Altered States

Four months ago, they were highschoolers. That's why they come off as...a little bit dumb.

I wonder, because of the above fact, if I'll just be spending a very lonely semester pouring my intellectual wine into old wineskins, only to have them break and so on and so forth. Well, they'll break alright, and I'll be the one doing the breaking. These bad habits they have of not taking responsibility for their education outside of our fifty minute classes are not going to fly. They just aren't, gosh darnit. I won't let them, even if it means failing every last sorry one of them. (And they will fail this next assignment if they don't get their tushies logged on to their email accounts.)

I have this dream that involves, as we read The Alchemist, introducing them to the joys of Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights triptych of which I am so fond. After all, a little exploration into alchemy and art history didn't hurt this English/Visual Studies major. In their current states, no, I don't think they will appreciate it, unless I hold their hands through the entire godforsaken journalling process. (There Will Be Journalling, P.T. Anderson's exciting sequel to There Will Be Blood, coming to theaters this Fall.)

It's not a History Boys, Dead Poet's Society thing. I don't want my lessons to change their lives. I just want one of them to appreciate multiple views of a subject.

I just want one of them to emerge not quite as dumb as they were before.

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