An Update

I'm sort of having a little bit of writer's block for this blog, plus school is taking up a lot of my time.

To fill you in:

My transcripts have finally arrived to Clemson! All I'm waiting on now is my last recommendation to be submitted to the school and then I can sit back, relax, and wait to see if I've been accepted or not.

I'm worried that I won't be accepted. I'm not worried about my application materials or never getting in to grad school, I'm just nervous that I will feel really disappointed in myself. Regardless of Clemson's decision, I've already promised myself that I won't give up on grad school. I legitimately do want to be an expert.

I have a "meeting" with a professor of mine this week to "talk about my future." This is a really great thing. [and also a really nerve wrecking thing]. I'm hoping that he will want to chat about grad school and I can bring up the fact that, for two of my applications, I still need another person to write my recommendations. In the post Recommendations I wrote that there are four possible professors that I would ask to write that last rec. In no particular order I listed him as #1 and a friend said he was the one I should pick. He's also the most intimidating, however nice, professor I've ever had. I will have to prepare for this "meeting."

A Question for my Readers

Do you have any tips for asking for recommendations?

The Harvard Way

From the number of things I've heard about Harvard students, the fact (?) that stands out the most is that Harvard students go to school, not to get a job, but to create a job. I believe this could be a key difference between students who go to college because it is just the "next step" and between students who go to college because they truly want to learn and to be there. Some exceptions, many in fact, do apply, but for the sake of my argument lets just go with this.

Speaking of which...where am i going with this?

Well, as you all know I've been obsessing over graduate school (or finding a job once I graduate) for the past few weeks. And then I had an idea that these are two general categories that do not have to happen. Forget the specificities....the general does not have to take place. Nope.

i love blogging

I could create my own job. I love literature, I love research, and I love blogging. In the past I have made a few dollars (give or take) from advertising space on my blogs. The trick here is finding the right niche.
Now, of course I want to teach at the college level, and probably would need some grad school in order to do that. But! But, I could also perfect the art of blogging, financially backed by my wonderful boyfriend of course (might have to check on this...since we're both broke ::smiley face::).

Lisa's 8 Step Model to Blogger Perfection

1. Spend the rest of the semester, and most likely well into the summer, developing current blogs.
2. Find the right niche(s), become an expert at blogging that niche.
3. Market, market, market.
4. Write a book. (Did you know Blogger has a publishing option! hmmm...interesting)
5. Publish scholarly articles on blogging.
6. Emphasize the benefits of blogging in the business and academic world.
7. Become a professor: blogging & English lit.
8. Stardom ensues!

While there is a hint of sarcasm in this blog post, I'm not entirely joking. This is a plausible, if not entirely possible, idea.


A Question for my Readers

Have you ever had blogger success/perfection? What was your plan?

Epiphany

I just had an epiphany.

I've been asked a lot why I want to go to grad school, by teachers, parents, friends, applications etc. In fact, I ran into an old professor today who asked me if I've found a good reason for going. And while the reason has been there the whole time, I've just now understood how to explain it to others.

i want to be an expert

So far, I've only understood my reasons for grad school to be a goal of furthering my education with feminist studies in literature. However, this really doesn't seem like enough. I've had plenty of discourse in feminist theory, literature, and movements, and yet I feel that I have just barely scraped the surface of it all. But is that really a good reason to go to grad school?

For me, yes. For others, maybe not.

However, what if I put it differently. What if I said, "I want to be an expert in the field of feminism. Feminist movements, feminist literature, and especially modern feminism." When someone hears/reads the word "expert," they generally associate the term with someone who is well versed in every aspect of the field. This "someone" may have a Ph.D., at least an M.A., and may even be a part of some historical association that obsesses over the chosen field. Yes, that is what I want. More so than teaching college, I want to be an expert. I want to have libraries (note the plural) of feminist texts, feminist history, and even non feminist texts that have instances of female success.

The way I like to put it is "I'm addicted to dead women in texts." I'm addicted to finding instances of women who have either died or killed themselves and why. I blame it all on a professor I had freshman year who taught the book The Road by Cormac McCarthy. The mother killed herself and now I'm obsessed with femininity and death.

Yes, I could see myself doing all of these things. But more than that I want to be an expert.


So that's my epiphany.
And since we're on a more informal note, I'd also like to ask you to check out my 3 other literary blogs. I've created them for my classes, as a way to organize my thoughts and research for class. They are linked over to your right -------->

no question today, just thoughts

❤

What to do with an English Degree?

These two-a-days may remain. Some days I'm busy, some days I'm a procrastinator. I didn't post yesterday due to a number of factors relating to school and procrastination, however I've got a great idea for my first blog post of the day; careers in English literature with just a B.A.

By the way, if you've just now begun to read my blog, check out my introduction to learn a little bit more about me: Technically...

As I have almost fully exhausted my graduate school search, I have decided to take a different approach to my English degree. No one ever said I have to either go to grad school or work as an HR rep. I don't have to do either of those things.

i really want to be a professor

Instead I could pursue a career with my English degree that does not require me to go to grad school. (Granted, I really want to be a professor and teach in academia and doing otherwise would only be a last resort) I could go into a number of different fields with my background in English literature.

What can I do, really?
1. Publishing
2. Editing (my original career goal)
3. Journalism
4. Teaching (ideal at the college level)
5. Public Relations
6. Library & Information Services
7. Administration
8. Tons of other unrelated careers

Of course, teaching at the college level is ideal, however I am not opposed to teaching high school, AP (advanced placement) English. My junior year in high school I had a great teacher who probably sparked my interest in critical thinking in terms of literature. I would love to get my Ph.D. so that I can teach college level and not just intro courses. I want to teach a feminist literature class and classes in criticism. I am very interested in English criticism and how to effectively criticize a novel.

I don't have to teach to publish papers...and publishing papers is what I want to do. I don't care that there's not much money involved in that. I just want someone to recognize a brilliant (or moderately illuminating) idea of mine and repeat it to someone else. I don't have a problem thinking critically, I just need more training in it.

Editing is also something that I am very interested in. I love editing peers papers, but what I really wish I could do is give them better ideas. Not that my peers don't have great ideas, but sometimes their ideas spark ideas within me that would be a great addition to their papers/creative works. Editing would give me the chance to do that. Let me specify, though, that I don't mean copy writing work. I mean true fiction editing, working with authors to create great novels.

I guess editing goes hand in hand with publishing. I wanted to open my own publishing company, but with the invention of the Kindle and Nook, I'm a little worried that publishing hard copies is dwindling. Electronic publishing is so simple that almost anyone can do it, so it really makes no sense to start my life off with that. Working for a publisher, and eventually gaining a top position is something that I would love to do, definitely something I'd consider.

Journalism isn't for me. I'm too self centered.

I really don't think PR is right for me either. It's too business related and I really hate that.

The whole "library science" field seems a bit too boring and administration = nah!

A Question for my Readers

Do any of you have English degrees and are working outside of academia? If so, do you have any advice?

On The Other Hand...

Borderline misleadingly, this blog is titled Confessions of a College Grad, not Pour Your Heart Out About How Bad You Want To Go To Grad School. After I graduate college, grad school is not the only option. I could also start my career in my second, yet much less desirable, field of study: Human Resource Management.

I am currently taking three classes that are required to obtain my degree: Staffing & Selection, Strategic Compensation, and Competitive Strategy. Today I was working on a Staffing Case where I have to recommend different staffing strategies for a company.

i enjoy
doing this

Honestly, I really enjoy doing this type of work because it's all centered around problem solving ideals. I think my brain is brilliantly wired to truly enjoy solving problems. Unfortunately, I really do dislike business.

Trying to stay realistic and positive, I am going to list some places I wouldn't mind working at as an HR representative.

1. Google
2. ?

Clearly I need to research this through a little bit more. It's difficult to say where I'd like to work. The HR field is really interesting, but it doesn't beat English Literature. Really, I wouldn't mind working anywhere. I think getting an HR job involves applying to open positions and waiting until I get an interview.

Just writing this down is hard. It's not what I want to do, and I'm usually not one to settle.

A Question for my Readers

What else would you like to know about my possible career as an HR rep?

The Stress of Waiting

Checking the application status every hour...
Checking your email every five minutes...
Checking the status of your transcript request every second...

i think
i've lost it.

I'm writing another post today because I missed my post yesterday. I'm also writing because I'm obsessing over the status of my application. Not because I'm stressed out about whether or not I've been accepted but because it has been over a week since I submitted my application and its supplements and it still says "awaiting."

Unfortunately, the university I'm sending everything to has a disclaimer on their website that says they are delayed in opening mail so I should wait 2 weeks to question the status of my materials.

This is what I get for procrastinating. My GRE scores have been received and one of my recommendations has been turned in. However, my second recommendation has not been completed yet and my transcripts have not arrived. I have no idea whether or not my personal statement and writing sample were received.

So here are my recommendations to you.

1. Know who your recommendations will be from at least 6 months before you plan on submitting your application.
2. Submit your application early enough so that your recommendations will arrive on time. Many recommendation requests are not provided to those writing them until you submit your application.
3. When mailing any supplemental information by snail mail, make sure to ask for a confirmation from the post office.
4. If your university offers an online transcript request service, only use it if you can electronically deliver the transcripts to the desired university.
5. Start early!

A Question for my Readers

Do you think I'm being paranoid? Should I double check on the status of everything that hasn't yet arrived?

Financing

If I do get accepted into a graduate school program, a new problem arises. How will I pay for it? Like I said before, I am broke.

i still need money

Even with a T.A. position, I will still need to have money to live off of and pay for any extra expenses related to school. I have a few options. I can take out a student loan. I can work throughout college and pay for it all myself. I can also apply for grants and scholarships. Obviously, the most favorable option would to apply for scholarships and not have to pay anything back. I have done some research on various loans/scholarships/grants, including another outline of the T.A. position in order to clarify various means of paying for college.

Type-Name	Amount	Requirements	Deadline
Sigma Tau Delta Senior Scholarship	Max $3,000	Essay 2 Recs Transcripts	Past Due [I am currently waiting to hear back from this scholarship]
Sigma Tau Delta Graduate Scholarship	Max $3,000	Essay 2 Recs Transcripts	November 22
Sallie Mae Fixed Payment Loan	Any	$25/monthly in school payment	Whenever
Sallie Mae Interest Payment Loan	Any	Make full payments while in school	Whenever
Clemson Teaching Assistantship	$11,374 (1st year) $13,724 (2nd year)	Application, Research Assistance, Administrative Support, Tutoring	February 1

As I continue to find more ways to finance graduate school, I will update this list.

A Question for my Readers

How have you financed graduate school?