Thesis Update

Met with a prof. about brainstorming some ideas today; I'm on the right track, he likes my idea and might even end up being my advisor!!!!! It's a GO!

Critical Theory vs. The Bumbling Student

This time I"m coming armed!

Critical Theory 1 - The Bumbling Student 0

Honestly! I was ready to tackle this sucker yesterday and then I started reading and I just wanted to cry. It's like a sea of words that do not make any sense together. I swear these philosophers were just pulling words out of their behinds. "As long as they have more than 15 letters they will do the trick."

Well, critical theory, guess what? I'm not that easy to beat! I'll be back... and I will win. Get ready to be terminated!

Also, it's a mandatory class so I kind of have to win in the end or else I won't get my degree - pressure :{

Thesis Update

So the pressure is on! Apparently I was supposed to be thinking about my thesis topic all summer and have a detailed plan already! I was totally unaware. So... recent weeks have had a bit of chaos in them over what to write my thesis on. However, things are now going well. I have started doing some very interesting research into women writers from the suffrage movement. Taking a look at British, American and of course Canadian playwrights and the political plays they were writing. It is very intriguing and I'm learning a lot already. Let's hope I can find an advisor!

Really? A computer can do this? Why have I wasted so much time?

Today I was introduced to a wonderful program called Refworks. Not only will it save the vital information on books, articles, websites, journals, etc, like where to find it and all the reference info, but it will actually cite it at the press of a button in a word document and create a bibliography for you. This is AMAZING! How many hours have I spent after the long essay has finally been finished just trying to get all my citations properly done????? All taken care of for me now! This will be really handy when it comes to the hundreds of references I will have for my thesis!

P.S. Thesis update coming tomorrow. Now for a little escape with the 1st episode of Mad Men.

Structuralism or Semiotics?

About to start a long day of classes. After reading 8 articles on structuralism I find I understand semiotics! I sure do hope my prof can unravel this mystery for me this afternoon.

I have returned from class more confused than going in. But I believe that structuralism is the system of studying human culture through semiotics. I think... Perhaps some progress today. Although the onslaught of terms and theories is rather intense. Why all the difficult language to understand a simple concept?

Welcome to my blog!

Hi!

This is my very first blog post! I hope to fill this blog with all my pains and gains from graduate school.

At the moment, I'm trying to settle into a new city, meet new people that are part of my program, and deal with the fact that I am expected to have my thesis chosen already!!!!! Overwhelmed? I am extremely overwhelmed. I feel in way over my head. Everyone is uber smart and uber experienced in Theatre and/or academics and I feel I have a lot to catch up on and a lot to prove.

I'm sure the second week will be better... right?