Okay, so technically this has nothing to do with my time in England, but it can be adapted. This is a post I wrote for my college's Honors' Blog last October. Looking back at it, I realized that the message is still important to me and that I am doing something that I love here at Oxford! Also, for any Trinity students (or professors), come listen to my presentation on my Honors' Work at OPUS!
“Honors’ Work in the Major.”
When I first heard these words, I thought, “What am I going to do my project on?” My mind was blank.
After thinking on it for a while, precisely all spring semester long, I finally chose a topic- Pride and Prejudice. For my project, I will be writing a paper on the adaptations of the novel, looking into how the culture at the time of development creates the relationship between Elizabeth and Darcy.
Starting off on my research this semester, I realized this: If you ever have the opportunity to choose your topic idea, make sure it is something that you love. Not just like, or can tolerate, but love. No one wants to work on a project that becomes boring to them after a month or two of research. This is my advice to you: choose wisely.
In my experience, I put off starting my research for a while. I was “too busy” or “had all the time in the world.” However, I realized this was not true. I was quickly falling behind; I needed to crack the whip. I met with my adviser, setting a strict schedule for me to catch up on my research. Now, as I am set in the schedule, I’ve realized that I didn’t need a schedule in the first place. I just needed to start.
Because I am researching a topic I love (Pride and Prejudice is my favorite novel/movie in the whole world!), the research goes quickly. Time disappears, the pages fly by, I want to go on forever. I don’t feel the need for a schedule anymore; I want to work ahead, researching more and more. The topic fascinates me and my work feels more like pleasure reading rather than homework. Due to the fact that I love my topic, it is no longer work to me.
As you go throughout your courses, Honors’ Work or gen-ed, remember this: Choose a topic you love. If it is a topic you enjoy, procrastination will be useless, only putting off what brings you delight. I, sadly, learned this the hard way. However, it has taught me a lesson: I will never again choose a topic that is “just tolerable” to me. I will delight in my work, making it as enjoyable as I can through choosing a subject I love.
Continue on. Don’t procrastinate. Make the most of college. Keep up the hard work. Most importantly, do what you love. In college, in work, in life.
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