#english professors

[hometoursandotherstuff]

As an English major, my suspicions are finally vindicated.

[plathsbitch]

ok so I just finished two meetings with my favorite professors on literature and my depression is gone.

academic validation can sometimes be just talking to your favorite professors about authors and works you like you have in common for twenty five minutes and that’s enough. teachers who are passionate about what they teach are a blessing in this wrecked world.

talk to your teachers. you’ll both appreciate it so much.

[steppenwolf]

I was reading The Goldfinch in class and my english teacher complimented my taste and recommend me The Secret History (naturally, I told her I've already read it)😭

[s4dgayanime]

I can’t wait to be an English professor one day and teach cool shit like On A Sunbeam by Tillie Walden

[englishmajorhumor]

“Who’s Laughing Now, Assholes?” A Letter from Henry David Thoreau to Literature Faculties at Cushy Liberal Arts Schools

Dear Professors — It’s been a minute, right? A few months ago, you were talking smack about my year in a cabin. Now you’re trapped in your condo in...

“It’s been a minute, right? A few months ago, you were talking smack about my year in a cabin. Now you’re trapped in your condo in Yonkers or the backside of Amherst or wherever, and you’d trade it in a heartbeat for 150 square feet and a whole forest full of owls and frogs and shit.

“Don’t play dumb, bruh. You’ve spent most of your short career trash talking me. Every damn fall, you tell your first-year Am Lit seminar that I’m completely full of shit. You stand there in your goddamned tweed jacket with the suede elbow patches, and tell the kids how my experiment in self-reliance was all just a sham. Then you angle your head just so, and say something snarky about “performative solitude” or “cabin porn.” And for the coup de grâce, you proclaim that I was never really alone at Walden Pond, because I had regular visitors.”

[ktbugstudies]

Out of Context English Professors: Part 8

“You know how we were talking about your sports? We’re any of you falconers?”

[antistudyblr]

hello! so, columbia is my dream school, but, anyways, that's not what this is about. i'm going to year 8 now! a baby, yes. practically a new-born. so, i don't live in the united states, britain, australia... not in an english speaking country, that is. the deal is we don't get many education opportunities and i really wanted to pursue an academic field! i really want to be an english professor :') the dream. but, well, i want to ask 2 questions: what should i do with all this time?+

(2/2) +(that's the baby again) and i also wanted to say: we don't have any ap classes here, so i guess my app will be a little less competitive, which... yeah. also, the other question is: all the international success stories i come across end up involving maths olympics and all that jazz... from your experience, do you think that's necessary? btw, i love your blog! 

Thank you so much for the kind words! According to my Googling, year 8 puts you at about 13 (if I’m wrong please let me know, I’m a dumb American). That means you’ve got a ton of time before you make any big decisions or have to even put in any applications so to be honest, I wouldn’t really worry about that. I’ve heard all kinds of international success stories at Columbia, so I’d say the biggest thing is just to keep challenging yourself academically however you can and engage with the things you love however you can. Maybe you can’t take AP classes and that’s fine; are there other advanced classes offered by your school? Take advantage of other extracurriculars that will enrich you intellectually if your school offers them and see what the internet has to offer if they don’t. Do you like to write? See if there are essay contests you can enter or places you can submit short stories (some will let you do it for free too). Listen to podcasts about the things you’re interested in. Make your own podcast telling a story that interests you, explaining something you love, or exploring your community. Keep a blog of book reviews (also a great way to see your writing grow over time). This is such a time of learning and growth and you can take advantage by exploring your interests as much as you can.

As for wanting to be an English professor, that’s an awesome goal but also can be tricky especially if you’re looking to get your Ph.D. in the US (even then, there’s no guarantee, but you probably know that.) Being a scholar is my goal as well and I’d say the biggest thing you can do right now is read, read, read. 

Yes, read books (they can be from the Western “canon” or not, as long as you’re reading!) More importantly, see if your school or library has access to databases like JSTOR or Project Muse and read scholarship on subjects that interest you. Some of it can be tricky to understand, full of weird jargon and otherwise inaccessible but it gives you an interesting look at what scholarship actually requires and also might help you out with a paper or two along the way. Don’t pay your own money for this stuff because it’s really expensive; talk to your school and library and if that doesn’t work, consider reaching out to the writer themselves if there’s a specific paper you want to read—oftentimes they’ll help you figure something out if you’re polite and they have the time. There are also Facebook groups dedicated to open access that can be helpful. And if its too confusing now, bookmark it for later and see what happens when you’ve got a bit more knowledge under your belt.

Follow people in fields you’re interested in on social media if that’s something you have access to and choose to engage in. Twitter is great for this but can be overwhelming. At some point, you should probably read the scary stories about the future of the humanities, grad student’s struggles with mental health and how hard it is to become a tenured professor so you go in with open eyes. But, don’t forget to read about the positives of going to grad school and studying what you love at the same time. Just keep reading, learning, and loving what you do! 

I wish you the best of luck; feel free to reach out with any additional questions!

[elphabaskufi]

Shout out to all the english teachers who knew their student's were gay

Because of the essays and didn't out them but encouraged them to write.