SAMUEL RAFUSE

Required 100-level English classes are the bane of student enthusiasm. More often than not they feel like dull, futile exercises in analyzing outdated works to death.

Being resigned to these classes doesn’t have to mean being resigned to boredom, however. There are some things you can do to not only survive these classes, but to excel in them.

Some professors like to take their sweet time dissecting all areas of a book one at a time, but reading at this pace is more boring than watching tortoises sleepwalk. You won’t remember what you read yesterday and your chances of actually being engaged with the material are only slightly better than making it to morning classes on time without caffeine.

Instead, read shorter works, like plays, in a single go. A play takes roughly the same time to read as it does to perform, so think of it like watching a movie. Make yourself a hot drink, gather your blankets and settle in for an adventure. Novels will naturally take longer, but don’t stop in the middle of a chapter. Read until the author gives you a break.

Now that you’ve read the material, you can have some fun. Watch the movie adaptation — but only after you’ve done the reading — and pay attention to some of the differences. You’ll learn how the material may have been interpreted differently, which might even inspire an essay topic.

Take to the Internet and find a YouTube video examining the deeper themes of your reading, whatever they may be. Learn some history about the author. Watch a literary nerd tell you everything you could ever want to know — and some things you probably don’t want to know — about the material. If you don’t love the way your professor explains the material, you can probably find someone out there with a video blog who explains it better. Just be wary of plagiarism.

SparkNotes is a good way to remind yourself of things you may have missed. Never, ever rely on an online synopsis to replace doing the actual reading, but your short term memory might thank you for a quick review.

Meanwhile, in the classroom, take notes and try to speak up. Join in the discussion about Shakespeare’s sexual orientation, no matter how lame you think it is. Get to know your classmates — especially the English majors — and ask them to help you study. There’s usually a teacher’s pet in every class. Befriend them, because they usually have access to good study questions.

If you don’t like speaking in front of crowds, this class is a really good time to get used to it since you’ll likely be required to do so.

A pro-tip: just making the occasional grunt of acknowledgement or raising your hand just as the professor is calling on someone else at least makes you look like you’re good at participating.

As far as having your own opinion goes, don’t worry about being too profound. There’s nothing wrong with agreeing with your professor. Was Hamlet in love with his mother? Probably not, but it’s easy to argue that he was. Besides, good arguments — not original ideas — are what will get you grades.

It’s not about what you say, it’s about how you say it. On the other hand, maybe you have an interesting perspective on Frankenstein. If you can make a compelling case, it doesn’t matter if you’re “right” or not.

Maybe English just isn’t for you. If that’s the case, try focusing on what you can learn from your classes: how to format an essay, how to pick a side and defend it or the essential life skill that is writing a last-minute project the night before it’s due.

There’s always something you can get out of an English class, and since it’s a required course, use these tips to make the most of it and land a good mark while you’re at it.

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Image: Ashley Britz