The Wandering Historian

The past semester was the most challenging full semester of classes I have experienced so far with my undergrad. I worked myself to the bone with all of my essays, sometimes having to write three papers in one short weekend. Plus with my interning at the WGHF and my new job with Q Media Productions it was crazy hectic. However, I was able to get straight A's. I really don't know how, but I was so elated to discover this. 

Graduate school applications are the worst. I have never suffered so much from lack of self confidence in college, last time I felt like this was in high school. The best thing I found was thegradcafe.com where anyone can see what dates applicants typically find out if they're accepted or not. To me I find it comforting to know that around February 12 I may start finding out. There is so much more to say, but it will go in a separate post. 

This semester has started off pretty good. I have only one class in person, which is in the honor building. Let me just say the honors building makes me so mad. It has a baby grand piano in the lounge area, art work on the classroom walls, and each classroom has a wall with an accent color. Clearly this is a secretive classist regime. Besides that little rant, I also have three classes online. All are very interesting, but the Oral History course that is in person will definitely stretch me the most. 

For work at Q Media, last week I was able to visit the Holocaust Museum in Maitland. I learned so much, not just about different facets of the Holocaust but issues that a Holocaust museum can face. They've suffered from numerous protests, to enter the museum you have to ring a doorbell as the door is always locked, and police are constantly patrolling inside. All because it is a Jewish organization. That blew my mind. But for this tour we will be mixing oral histories and interviews, that we either recorded during the site visit or will be soon, with the narrator. I'm learning so much at this job and if I do go to graduate school I will hate to leave it. 

WGHF had their open house early this January and it was amazing. The archive room is awesome, the gift shop is growing, and we are constantly having people stop by and check out the new building. The only issue I've noticed is that a lot of people expected this to be a new museum and not for administrative and research purposes. So, I have a hunch we will be working to find a balance between the reality of the building and the desires of visitors. 

I apologize for how long this is, but I do hope I will have time to once again be much more active on this blog. And of course I will update you all on my application status', for who knows this may become a blog to document my life in grad school! 

I love my new job! I am learning so much about the intricacies of creating audio tours for historic sites and museums. The past few weeks I have been focusing specifically on copyright and permission of use for tons of different images ranging from a single known photograph of a man to a image of a painting. Hopefully with new projects starting I will get the chance to experience the first two day onsite meeting spent trying to figure out with the client what do they want the guest to feel upon completing the audio tour and what information do they want included. It is so fascinating working for such a unique area in Public History! Plus, I can still keep volunteering at the WGHF on Mondays, so I now always have a full schedule until Christmas break!

Also, I got the nerve to ask some additional professors if they would be my reference for graduate school. Plus, last weekend in a fit of boredom with homework I wrote my first draft of my letter of intent for graduate schools. It was such a relief to get started on that. It has been weighing on my shoulders since basically Spring semester. This week, while dealing with homework and work, I will hopefully be emailing my references the list and dates of each school along with my resume. I honestly believe the most difficult thing about applying for graduate school is that I only know of ONE other person that is applying for graduate school. It's so different from applying for your undergraduate where the requirements are clear and there is that camaraderie forged knowing your friends/peers are experiencing the same things as you.    

I am so excited that Tuesday we have off due to the national holiday because I can work on applications, sleep in, and maybe even go out for lunch with my mom. Sorry these posts are sporadic, but I will posting more over Christmas break once this semester is over! 

Also there are only 4 classes left until finals!!!

I found out today that I am now gainfully employed! On Monday I will be starting at my new job at Q Media Productions Inc as a Production/Marketing Assistant! Q Media Productions creates audio tours for organizations such as Mount Rushmore, Kennedy Space Center, and Kingsley Plantation! They specialize in interpretive, multilingual, and accessibility tours. It is a fantastic opportunity and I will actually be paid, not working for free! I am so eager to learn and blog about this unique aspect of Public History! It's amazing how much can change in a year! In less than a full year I have had three internships and now and official job! 

The other reason why today was exhausting was because of a paper. Every week for my Chinese Civilization class we have a writing assignment due on Fridays. Last weekend I worked on MusicFest and didn't pay attention to this week's assignment assuming it was from the regular textbook. It wasn't, it was on a book about the Tang Dynasty. When I got home last night I started reading and about three chapters in I looked a the table of contents and realized there were more chapters than what we were supposed to summarize. Then I realize it's the wrong book and then I realize even though I ordered the book in August I NEVER got the book. So this morning at like 7:30 am I went to UCF, but they didn't have it but a friend told me to try the used book store. So I hurried over there like a crazed woman and used bookstore did have the textbook! For the rest of day I sped read and then wrote my essay. So today besides getting a job offer I read a book, wrote a 13 pages, and then submitted it with 20 minutes until the deadline.