This week, the students just need to write a paper in which they 1. define their chosen piece of identity in their own words, 2. write a little bit of what they already know about their chosen piece of identity, 3. ask some questions to help guide their research, and 4. identify some keywords and search terms to use in their research. It’s intended to be a little bit lower pressure than normal. Here’s my example.
Slowpoke
Definition In My Own Words:
I am writing about being a tortoise rather than a hare. I knew I wanted to tackle something unexpected so I went with a gut feeling that told me to write about this topic. But I’m still not exactly sure what it meant to be a tortoise rather than a hare. But I knew at a visceral level that I’m a tortoise and I felt compelled to write about it.
At first, I thought maybe it has something to do with taking the time to stop and smell the roses, which is what I wrote about last week. I also think this aspect of my identity is about the dogged perseverance it takes to accomplish big things. I’d rather take my time and get it right than speed through everything without getting anything of substance out of it. I want to enjoy my life.
What I already know:
There are videos of races with rabbits and turtles and the turtles always win I have watched a couple clips of these races online. The rabbit will take a couple big leaps beyond the halfway point, then sit there wiggling its little nose while the turtle plods at a steady pace towards the finish line. That video filled me with glee the first time I watched it. I felt vindicated, because before that, I always thought it was just wishful thinking that the turtle would win.
Turtles are highly symbolic animals throughout the world in many different kinds of traditions. Some of the symbolism relates to their biology. They carry their home on their backs. They move slowly and steadily. They have long lives. They have built in shields. Snapping turtles are protective of their space and snap at threats. All of these symbols resonate with me quite deeply. But turtles also play many roles in folktales and fables. In many kinds of mythologies, turtles are the Mother Earth figure, carrying the whole world on her back. The US was “Turtle Island” among the indigenous peoples. In Adventure Time, the librarian princess is a turtle. I would be interested in drawing connections to some of this mythology and folklore as I work on this paper.
On the other hand, I know that some people thrive under constant pressure and the pressure of a fast approaching deadline. I might be able to use the concept of the “pre-crastinator” from that TED talk by Adam Grant, because his whole argument is that you do a little work up front, put the project away, and then pick it up when you’re closer to the deadline. How does this relate? Best of both worlds perhaps? I’d like to be a pre-crastinator.
Questions:
What are some of the negative traits associated with “tortoise people”?
What are the benefits of being a “hare person”?
Even though it took me six years to get through my PhD program, I actually did it quite fast compared to the national average. Am I not as much of a tortoise as I thought I was?
Why do I feel so compulsively drawn to this topic? Do I need to work on embracing this value more deeply again?
Can I use the story about rescuing the snapping turtles this summer, or is that too outside the focus of this paper?
Is this paper topic too out there to use as an example?
Keywords, Synonyms, Search Terms:
dawdler, plodder, tortoise and the hare, speed vs pacing, persistence, perseverance, procrastination, pre-crastination, measured pace, deliberate,
Potential sources:
Grant, Adam. “The Surprising Habits of Original Thinkers.” TED Talks. February 2016. Web.
Lawrence, D. H. Tortoises. New York: Ed Seltzer, 1921. Project Gutenberg. Web.
Taking My Own Freshman Composition Class 