Hi everyone:) my name is Grace and I’m in my second academic year at UBC. My major is psychology and I plan to minor in creative writing. I was born in Victoria on Vancouver Island and loved growing up in such a beautiful place. I live right by the beach, and the ocean will forever have a very special place in my heart. I’m the middle child, with an older sister and younger brother who I am close with and whom I love very much. My sister is in a part responsible for my love of books, as she would read to me before bed and encourage me to read the books she loved. My family is also extremely close and we do family dinners every Sunday at my Grandma’s house. I also love all things jewelry and work at a local jewelry store where I get to make some of the stuff we sell and be around beautiful things when I work. I honestly don’t have much of a plan for after graduation, but I know I want to do some travelling and maybe Au Pair in France to work on my French. I might go to grad school later to become a counselor, but I’m undecided! I’m also planning to go on exchange next year to London! I would definitely classify myself as a book person and reached my goal to read 30 books in 2023 (my goal for 2024 is 40!).
I love to write and read and heard that this class is set up nicely so all the readings don’t seem too overwhelming. I mostly read fiction, like fantasy and mystery, and I’m both looking forward to and nervous about reading more sophisticated books. I’m expecting to be challenged, but hopefully, with the practice of reading these types of books, I’ll improve with each one. I also took French all throughout school and so have a little experience with one of the “romance languages” so I’m curious to see if that will benefit me in any way!
In response to the videos on Romance Studies, one phrase that stuck out to me was that romance languages were “Latin’s bastards’ offspring”. I thought it was funny but also interesting. Without the dissolving of power of the Roman Empire and the breakdown of the use of Latin, we wouldn’t have French, Spanish, or Italian. They all have roots in Latin, but all formed to become different things. When Professor Beasley-Murray posed the question “Where is the Romance World?”, my first thoughts went to Italy or France, thinking of stories like Romeo and Juliet. But in reality, there is no “romance world”. It has no territory and therefore no true definition. In learning this, I am very curious to explore more about what actually constitutes romance studies and how they are classified. Overall, I’m looking forward to this class!
Hi, Grace! I’m also a 2nd year student. When the professor asked that question, I was thinking just like you, and I even thought of Romeo and Juliet(just like you did). But unexpectedly, the answer was completely different, quite interesting. Moreover, your experience of reading thirty books last year truly amazed me; It’s my weakness, and I’ll look up to you in this regard.
Jialu Xu
Hi Grace! Although I am not a big “reader,” like you are, I see many parallels between your life and mine. I also grew up quite close to a beach, am majoring in psychology, and am also planning on doing an exchange to London next year. Funny enough, I also had an interest in being an Au Pair and worked as one in Spain over the summer of 2022! Also alike to you, I am quite excited for this unique format of the course. The “pick your own adventure” is quite appealing yet also daunting. However, I am very inspired by your feat of 30 books last year; good luck to 40 for this year!!
Hi Grace! Great post. I also wrote about how Jon Beasley-Murray posed that question on my Blog Post. I found it surprising that he said there is no Romance world. I think it’s cool that you and your family have dinner every Sunday at your grandmas place. I hope you reach your goal of reading 40 books and are able to go on an exchange to London next year! I hope we’ll run into eachother in class!
Sofia
Hi Grace, thank you for sharing and it’s good to know about you. I’m not a person like to read (but I used to), so I hope this course could somehow help me to pick up the reading habit. I look forward to see you in class 🙂
Hi Grace! I am also majoring in psychology and absolutely love it. I hope you have been enjoying it as well! My older sister is also an avid reader, but unfortunately, I am not so much a reader myself. However, I am hoping that this class inspires me to read more often. I am also curious to learn what exactly constitutes romance studies and I think this course will provide many new insights and perspectives about it. I’m looking forward to participating in this class with you!
Hi Grace! This is Janae. Great to know more about you. Though I never took any jewellery courses back in high school, I would love to try making jewellery of my own! I also watched the video on Romance Studies, and I really like how you mentioned that the Romance World is boundless, and therefore has no singular definition. This made me think about how Romance languages, cultures, and literature do not necessarily have to be studied separately because they may share common elements and themes.
Hi Grace. Thanks for sharing! I am also a middle child but I have two sisters and no brothers. I am looking forward to being challenged in this class as well. The course structure is quite different from any other university class I have taken but with a closed mind, there is no chance for success so I plan to embrace it.
Welcome to the course, Grace! I think reading to someone, or being read to by someone, is quite special. Good luck with your 40-book goal for the year! I hope this course helps! 🙂
Hi Grace!
I’m also a psych student! I love that you make your own jewelry I’ve always wanted to learn! Super get the fear of reading serious books, but I hope you achive your goal of 40 books this year
Hope you get into your exchange in London/ get to travel to France!!