January 31, 2006 - 12:01 p.m.
The one thing that has gotten me through school better than any other bit of advice is to cater to YOUR needs in the way that you approach assignments and class work. Whether it's music, the visual or language. If a subject isn't interesting to you and if you are not engaged with the work, it will be evident in the work you submit for evaluation. If that means that you need to push the limits of what has been assigned in order to make it relevant and interesting to you, do so.
I was never very interested in writing the 7 billion-th comparative essay on the themes of X and Y in Shakespeare's (fill in the blank)... so I would pick a spin on the topic that I did find interesting and go in that direction. If that means you end up doing Freudian readings of Pride and Prejudice... or comparing the theatrical techniques of Brecht to Impressionist painting... your professors or teachers will at least have the pleasure of reading a paper that isn't exactly the same as 70 others, and they'll see that you're taking things in your own direction and asking questions that actually do interest you. Seeing connections between different aspects of your studies and interests will help you to think critically and apply skills across different subjects.
Good Luck!
