There's just over a month left of the first year of my MFA and this is the busiest time of the semester. I've just returned from a relaxing spring break vacation to Kiawah Island, South Carolina, and tomorrow I leave for the Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP) conference in Los Angeles. This will… Continue reading On Making the Most of AWP
Last weekend, Morgantown was buried under two feet of snow. Today it is 60 degrees. I'm recovering from a head cold; on Friday I sniffled, red-eyed and exhausted, through conferences with 40+ students. They're writing personal narratives for their first project. I'm excited to read their work, to learn about their diverse lives and perspectives.… Continue reading Back to the Grind: The Beginning of Spring Semester and Notification Season
One more workshop, a lit paper, and 30-something student portfolios: that’s everything that separates me from winter break. After a lazy Thanksgiving, I found it difficult to return and finish the final stretch of the semester. It was even more difficult to do without sighing heavily after every new email notification. Over winter break, I’ll… Continue reading On Patience
Image: Via Tsuji Last year, when I was applying to MFA programs, I was too fragile to keep up with the constant updates in the MFA Draft Facebook group. However, I decided to join this year. I'm not sure why: to relive the agony and anguish? So I can remember how I managed to do just… Continue reading The MFA Program You Haven’t Heard Of: Spotlighting the MFA at West Virginia University
Last week, I sat at my desk, a pile of student papers before me, a cursor pulsing in the blank document that needed to become an essay draft for workshop. It was 10:00 at night. I wanted to be marathon-ing The Twilight Zone. Across the room, my cat raised her head. She was sitting… Continue reading On Taking My Coffee Mug’s Advice
