A Good Advice on Starting a B.A. English DegreeMay 07, 2018

Reading is the reason why you decided to pursue a B.A. English degree. Whether you're a heavy reader or a typical teenager who prefers Young-adult fiction (and nothing else), you believe that you're one of those students who won't lost their love for reading after the end of their first year in the university. Is it possible to read without pleasure? The question needs rephrasing: Are you willing to go to the library during a dark morning?

Everyone reads books, but the students of the English Department read more. As a matter of fact, you recall your flatmate's mini library inside his room, books written by authors who are recommended by your professors. You're intimidated at first. And then you notice the absence of the Harry Potter novels. Can you enjoy the works of James Joyce? You're an unusual teen if you consider "Ulysses" as one of your favourite books. On the other hand, your flatmate may have attempted to impress other students. You nearly fall for it.

Remember that this isn't what you have signed up after learning about your unconditional offer.

How the B.A. English Program Helps You Become a Better Student

You'll realize that ALL books are worthy of reading. This light-bulb moment will dawn on some students earlier than the others. It could give them an early advantage, helping them to cope up with the demands of paper writing in the shortest time. It will be fine if you're not one of those students. You should have preference for certain genres, which is a good thing. Authorship may not be one of your career options, and it happens that you aren't enthusiastic about Modern literature and the other literary genres overlapping it. The next item is related to it.

You become aware of your favourite books. They come in the form of worn-out paperbacks that are gathering dust on your bedside. You know the popular quotes by heart, yet you're wondering if there's a chance that you would include it in your essay examination. You might forget it sooner than you think, so it will be better to put a bookmark on those pages (and come back to it later). You can expect to look through those quotes once more time, but better be sure that it doesn't affect your few moments with your family and friends. It doesn't mean that you turn into a friend's enemies and read those work. You're competing at yourself, and one else.

Choose books that you love so much. This will play a major part in finishing your assignment ahead of the deadline. If you don't fancy the short list of essay titles presented by your professor, then you can request for a rephrasing. If you have little knowledge about it, then look through the author's bibliography. You should guess the genre after a second or two. If you don't fancy the genre, then reads the author's biography. You might share an interest or two, which you can write in your essay. Make sure that this won't be your argument unless you stumble into another idea that hasn't been discussed before.

You must love writing as well. If you don't have tried your hands on authorship, then you'll learn about it the hard way. Not all examinations require a laptop, and this kind of activity should be the cause for developing a hump on your middle finger. Analysing a book can be daunting at the beginning, yet some students take some time before they get the hang of it. You might be worried about it. Never. You must console with the fact that your favorite superhero didn't lead a distinguished life during the few years in the university. It shouldn't make you feel good about it, as you can get into serious trouble if you're required to know everything about a book in a few hours or less. The bag might have been misplaced elsewhere.

There won't be any difference if you're pursuing a double degree. You may be penning more essays than your Single Honours coursemate, but it could weigh you down if you don't really the book at all. Prioritising your schedule will help you do better in this area of the coursework.

Here Are More Words of Wisdom

You might notice your flatmate's well-placed photos, which chronicled his gap year in Indochina. You may not have seen the Khmer temples, but you can imagine it after finishing a book by Rudyard Kipling. You may be green with envy at the images of the full-moon parties, but keeping company with a dead author may be better. In fact, your long odyssey in literature can change your life. It may not happen overnight, but you'll be aware (that you're not the same teenager) sooner than you think.

As for the other reasons (for pursuing a B.A. English degree), you'll find it out during your second year in the English Department. Everything will fall into place during your final year. It will always be reading, first and foremost.

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