Foreign Language
The Masked Doctoral Student has never had a semester where each and every class was such a struggle. If you are lucky, you have a semester with a bit of a challenge, a class that's just a bit difficult enough so that you feel really great about working hard in it. But you also have some cake-walks. Those classes whose prep time is nearly nil. You breeze in, mumble something about theory, teaching experience, or oppression and it's all good. These are the classes of legend; Rocks for Jocks, or some such nonsense.
But, not so for your friendly neighborhood, blogging doctoral student. This semester, the cake does not walk. Media effects sounds like this, "I assume none of you know how to do quantitative methods. So, you will do them. I think you all hate it. But, within these four walls that's the way it's going to be. There will be no mention of any other sort of method that MAY otherwise be employed outside these walls." I sit there thinking, "I...I like quant methods...I think they’re nice."
My philosophy "Sustainability & Wisdom" seminar is taught brilliantly. I just wish I were smart enough to follow along. If I can muster the ability to actually formulate, define, and articulate my argument, I'll be fine. I'm just not sure I'm smart enough to pick up being a philosopher amongst people who have been doing it for years. I don't remember feeling this way last semester in my sociology class. I'm not sure if that's because what I study in communication is essentially sociology and it was just easier to adjust. OR (and I'm hoping this is the case) I did feel that same way at the start of my sociology course and I just adjusted and put that discomfort out of my head. That possibility gives me hope for this semester.
Last is my Persuasion class (which is 5% persuasion and 95% social marketing). Marketing is public relations. That makes this my first PR course, ever. I think I do have a good, solid footing through Dr. Morris Jenkins with a community restorative justice project in East Toledo. But, I have no background in PR or marketing, so this is definitely an experience in novel information.
Thus begins the M.D.S. semester.
But, not so for your friendly neighborhood, blogging doctoral student. This semester, the cake does not walk. Media effects sounds like this, "I assume none of you know how to do quantitative methods. So, you will do them. I think you all hate it. But, within these four walls that's the way it's going to be. There will be no mention of any other sort of method that MAY otherwise be employed outside these walls." I sit there thinking, "I...I like quant methods...I think they’re nice."
My philosophy "Sustainability & Wisdom" seminar is taught brilliantly. I just wish I were smart enough to follow along. If I can muster the ability to actually formulate, define, and articulate my argument, I'll be fine. I'm just not sure I'm smart enough to pick up being a philosopher amongst people who have been doing it for years. I don't remember feeling this way last semester in my sociology class. I'm not sure if that's because what I study in communication is essentially sociology and it was just easier to adjust. OR (and I'm hoping this is the case) I did feel that same way at the start of my sociology course and I just adjusted and put that discomfort out of my head. That possibility gives me hope for this semester.
Last is my Persuasion class (which is 5% persuasion and 95% social marketing). Marketing is public relations. That makes this my first PR course, ever. I think I do have a good, solid footing through Dr. Morris Jenkins with a community restorative justice project in East Toledo. But, I have no background in PR or marketing, so this is definitely an experience in novel information.
Thus begins the M.D.S. semester.
posted by Ian M. Borton at 9:04 AM
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