I'm being influenced by someone else's reading of the text. But when in Rome...

6) Try to write and whenever relevant, add an official quote in. Towards the end, you'll probably be quoting arbitrarly since in my experience writing and talking to fellow British students, you're just writing what you know then sticking the quotes in there. Of course, you can always write your essay before you start reading and just read as you write, it really depends when you've formulated a thesis.

7) You know you've written a British essay when your paper is filled with more citation than original content. Learn to love the MLA format.

8) When you're done, run to the library and beat other students down for a computer to print (I suggest staring down the ones who are on Facebook in the library).

9) Print out two copies and run to the Departmental Office by 3PM the day it's due.

10) Take yourself out for a beer since you've just completed a British research paper. Now just hope that both of the people reading your paper will kind of understand what you're talking about.

But it's fine, at this point in my college career, I'm pretty much used to writing longer papers anyway (case in point, 5 pages is more complicated than a 10 page paper since I have so much to say now, which probably means I've been writing papers for way too long at this point).

Britishisms I learned:

• "full stop" = a period
• "marked blindly" = the two people that will be marking your essays will not know whose it is. It's more fair that way as well as kind of scary.
• You don't indent the very first paragraph
• Being an American is no excuse for not using British English in your paper
• 8 sources and up is common for a 3000 word essay, as exemplified by the fact that after finishing my first Warwick Uni essay for English, I had a grand total of 11 sources. Of course, a majority of people will also agree with me that half of those sources were arbitrary at best.

Of Winter Wonderlands

I had my first snow day today. At 11:30, I woke up to find that not only was my lecture for Restoration Literature cancelled (sweet!) but the subsequent discussion for that class was also cancelled (double sweet!). Not only that but upon opening my blinds, my sight was greeted by:


A drizzle of snow!

"One must have a mind of winter
To regard the frost and the boughs
Of the pine-trees crusted with snow;


And have been cold a long time
To behold the junipers shagged with ice,
The spruces rough in the distant glitter"

This was the sight at 12PM.

Then, 4 hours later, here is what it looked like:

"Of the January sun; and not to think
Of any misery in the sound of the wind,
In the sound of a few leaves,

Which is the sound of the land
Full of the same wind
That is blowing in the same bare place"

Apparently, it's going to be worst tomorrow, which makes me almost giddy with excitement because I've never seen snow like that before. Though I must say, despite the fluffiness factor, walking in falling snow is a pain for your eyes (or in my case, my glasses). Especially when you go inside and everything melts so your clothes end up wet with melted snow. But seeing everything covered in white kind of makes up for the minor irritation factor.

I threw a fresh snowball at my neighbors and slipped on the sidewalks coming back from the grocery store. It's amazing how the presence of snow makes you feel like a kid. I can hear people outside laughing and throwing snowballs even though it's nighttime. As for me, I'm relaxing with a cup of hot chocolate and Kristin Chenoweth's Christmas CD.

"For the listener, who listens in the snow,
And, nothing himself, beholds
Nothing that is not there and the nothing that is."

- Wallace Stevens, "The Snow Man"

ETA:
According to the New York Times, this is the worst snow storm to hit Britain in 18 years and its expected to get worst. The snowball fights and frolicking this morning now makes a bit more sense. Thank goodness for heaters and hot chocolates.

"Heavy Snow Takes Britons by Surprise"
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/03/world/europe/03britain.html?em

Of the University of Warwick

University House

Since I've been getting a lot of questions in regards to London, I would like to take this post to remind everyone that (unfortunately) I am not going to school in London. This post is instead going to be dedicated to the University of Warwick.


The University was built in 1964 on a piece of farmland in the middle of Warwickshire (the county of Warwick). The nearest towns are Coventry, Leamington Spa, and Kennilworth; it is a 2 hour train ride away northwest from London and thus significantly colder. Since the university is located in the middle of nowhere, it is is a small town within itself. This town contains such amenities as a: pub, nightclub, movie theatre, play theatre, cafes, and restaurants. I haven't been able to find the police station or hospital but I'm sure it's around.

The Art's Center, apparently the largest arts center in the UK outside of London. I don't know whether to be proud or slightly perturbed.

And, last but not least, because this is England, there is also a wildlife reserve right behind campus of which I took a walk in one sunny Sunday to find:

A river

Swans

Tocil Woods

When I first imagined a university of England, I thought it was going to be something like UCLA, red brick, columns, that look of age and experience. Instead, I get...

South Campus (aka: ugly modern. That's the Humanities building btw)

But hey, at least I get green trees, rolling hillsides, clean air, and birds. That's a plus. Additionally, I also get classes that last all year with exams only being once a year (sweet!). Of course, when I go back home, it is going to suck major-wise. But I'll enjoy the sights in the meantime.

Britishisms I learned today:

• potato chips = crisps. A bag of crisps will come with 6 little bag of potato chips in it. On that note, "Lay's" potato chips is "Walkers."
• Chips only refers to largely cut french-fries. Thinly sliced french-fries (ie: fast-food fries) are still called french-fries
• there are no such things as dryer sheets. I only found one box after looking at two convenient stores and it was 4 quids. Bastards.
• Shire = county. So Warwickshire = Warwick county. Nifty huh?
  

Of Homesickness and Disappointment

There are apparently 5 stages to culture shock when you move to a new place, they are listed as followed (this is taken from the culture shock handout the Warwick International Office gave us in our orientation packet):

1. Honeymoon or incubation stage. Everything may seem new and exciting.
2. Transition period. Communication problems occur and feelings of incompetence and frustration at not being understhood may arise.
3. Realization of some understanding, a feeling of direction and of wanting to belong.
4. Recognition that the new culture has both good and bath things to offer.
5. Re-entry shock. this occurs when you return home.

Of course, not everyone goes through the stages but during orientation, they say that after you get through Stage 2, everything gets better. Well, while I did not get the culture shock of "oh my god, I'm in England and everything is so different" when I first arrived, lo and behold, I did go through the homesickness/disappointment/"Everything sucks, what the hell am I doing here?"

It all began my first Monday at the University of Warwick, January 5th, only 3 days after I arrived. After what can only be described as a hellish first day (which started out fine enough, it was snowing), I did not get the classes I wanted (only having 5 options to choose from), had no one to talk to, nowhere to go, and thus ended up spending the end of the first day of class alone in my room wondering why am I not having that fantastic time with my hypothetical English friends. Then, to relieve boredom, I went on that evil entity known as Facebook. It was then, looking at the status of the people back home that I realized, fuck, I am on the other side of the world, everybody's lives are going on without me, I don't have any of the my closest friends or family to make me feel better, and I am utterly utterly alone. To top it off, I don't know if the classes I'm taking will transfer over to UCLA, not to mention they are classes I tried my best to avoid while at UCLA. And I was afraid that talking about it with someone would cause me collapse into a whimpering, blubbering mess, the likes of which I have not felt in quite a long time. I expected this to happen in theory but I never imagined it would be that bad or how absolutely miserable I would feel. It's amazing how, at that moment, in a house with 12 people, where you can hear the sounds of the people in the next room, how completely alone you feel.

And what to do?

Roll with it, find someone to talk to (or text with), avoid Facebook like the plague, and sleep. Tomorrow is another day. And most of all, have faith that it will get better.

The rain from my window, serene almost.

And a week later...it has. Classes are better (I finally got into a Romantic Poetry class after waiting a week for it to open), I've met some really cool people, both in my flat and outside of it, and despite the rain, everything is beautiful. As always, you have to be kiên nhẫn, be patient and have faith that despite how bad it may look sometimes, everything will look ụp

Next post, join me as I finally go into town!

Random Britishisms I learned today:

• "Where's Waldo" in England is actually called "Where's Wally." In the words of my flatmates, "Waldo's an ugly name!"
• "Pop in"/"Pop out" - to quickly go into somewhere/quickly exit
• British accents become normal and less exotic after you listen to it for a really long time (such as having to hear your flatmates speak like that for a week now)
• "Soda" refers to club soda, not soft drinks.
  

Of the Flat

Living in the dorms at UCLA, the concept of privacy has become all but lost. Living in one large room with 2 people, you learn the value of having personal time, how to make the smallest amount of noise, and how to dress/get ready for school/surf the internet when the lights are out. Most especially, it forces you to have a close relationship with your roommates, if for no reason than to have someone to talk to and someone to walk to Rendezvous (I miss Mexican food) with. If you don't get along with your roommates, then your dorm experience is pretty much soured.

Which makes living in the dorms at the University of Warwick an adjustment. Finally, I get a bed where I don't have to climb up to it via a ladder. Finally I get my own room. Finally, I get to play music on my laptop speakers instead of through my headphones. And finally, I get to share a bathroom with the rest of the people on my floor (something that luckily, I avoided when I was living in UCLA dorms).

I finally get my own room! And it comes with a reading chair!

What make the dorms (also called "flats" if they are arranged in the style of a small house, as mine are, though there are also dorms with long hallways and different floors) at Warwick interesting is not the communal bathrooms (or private bathrooms, depending on how much you are willing to pay for them). Rather, the interesting part is the communal kitchen and living room, which allows for interaction with your flatmates (we call ourselves that because we share a flat, not a room, thank God!). Most of the conversation takes place in the kitchen, as you're cooking food (both for yourself and for your mates).

Our kitchen, for 12 people.

At no time are you absolutely forced to get to know your flatmates. On the contrary, because everybody has separate bedrooms (no matter where you live; the Brits know the concept of personal space), it is very easy to become a hermit and only go out of your room when you need to eat. Yet, once you get pass that initial awkwardness, start talking with your flatmates while you are both making dinner and eating dinner with them, then the very act of knocking on someone else's door or stopping by your flatmate's room for a quick conversation becomes easy. After a while, it is almost like home (especially when you have a bottle of fishsauce to help make everything taste like home). And so, I have gotten pass that part of myself which is known in Vietnamese as ngại, past the shyness, past the bashfulness, past being uncomfortable. And it feels nice.

Though it still feels cold as hell sometimes.

Enjoying a midday meal together.

"Let's be friends!"

"Best friends!" (This was taken outside of my neighboring flat)