Posts

A Q&A with Author, J.C. Murphey

Image
  A Q&A with Author, J.C. Murphey Please Introduce yourself to the English students and faculty. Howdy! My name is Jaycee Arai, or as my pen name J.C. Murphey, and I am an alumni from the Fightin’ Texas Aggies Class of 2013. I am a born and raised Texan who found my way back to Aggieland with my husband and daughter from South Texas. Can you tell us a bit about your book?  My debut dark fantasy is called “Don’t Fear the Reaper,” and it follows a college student named Victor Rexford who, through the deaths of his twin brother and best friend, develops a sensitivity to supernatural beings that serve as grim reapers. After a series of bad life choices he gets involved with a cult who botches a summoning and essentially starts a centuries-long apocalypse that puts him in the middle of a never-ending battle between good and evil. It actually launched today (12/11/23) which is also my birthday! It’s yet to be determined if that was a good idea or not. It can be found on most major book s

English Major Q&A

Image
  English Major Q&A Image from slack app directory Hannah Barber Please introduce yourself to the English students and faculty. Howdy! My name is Hannah Barber, and I am the loudest and proudest member of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Class of 2024! Why did you choose to major in English? I chose to be an English major for a variety of reasons, such as a love for literature, a passion for writing, and a desire to improve my critical thinking skills. Studying English offers me the opportunity to immerse myself in compelling stories, explore the complexities of the human experience, and refine my communication skills. In today's fast-paced world, where technology has taken center stage, the art of language and communication is still extremely important. As an English major, I hope to gain a better understanding of how language shapes our world and use this knowledge to contribute to society in a meaningful way. Ultimately, I believe that pursuing an English degree is a chance for

Strategies for the End of the Semester

Image
Image from collegefashion.net Things are getting stressful.  With the end of the semester approaching, every college student knows that things are about to get crazy. Essays on top of projects on top of exams on top of work on top of who knows what else can be a lot to handle, but I’ve found that it’s all about strategy. Here are my top five ways to make the chaos of the end of the semester a little less stressful.  Everything that needs to be done will be done. The first step towards success is to take a breath and remind yourself of every other stressful time in your academic career. Think about all of the assignments that needed to be completed. Think about how you felt. Now, pause and recognize that you made it through that period of time. All of those assignments are behind you now. You’ve completed them. And just as you completed those assignments, you will finish these as well. This will all be behind you, and you’ll be one step closer to your goal. Make a to-do list. The next s

"I took the leap of faith and transferred schools." - An Interview with Junior English Major, Trinity Behling

Image
Before becoming an Aggie, Texas A&M junior English major, Trinity Behling, studied graphic design at Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia.   "I made the decision to transfer to Texas A&M because I knew the student body's reputation of being extremely devoted to building community." At first, Behling was a bit nervous. "I have always been an A's and B's student, so a part of me was nervous about the workload of my classes, especially coming in as a transfer student and needing time to adjust to the culture here at Texas A&M," Behling explained. "However, I found myself settling into my classes easily and found that the friendly culture made it trouble free when seeking advice." “I chose to study English because I love the art of storytelling,” said Behling, whose favorite part of A&M’s English department has been the professors. When speaking about them, she expressed that “they all act as mentors and are more than ha

"AI is not going to take your job. People who know how to use AI are going to take your job." - An Interview With Adobe Digital Thought Leader, Dr. Sidney I. Dobrin

Image
  The University of Florida’s Dr. Sidney I. Dobrin recently visited Texas A&M University, where he spoke on GenTech’s future in relation to higher education programs and the environment. “I’ve been working with emerging technologies pretty much my whole career,” says Dobrin, who initially became interested in artificial intelligence when he was in high school. He studies digital and environmental humanities, specifically focusing on the relationship between AI and writing, ocean conservation, and environmental conservation.  “One of the things that we don’t talk about with AI development or any other kind of tech development is the environmental impact that this is having,” Dobrin explains. These impacts “[range] from things like the extraction of … minerals from various parts of the world (to) … dumping tons of e-waste across the global south, (along with) the environmental … and … human [effects] that that’s having. (This is) because these devices that we use … [contain] toxic ch