I am a business major at James Madison University. CoB 202, interpersonal skills, has taught me how to write a perfectly concise email, while CoB 291 has taught me how many hours I can physically study without crashing. I have been taught to keep things to the point and to not stress about frivolous assignments. Looking at the big picture, I have learned to just get stuff done. Don't complain, just do it. My assignments were not a democracy, but the syllabus was my guide. Class lectures consisted of taking as many notes as possible because, someday, the concepts I am learning could help my company earn millions. When I had the opportunity to sign up for electives this year, Kin 157 naturally came into mind, also known as Scuba and Skin Diving. However, being business-minded, I wanted to take something that would help me grow and benefit me. I thought about my weak points and realized I didn't confidently know basic writing rules. My essays are always grammatically perfect, but I tend to have to google when to use "principle" versus "principal." Is it "You and her" or "You and she?" Don't even get me started on I versus me. That being said, I enrolled in ENG 309: Traditional English Grammar. According to the James Madison Course Catalog, this three-credit class is an "introduction to traditional grammar, probing its logic, system and history, with an examination of modern applications of conventional rules," This sounds hard, but I figured being a 21-year-old in a traditional grammar class that my years of knowledge and common sense could get me through it.
The first month of class
The first day of class. I come into class dressed to impress: lipstick, freshly cleaned shirt and my new shoes. I made an effort to wake up early so I could find a parking spot and get to class a solid 10 minutes early. If you are early, you're on time; if you are on time, you're late -- my motto. When I walked into the unfamiliar Keezel Hall, I felt uneasy. No one seemed stressed and everyone was wearing typical day clothes. I got to class and sat in the front row ready to take in all of my adventures of assignments for the semester. I pulled out my "I am very busy" planner, ready to write down the dates of the tests. When the professor started talking, he immediately said that the test dates are subject to change due to the pace of the course. What did he mean? Didn't he have to book the testing room weeks in advance so all of the students could take it at the same time? Boy, was I confused.
Post Midterm
I can proudly say I know how the English language started ,and feel like I could win at any trivia night. English class has taught me facts that I never knew existed. I can almost feel my SAT score improving, and know my future self taking the GMAT will thank me.
Mid-Semester
English majors clearly don't get stressed about being late. Or is it just because my professor is so kind? The majority of the class casually walks into class anywhere from two to 20 minutes late. Regardless of this, my professor always greets them with a smile, regardless if he is lecturing or not. I start to relax. This is not the cut-throat Showker environment that I am used to. At this point, I learned that English majors and professors are super chill, and as long as you are doing well on the quizzes and tests, there is no need to stress about being prompt. I also learned that the messier style you have, the better and more intelligent at grammar you are.
The final stretch
English is no breeze. You need to study and memorize rules and concepts just as hard as a business class. The students are incredibly smart and don't have any desire to show off their talents by dressing up or even showing up on time. They are modest and humble, and know exactly what they need to do to earn the grade they want. I find myself studying for hours for the final, and know that the guy with the man bun in the back row could probably take the test no problem tomorrow morning.
Lessons learned
There are so many stereotypes about majors that sometimes are true. Business majors do tend to dress very professionally, and English majors do tend to be grammar freaks. Being surrounded by the stress-free environment of Keezel hall has taught me to relax and that I don't need to be acting as if every little thing might make or break my future career. The experience has been eye-opening, and I would prefer to say that my writing has improved and I now mentally diagram every sentence I read.
