Chowder Fest is Coming

The Clark University English Department Chowder Fest is coming to Anderson House again this year.  This annual English Department event has been happening since at least 1999 and featuring guest speakers since 2002.  That year, Alex Abramovich, BA ', Irene Fogarty, MA '95, and Karina Holyoak Wood, MA '94, spoke to English Department majors, minors, and graduate students about the ways in which the English Department prepared them for their careers.

Every year the English Department serves up hearty soups and clam chowder as part of an evening discussion with distinguished alumni who once studied literature in our department.

Last year's speakers were Lana Cohen, BA '08, pursuing her MBA at MIT Sloan School of Management;
Genie Giaimo, BA '06, MA '07, a doctoral candidate at Northeastern University's English Department; and Jeffrey Siegel, BA '81, of United Wealth Management Group.

Chowder Fest this year will be held 

Wednesday, November 6, at 5:30 p.m. 

and will feature


Susan Munroe, BA '05, co-founder of Rios to Rivers and freelance writer from New Hampshire. Susan is  now based in southern Utah and has a great passion for travel and a love for wild places.

Karina Holyoak Wood, MA '94, Director for Tobacco Free Rhode Island, is an organizer, advocate, and communicaions professional in diverse public policy issue areas including open government, urban planning, education reform, gun control, and arms control and disarmament.

Be sure to stop by and join us for great conversation, soup and chowder.

English Department Capstone Blog

Hey everybody!

This semester the students of the English Department Capstone class are writing a blog!

Check it out!

Bubbler vs. Water Fountain: The Epic Battle of Dialects

So as I was scrolling through Buzzfeed instead of actually doing homework, I came upon this article about this article: “22 Maps That Show How Americans Speak English Totally Differently From Each Other”. This NC State student, Joshua Katz, created a dialect-demographic map of the US. Now, once in a while, I have a hard time understanding people because of accents or different words, etc. But I don’t think I’ve ever thought about these many words and phrases. The different maps show the pronunciation distribution across the United States. So I thought to myself that the Northeast U.S. has a pretty large array of different accents and phrases. Here are some words/phrases from the maps and also some that I came up with: 

(Disclaimer: I am not a linguistics expert. I am not a statistician. I'm just opinionated.)

-          Wicked vs. mad: My Boston friends make fun of me for saying “mad” too much. They tell me I sound like I’m from New York. But I’m from CT …

-          Sprinkles vs. Jimmies: Jimmies. The little chocolatey (or multi-colored ones if we’re getting fancy) goodies that you put on ice cream. When I think of sprinkles, I think of when its kind of raining but not really, not ice cream.

-          Bubbler vs. water fountain: I’ve never heard someone call a water fountain a “bubbler” until I moved to Massachusetts. Also, because I’m in Mass., it’s a “bubblah”.

-          Grinder vs. sub: Subs are made in Groton, CT. A grinder is a delicious concoction of some ridiculous amount of meat and vegetables on delicious toasted bread. Yum. A lot more delicious than a boat.

-        Hair tie vs. scrunchie: Scrunchies? Talk about 1994. Hair ties are what grown-up ladies where when it’s a bad hair day or we’re at the gym. Or trying out one of those new fancy braid and ponytail and bun combinations we see on Pinterest. Sure, there are still a couple of scrunchies floating around my room somewhere, but unless I’m going to a ‘90s themed party anytime soon, they are currently my cats' chew toys.

-          Tag sale vs. Yard Sale vs. Garage Sale: My boss and I seem to disagree on this account. I say tag sales are the best thing known to man. She says that yard sales are the best thing. But what is the difference? No idea. And garage sales are just awkward. Why would I go into a stranger’s garage? Sounds like the beginning of a horror story to me.

-        Blizzard vs. Nor’easter: Blizzards are terrifying anxiety-inducing snowstorms that make people not want to go outside for days; if they’re not from the North. Blizzards, slizzards. Blizzards equal snow days, snow angels, and snuggling up and watching your favorite Christmas movies. Nor’easters, on the other hand, are the evil step-sisters of blizzards. Nor’easter can be rain then sleet then freezing rain (WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN?) and then snow then hail. Yum. The best combination. Driving is always so.much.fun. I always used to get happy at the thought of snow, but that was before I had a car.

-          Liquor Store vs. Package Store: I feel like New Englanders are split on this one. I never knew why it was called a package store, but according to Wiki Answers, all purchases of alcohol have to be in a sealed container placed inside a bag or box. This law was enacted after the end of Prohibition.

 

Here is the article: http://www.businessinsider.com/22-maps-that-show-the-deepest-linguistic-conflicts-in-america-2013-6?op=1

And here is the complete survey of 122 maps: http://spark.rstudio.com/jkatz/SurveyMaps/

 

 

Have you been working on your honors thesis?

 

As a senior History/English major, the to-do list on my calendar is filled with markings all pertaining to my largest project as an undergrad at Clark:  The Honors Thesis.

By the end of the year, hopefully I will have completed an 80-100 page paper about a topic that I thoroughly researched and later defended orally to a panel of judges.  Hopefully.

The honors thesis constantly looms over my head.  Even once I’ve completed the homework for my other classes and I’m hoping to relax for a bit, that nagging question of “Have you been working on your honors thesis?” always enters my head.

The great thing about the honors thesis though is that a lot of other seniors are working on one too.  Solidarity.  And professors are great about giving tips about just how to get this project done.  Some ideas?

·         Find your laundry room!  One senior made a comment about how she took up studying in her laundry room over the summer.  A quiet place where no one would interrupt her while she worked on it; a place to be productive.  Find your laundry room, literally or metaphorically.

·         Set small goals! Don’t work for more than 45 minutes in one sitting.  Set a timer for about half an hour and work on one thing only. Then take a five minute break before going back into it.

·         Keep track of your sources!  For smaller papers, it’s easy to go back into the document after you write and put in the annotations.  For larger papers, annotate as you go and try to keep all your sources organized.

·         Write often!  Write whenever you get a chance to, even if it is during a 10 minute period before class.  It could be something constructive, in the sense that you actually contribute information to your paper.  Or it could be a stress-relieving exercise like, “I hate this thesis, this was the worst decision of my life, what the hell was I thinking….”  Get in the habit of writing often. 

·         Write often…even when you are stuck! One professor mentioned that when she got stuck, she used to write a fake email to a friend explaining where she was stuck in her paper and why she was having trouble writing it…by the end of the email, she’d find that it gave her ideas on how to write and she was no longer stuck!

·         Be paranoid! Pretend that everyone is out to get you and destroy your thesis…therefore make copies and back up all your files constantly.  Save multiple copies and store them in safe locations.

As frightening as it seems though, everyone was quick to emphasize over and over again that writing a thesis can be done….it’s not impossible!  Generations of students have done it before, and it will continue to be done by others after you finish your paper as well.  As long as you stay on top of things (actively thinking, reading, writing about your topic), and don’t let it “sit on the shelf” for too long, things should eventually come together.  It can be done. 

….and make sure you have someone on standby that you can hyperventilate to when you get overwhelmed.

My Version of Feminism

The first semester of my freshman year here at Clark, my Spanish professor asked the class how many feminists were in the room. Out of a class of 17, maybe 3 people raised their hands. Everyone looked shy and uncomfortable. A few people (myself included) raised their hand about halfway, making the wishy-washy-kinda-sorta hand movement.

She then asked, “What if I told you that the word feminism means that women should be considered equal to men? It’s just about equality.”

When she then posed the question again, everyone in the room raised their hand.

Why are we so hesitant to use the word “feminist” these days? Why are there so many negative connotations to the word?

Feminism seems to be tied to sexuality, specifically homosexuality, which then brings out another set of prejudices. Having been called a “dyke” several times, simply for stating that I had a minor in women’s studies, as if my studies were linked to my sexuality, it’s no wonder that I’d shy away from the word.

If you choose to use the label “feminist,” you have to prepare yourself for a fight. You have to defend the title, and your position on any number of topics: sexuality, abortion, gay-marriage, economics, etc. To be a feminist means to constantly fight. And I love a fight as much as the next person! But some days, it would be nice to be able to get by without having to fight for a term that, if most people knew the correct definition for it, wouldn’t contest or fight over it either!

But at the same time, I think feminism takes on a pretty personal definition. So what is feminism to me?

To my friend Bridget, feminism is the jell insole she puts in the bottom of her high heeled shoes to help her get around campus on her busy days without her feet killing at the end of the day.

To me, feminism is realizing that if a woman wants to wear those high heeled shoes, she damn well may without being scrutinized for it. And if she chooses to wear a pair of black low rise converses at her high school graduation because she can’t walk in heels without looking like a baby giraffe…well that’s alright too!

Statistically, women are less likely to participate in conversations where men are present. They are also likely to preface their statements in class with, “This may sound like a stupid question, but…” or “I’m sorry, but…”

To me, feminism is making a community where women’s voices are heard equally. To me, feminism is about not apologizing for having a question or for making my voice heard.

In the CNN news coverage on the Steubenville Rape trial, they declared that the tragedy in the courtroom was the ruination of the two very promising futures of the star football players.

To me, feminism is about seeing the tragedy in a 16 year old girl being gang raped, filmed and photographed, then having it circulated over the internet, and being called a slut for it.

A lot of people think feminism is an exclusive ideology, only one for women to participate in, where women are promoted over men.

To me, feminism includes many different viewpoints, in many different contexts, with an underlying principle of equality. It’s about realizing that I don’t agree with all women all the time. And I don’t hate men, nor believe in superiority of one sex over another.

I don't feel like the stereotypical demonized version of a feminist: Idon’t want to burn my bra on the front law;  I don’t feel like cutting my hair short and getting neck tattoos;  I don’t feel like a slut “who’s asking for it.” I know how to cook; I’m pretty good at crocheting and sewing. I get offended when I'm told I'm being emotional, as if emotion were the opposite of reason and exclusive to women.  I like dressing up nice and going out with my friends.

And if I wanted to cut my hair short, burn my bra, and get a neck tattoo, then that's okay too: It doesn't make me any more or less of a feminist.

To me, feminism is my mother: a woman who is a secretary, used to own a motorcycle, yells at the TV during a Bruins game, is the best cook/cross-stitcher I know.  My mother, who let her daughter wear her black converses at her high school graduation instead of forcing her to wear high heels like all the other mothers.

First Week Of Spring (I hope I'm not jinxing it!)

Does anyone else smell Spring in the air yet? Or feel it in the sunshine on their skin and the wind blowing through their hair? Maybe I am a little early stating this, but I think Spring has finally made its way to snowy snowy Worcester. The Birds are chirping the students are out and about and I am ready to welcome the warmth back into my life and hide my winter boots in the back of my closet.

I already hapilly deposited my big winter coat on my bed and switched into a much more stylish and appropriate leather jacket. (ok maybe stylish is my own personal opinion...) My hot coffee has also been replaced with an iced latte. Spring is HERE!

But as I am a senior, spring brings another feeling into the forefront my my mind. Or lots of other feelings. Yes I have written blogs about this before, but come one, I have two monts left at Clark. What else would I be thinking about but that? Realizing that I am getting to the point where I can count the days left easily is  terrifying. And sad. Time to push forward with the job and appartment hunt I think. If only I had no homework.

But lets move on from that thougt before I get too panicked. Lets see.... What could distract me from the pounding in my heart and shortened breathing that signal a panick attack? With Spring brightening my moom I think I can continue on my Clarkie love list. Ahh yes, thats better. A much more pleasant thought.  I think I stopped at number 12. So here we go...

13. I love the random art that students will put around campus. Like that red door next to the library? What's that about? I never get them, but I think they are great.
14. I love when professor bring dogs to class. (Have you seen professor Elliotts puppy?)
15. I love that one tree near the holocaust building that blooms such pretty petals. Which reminds me I am grateful that when they redid Wright they took out the smelly trees. Seriously when they bloomed that whole area smelled like ... things I should probably not say here.
16. One of the things I will miss most after leaving Clark is the English department Spring Fling.
17. The Masquerade. Its a great dance. And an excuse to dress up like a spy this year, who does not like that?
18. <-------THIS.
19. Those random psych department research projects that make students do random things around the AC. Always hilarious.
20. The Clark Quiddich team. I have never gone to a game and really want to. The practices are so much fun to watch. They brighten my day.


Ok I suppose that's enough for now.
Enjoy this lovely Spring Day!

Clarkie Love

So it is officially Spring Semester of 2013. And for me LAST SEMESTER OF COLLEGE EVER!  (or at least undergraduate) Cue the panic.  Cue the excitement. Cue the blind race to the finish. It seems like I haven’t had a minute to sit down or shut my eyes since early January. 

Yet something amazing is happening. I am enjoying every moment of this semester. The trees are greener, the snow is whiter, the campus is more gorgeous, every minute is a prize. So I though this blog instead of ranting about how much I have to do or how scared I am, I will talk about all the amazing things at Clark that I will miss. 

1.       Those few sunny and warm-ish days in between the freezing cold ones when the whole campus comes alive and students are milling outside.

2.       Spree day. It’s amazing that this year’s was a hard won victory for the students and we get one more year of this beloved tradition. As a senior I was not ready to give it up.

3.       The Freud. That statue has become as dear as a close friend now. Not seeing him every day is a strange thought.

4.       The AC. Yes most of the time I’m there it’s for work I don’t want to be doing and I hate being there, yet it’s an amazing place. Everyone working together creates an atmosphere of camaraderie.

5.       The English Department. No I am not just saying that because this is the English Department blog. Seriously this place rocks. Visit it sometime. It’s a home away from home.  

6.       Jazzmans. Those caramel lattes.

7.       The Dorms. Don’t laugh. At the threat of possibly being homeless next year the safety of the dorms is amazing. Free water and heat and electricity. Why does that not happen in the real world? I am going to live in a box…(moment of panic again)

8.       Free Laundry.  Free WiFi. Free anything.

9.       The JC. I love that building. It’s so majestic and history filled. I love walking in there.

10.   Gala. It brings tears to my eyes. Every year.

11.   The little center.  It’s a dive, but such a well loved one.

12.   The cougar. RAWR

 

To be continued….

I unfortunately have to go to class so my list it half finished. I could go on and on. And will do so. Mostly it calms my panicky state of mind.  Feel free to add your own items to this list. What will you miss?