Monday, October 22, 2007
Teehee.
I really ought to be studying for my Bio lab exam. But how could I possibly concentrate on studying something as... inconsequential as biology when I've just had the best day of my life? Ayun naman pala kasi. I had a great day. Bakit? Because today, I had two moments of transition.
...
Professor Vesey says that in any society, all its members have statuses [the word 'status' not pertaining to a hierarchy]. Those statuses are roles that have expectations and behaviors attached to them. Further, a single person can have a multitude of statuses all at once. A person can be a daughter, a sister, a mom and a teacher, all at once. [Notice how I used 'person' instead of 'girl'. In a generally patriarchal schema, being a girl is also considered a status.] But one of those statuses will be a master status, that is, a status that is of higher regard than the others.
Everything is dynamic, of course, so no one status can ever be permanent. A person can either go from a good status to a better status or a good status to a bad status. When a person changes his status, he has to shed the expectations and behaviors that are attached to it through anticipatory socialization. A person must learn the expectations and behaviors of his anticipated status by taking them on little by little. But a person changes his status not through anticipatory socialization, but through a single moment, where, and people are unaware of this, he is given a new label. That single moment is the moment of transition. [For example, a high school student (status 1) changes status to become a college student (status 2). The moment of transition is graduation.]
...
First moment of transition
I was on my way out of the classroom when this conversation happened.
Professor Benson: Kristina?
Kitten: Yes, professor?
Professor Benson: I really loved that insight you gave in class last week.
Kitten: [confused]
Professor Benson: You don't remember?
Kitten: No. I'm sorry.
Professor Benson: The one on blackbird. You said it was the most important word in the text and related it to the Beatles song and empowerment.
Kitten: Oh, that.
Professor Benson: Yeah. I was overimpressed. I thought that was very good.
Kitten: Thank you. I just have a knack for these things, I guess.
Professor Benson: And you said you wanted to be a writer?
Kitten: Yeah. I mean, I have the heart for it. I just need to acquire the skills.
Professor Benson: Well, are you thinking writing in the market or something in the academe?
Kitten: I'm seriously considering becoming a teacher, actually.
Professor Benson: High school or college level?
Kitten: High school, maybe college. I still don't know. But I know I want to do literature.
Professor Benson: Well, I think you'll have more fun teaching high school. I teach college level literature and, don't get me wrong because it's really fun, we don't get to explore as much of that creativity that you seem to want to tap into. I mean, I could do that in my classes, but not really. And you can take Teacher Certification courses right here at Rutgers.
Kitten: Yeah, I know. I still have time to think about it, though.
Professor Benson: I've been meaning to email you about it. I just haven't found the time.
Kitten: Oh, thanks.
Professor Benson: If you're really thinking about becoming a teacher, then I'm encouraging you. I think you'd be great.
Kitten: Thanks, professor.
Ayun. In a single moment, I became an aspiring teacher.
...
My second moment of transition, I can't write about here coz it was weird.
Oh, how I love those big, blue, Russian eyes. *melts*
We were in quads for English [making critiques for another quad's work] when Igor suddenly goes Why couldn't have Kitten written this with her MS Word handwriting? I looked up for two reasons: I heard my name and I heard Igor's voice. I looked at Igor and he was beaming at me.
What's the problem, Ig?
I can't read this. I want you to rewrite this, he says.
Gimme, I reply quickly and rewrite the whole thing in under two minutes. All the while, I felt his eyes watching me, and to be honest, I loved every friggin second of it. *melts*
When I walked into Vesey's class, Ig goes Alright, Kitten's in the house, and beams up at me again.
I mean, sure, I hate the phrase "in the house". And, sure, he's a
kitten posted @ 10:02 PM
