I miss University. I miss studying English Literature.
I don't miss being a student (although that no tax thing is nice), that's not what I mean. I miss learning. I miss someone so much more brilliant than me, telling me why a book I like by someone more brilliant than them is important. Because it is. All of it's important.
And I only feel like I scratched the tip of this huge pile of important. Everything about words, and stories fascinates me. Especially the bits I don't know about. Because they're like exciting secrets. I'm curious about everything. I want to know what's in the middle of a book, or even what's over that page that I haven't got to yet. I want to learn about all of the things that aren't said on the page. They're my favourite bits. Somehow, sometimes, they seem more important than the rest of the work.
So I'm applying for an English Literature MA. At Westminster. It's a staggeringly good University (I went to Greenwich, which is not, even thought it's damn pretty). The prospect scares the hell out of me, but I think I know that's because I want to do this so much. I've toyed with the idea of applying for NYU. I've always had the dream of studying English at NYU, but that course there doesn't make sense for me. It doesn't feel right. Westminster does. The course spans everything from Urban Culture, London, Victorian English. Basically everything I've ever been fascinated in, all on one course, that I can do over 2 years while still freelancing. Twenty minutes away from my house.
That's why I'm nervous. I'm only applying for one MA. I don't think it's like Uni, where you apply to all the good courses and see which one you get (although, when I did that I realised later that I only wanted to go to Greenwich). I'm not doing an MA because I have to. I don't need to for my career. It's just something that I really really want to do. And I really really want to do this one.
I want to go back to school.
Flickr image from CarbonNYC's photostream.
Things I'm dreaming about - Going back to school
Posted by
Siany
Wednesday, 9 December 2009
4 comments:
very best of luck with it. Masters are different beasies to undergrad, and you'll find that if you approach the application and the course with enthusiasm you're putting out here they'll want you on it, and you'll get a great result in the end.
A
In my personal statement, can I just pop a link to this blog post? Yes I think that will work :-)
Oh, congratulations! I also have an MA in Eng Lit which I undertook simply cos I thought it would be fun (it was). Quite recently I read my MA dissertation on Toni Morrison, race and trauma theory, and was unable to understand most of it. Maybe I need to go back to school, too?
P.S. Oh yes, the bits that aren't said are definitely the most important parts.
I need to get accepted first... gah. Scary.
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