I remember taking American Literature II with Dr. Will in Spring 2009. He assigned an open-ended, eight-page paper in which we analyzed some form of text – be it lyrics, poems, screenplays, books, etc. – that needed to reflect culture.
I thought about analyzing “To Kill a Mockingbird”; surely, I could find loads of research on that. Or Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken.” I realized I wasn’t into those topics, and I struggled to get started.
Then I had a stroke of genius. I could analyze a Stevie Nicks song, “Rhiannon,” because, well, I am totally and completely obsessed with the rock goddess. The wheels started turning, and I cranked out eight pages well before I wanted to be done researching my favorite singer.
This discovery was revolutionary to my paper-writing process. I realized I could actually write about topics I am passionate about. I completed my graduate casebook – a 30-page critical analysis of a book – on Harry Potter. And this semester, I am writing my last two papers – whew – on linguistic topics that get me almost as excited as Stevie Nicks or Harry Potter.
While I can’t guarantee this kind of excitement every time you get assigned a paper, I can encourage you to play up your strengths.
Find topics that truly intrigue you, and think of the assignment more as time to expand your hobby rather than time to waste on another boring assignment.
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