The History Kid Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 ...it's time again for another one of Michael's "I'm So Tired, and I Should Be Working but AHHHHHH!" threads. It's midterm week, and that means that I have to tear up an office, fix a console, repair a car, write papers, pretend I understood the lectures, diagnose a buzzing noise in an amplifier and...play video games...? Ugh...yes. I don't recall announcing this bit... Most who know me or have heard my previous ramblings on my schooling know I'm a history major...a damn good one too. (This semester has been odd though, perhaps due to being at a new school.) In January I declared a second major, Art History. I came in to my new school with 18 hours of applied Art History credits where I literally had to sit and talk to a board of my peers and superiors about the ID's of art, and their significance. Bosch, Titian, Delaqua, and yes, even the Ninja Turtle clan (I'm tired, do the math). Well, apparently I don't need any more of those classes for this major and I've been pushed into the "obscure" portion of the major. This particular course has dealt with things like video games, and Star Wars, etc. I got stuck with a video game character to write about for a term paper...and the draft is due on Friday. I hate this game. I hate this character. I played the game before and I wanted to punch this kid right in the face. I seriously do not know how I could dislike him any more...but I'm sure I'll find out in the coming weeks. With that, I present to you the methods of which I'm staying somewhat sane writing this...sometimes you hate what you're writing so much that you just have to heckle yourself. If you don't hear from me in a number of days, it's because I died of a brain aneurism from writing this stupid thing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyrc Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Raymond Spottiswoode wrote A Grammar of the Film when he should have been studying his Latin. I believe Robert Graves also wrote a book while procrastinating in college. There is a procrastination test I always wanted to take, but I never got around to it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The History Kid Posted March 9, 2016 Author Share Posted March 9, 2016 (edited) It's not even so much on procrastination as me having a hard time coping with the fact that I'm trying to build respect for a subject that I have such little respect for. Basically what they're having me do is take a totally unimportant character that is incredibly annoying, and turn that character into a god-like figure. I seriously feel like the academic equivalent of a "fanfic" writer because of this, and it's frustrating. I mean, I wrote a fair selection on John Lennon in my New Left critique in my Sophomore year...and I have no shame in saying I lost a lot of respect for the man, while keeping him elevated as a musical icon. However, that was John Lennon. He stood for something - I didn't like it, but he did - and he was a real person. This? This kid is an anime character...that is a pushover...it's really hard to garner the same kind of emotion or driving force (which is what they're looking for) and apply it to someone who isn't real. I like writing, I like reading. I just don't like this brand of it. But, I guess that's where the fiction writers come in. I suppose that's just not for me. ...and what makes it worse is I could have been writing about the Mesoamerican Hero Twins of old American Folklore. But, sadly...I picked the wrong piece of paper...and my chances were 50/50. I guess I'm just sour too... Or to quote one of my co-workers... "Emil is as intimidating as grapefruit...sure if you throw it at someone it might hurt, but at the end of the day it's just soft mush..." Edited March 9, 2016 by IbizaFlame Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyrc Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Are you allowed to write a paper that is critical of this character? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The History Kid Posted March 9, 2016 Author Share Posted March 9, 2016 I kind of wish that I was, because I could do it in a few hours if that was the case. Basically, I have to write on certain characteristics of the character and relate them to classical stories, mythology, philosophy and other things like that. So for example, this character is both the main "hero" character and the main "villain" character...and the victim...somehow. So I'm supposed to incorporate factions of individual dualities and philosophical duality. There's an energy similar to "the force" in the game too, which I'm supposed to connect with spiritualism somehow. I know what is supposed to go where, it's simply finding the materials that would effectively connect this character to legitimate historical and peer reviewed materials - of which is required. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 It's midterm week, and that means that I have to tear up an office, fix a console, repair a car, write papers, pretend I understood the lectures, diagnose a buzzing noise in an amplifier and...play video games...? Welcome to life, these sort of things will prepare you for whats to come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssh Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 (edited) Many of my Comp I and Comp II students are as upset as you at the constraints resulting from the requirements of assignments. A few recent ones are, "Why can't I use 'I'? " or "But I don't want to use formal words." or "Why can't I argue both sides; I don't want to pick a side?" or "What do you mean, 'not credible', this is my favorite website?". My suggestion to you is to let your frustration "be the whetstone of your sword". Channel the emotion you feel into the revenge of writing a best paper. Look at a description of characteristics of archetypes, then search that similar characteristic in history, mythology, and philosophy to get the creative juices going. Many protagonists are villainous; I just quoted from Macbeth. You have a discriminating view of the assignment, so choosing aspects should be easy. Do a little research and set out to put it behind you. BTW, have you searched databases? Best of luck. SSH Edited March 9, 2016 by ssh 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The History Kid Posted March 9, 2016 Author Share Posted March 9, 2016 Welcome to life, these sort of things will prepare you for whats to come. It already has come, I don't need another sample. BTW, have you searched databases? I have. There are sources on the real world concepts, but being able to transform them into the metaphorical association necessary for this assignment isn't coming easy. I'm not sure if it's because there really isn't anything there, or I just don't know where to look because I never guessed that I'd have to know about a video game's legacy in order to graduate with a degree in a fundamental discipline that is supposed to preserve our past, present, and future as a society... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiet_Hollow Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 ...being able to transform them into the metaphorical association necessary for this assignment isn't coming easy. That's to be expected. You're learning. It also sucks, but that's part of learning too. Every discipline has it's grind....from crab fishing to research ...I never guessed that I'd have to know about a video game's legacy in order to graduate with a degree in a fundamental discipline that is supposed to preserve our past, present, and future as a society... That'd missing the point. You'll know you hit your mark when at the drop of a hat you can write a 1-3 page structured paper on essentially anything, and make it somewhat interesting. You'll get there. Steve's got your back. He's cool like that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The History Kid Posted March 9, 2016 Author Share Posted March 9, 2016 I guess I just assumed that writing in a 300 level upper division class that precedes Capstone would be more about academics than this. It would be one thing if it was 1-3 pages, this has to be 7 to 14. Again, that's not hard...when the topic is good. How much bullsh*t can I pack into this becomes the question now...and that's not what I want to learn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Smith Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 I've been doing crap for years that I didn't want to do, but was necessary to cultivate a career. Nut up buttercup. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssh Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 So, if you have three aspects, then you essentially have three 2 1/2 page essays tied together by an introductory and a concluding paragraph. Four, and they make 10. Before becoming metaphorical, you have to know the commonality, so don't worry about that until you have answers from researching. Have you asked a librarian for help? Most enjoy research. SSH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tromprof Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 (edited) I have degrees in trombone performance, almost as lucrative as art history. The ability to write has been putting foods on my family's table for years. I do quite a bit of arts grant writing for organizations i am affiliated with, which often involves (esp. in government requests) answering inane questions in six different ways. I understand your frustration, but persuasive writing is a handy skill to have, even (esp.?) if it is persuasively answering something you don't care much about. Man up! Edited March 9, 2016 by tromprof Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Nut up buttercup. Man up! I enjoy piling on, suck it up and get it done! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sputnik Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Sure, a double major in History and Art History will put you on the path toward a lucrative career as a barista but if you change majors to Engineering, at least you won't have to write meaningless papers on a contrived topic. "Mesoamerican Hero Twins of Old American Folklore" - can you really get college credit for that?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The History Kid Posted March 9, 2016 Author Share Posted March 9, 2016 (edited) I enjoy piling on, suck it up and get it done! Lol, if I didn't complain, I wouldn't be a true college student. Sure, a double major in History and Art History will put you on the path toward a lucrative career as a barista Or a librarian, or in community planning, or in infrastructure development, or in law, or in a museum, or in archeological surveying, or as a writer...... You know, things I'd actually like to do, juxtaposed to majoring in something like engineering, something that I have absolutely no interest in. "Mesoamerican Hero Twins of Old American Folklore" - can you really get college credit for that?? So my assumption is that you are not aware of who the Hero Twins are or why they're significant in Mesoamerican history and Native American culture, right? Thanks for coming along to try and dump on my major though... Edited March 9, 2016 by IbizaFlame 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 All bitchin' aside, I suspect you follow Prof. Mallette's two rules to straight A's I promulgated in my classes: 1. Never miss a class. 2. Do precisely what you are told to do, nothing more, nothing less. Works like a charm. Dave 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The History Kid Posted March 9, 2016 Author Share Posted March 9, 2016 1. Never miss a class. I have only ever missed 3 classes...note 3 classes not 3 days... 1. I was too sick, and would be disruptive in class from the coughing. 2. I had car troubles 40 miles from campus and was unable to find a way to make it in for the start of class. 3. I had a job interview and did not have a job at the time. 2. Do precisely what you are told to do, nothing more, nothing less. I have, a time or two, treaded towards doing a little more. If I'm paying $28K, I'm going to get $28K worth of education one way or another. Works like a charm. Indeed it has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 I have, a time or two, treaded towards doing a little more. No problem in doing more. But the point is following instructions. My wife had 4.00 and earned a B in my class by not following instructions and attempting to do more than I asked. She married me anyway, but learned something extra. Dave 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The History Kid Posted March 9, 2016 Author Share Posted March 9, 2016 Really, following instructions shouldn't be hard if you are paying attention and ask questions. Professors these days are pretty open to interacting with students and helping them out where it's reasonable and equal for others. There's never really a reason for anything to be obscure. Might need to take some of Professor Mallette's accelerated courses though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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