The eNotes Blog Slim ShadyShakespeareTuning up theBard

Slim ShadyShakespeareTuning up theBard . I just finished teaching Twelfth Night to my college freshmen and sophomores. I wanted to find a way to have them connect with the play in a way that might be enjoyable and spark their creativity. What I settled on was music. If there is anything late teens and early twenty-somethings can agree on, its that its much more fun to listen to music than to, say, figure out why on earth nobody recognizes Viola as Cesario. To that end, I asked teams of 2-3 students to update one or more of the songs in the play AND set them to a modern beat. As amenable as they all seemed to be to the idea, I wasnt sure how fair this project would be to some of the less musically-inclined of our class. There are a fair number of musicians: a guitar player, a few rappers, somebody who plays piano. But of course, there are many more with musical ability pretty well limited to hitting Download Now. As the teams first began to work, there was the predictable whining of   I dont know what this meeeeeeeeeeeannnnnns! but after walking them through a line or two, most realized they were making the task harder than it need have been. For example, take these lines from Festes song in Act 2.4: Fly away, fly away breath; / I am slain by a fair cruel maid. The lines were re-written and   performed (see link below) by two of my own Clowns, in rap, to the tune of Ice, Ice, Baby: I can feel my spirit drifting away; / A beautiful girl has done me this way. Thats part of the beauty of Shakespeare, is it not? It didnt take my class long to catch on because Shakespeare consistently speaks to human emotions and situations that are universal and timeless. Other students took the project in different ways. There was a lovely rendition of Festes song Oh Mistress Mine, from Act 2.3. For this song, the student wrote his own music and took it in a kind of gentle, John Mayer-ish direction. Another group of girls, who professed that they had zero musical talent, found a couple modern recordings of songs in the play and blended them together using a music editing program to create an interesting techno-beat. As always when assigning creative work, I give the class a great deal of freedom. As Olivia says, Love sought is good, but giv’n unsought is better (3.1.122). I think the same can be said for creativity. Get out of the way and let it happen.

Ace Your University of Wisconsin Personal Statements

Ace Your University of Wisconsin Personal Statements The University of Wisconsin System has a holistic admissions process that includes at least one personal statement. The flagship campus in Madison requires two essays. Applicants can apply using either the Common Application or the University of Wisconsin Application. This article addresses strategies for responding to the essay prompts.   Personal Statements for the University of Wisconsin-Madison The main campus of the University of Wisconsin in Madison is the most selective of all the UW schools, and it has an application separate from all the other campuses. It also asks for two personal statements. If you apply using the Common Application, you will need to respond to one of the seven essay prompts. This gives you the freedom to write about anything you choose, for not only do the prompts cover a wide range of topics, but option #7 allows you to write on a topic of your choice.   If you use the University of Wisconsin application,  the first essay prompt asks the following: Consider something in your life you think goes unnoticed and write about why its important to you. You have so many options here that you might find the essay prompt daunting. As you figure out what the something in your life is that you should write about, keep in mind the reason why UW-Madison is asking this question. The admissions process is holistic, so the university wants to get to know you as a whole person, not just as a set of empirical data such as grades, class rank, and standardized test scores. Your extracurricular activities and employment history are part of the holistic portrait, but they dont tell the whole story.   Use this prompt to explore something that isnt obvious from the rest of your application. If one of your jobs or extracurricular activities is particularly important to you, you could use this essay to explain why that is so (much like a typical  short answer essay  on the Common Application). Or you could use this essay to present a side of your personality that doesnt appear on your application at all. Perhaps you like rebuilding motorcycles, fishing with your younger sister, or writing poetry. Almost anything thats important to you is fair game here, just make sure you follow through and explain  why  its important to you. If you fail to address the why of the question, youve failed to present the admissions folks a full window into your passions and interests. The second essay prompt is the same whether you use the Common Application or the UW Application. It asks the following: Tell us why you decided to apply to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In addition, share with us the academic, extracurricular, or research opportunities you would take advantage of as a student. If applicable, provide details of any circumstance that could have had an impact on your academic performance and/or extracurricular involvement. UW-Madison has packed a lot into this essay prompt, and it might be best to view it as three essay prompts, not one. The first- why UW-Madison?- is typical of the supplemental essays for many other colleges. The key here is to be specific. If your answer could be applied to schools other than UW-Madison, then youre being too vague and generic. What  specifically  about UW-Madison appeals to you? What unique features of the university distinguish it from other places youre considering? Similarly, with the question about academic, extracurricular and research opportunities, be sure to do your research. Make sure you know what the university offers so that you know what opportunities you can take advantage of should you be admitted. UW-Madison is trying to make sure applicants are familiar with the university and can imagine themselves being active and engaged members of the campus community. When it comes to explaining circumstances that may have had a negative impact on your grades and extracurricular involvement, keep in mind that this part of the prompt is optional. As the article Should You Explain A Bad Grade? notes, youre not always doing yourself a favor if you make a big deal out of slightly off semester in high school. That said, if you did have a major disruption in your life- a significant injury, a death of a parent or sibling, divorce of your parents, or an ill-timed move to a different school- it can be a good idea to comment on the event if it impacted your academic or extracurricular record in a significant way. The Personal Statement for all Other UW Campuses For all of the other University of Wisconsin campuses, youll be asked to respond to this personal essay prompt: Please tell us about the particular life experiences, talents, commitments and/or interests you will bring to our specific campus that will enrich our community. The question is refreshing in its directness, for, in truth, it is asking what every college admissions essay asks- How will you enrich our community? Colleges want more than students with good grades and high test scores; they also want students who will contribute to campus life in a positive way. Before you write your essay or take part in a college interview, youd be wise to figure out your own answer to the question. What is it that you will contribute? Why will the college be a better place because of your presence? Think about your hobbies, your sense of humor, your quirks, your academic passions... all of the features that make you you. Each of the Common Application essay options  is really getting at this very issue. Whether you are writing about a a challenge youve faced, a problem youve solved, an important accomplishment in your life, or an important dimension of your life experiences, a good essay shows that you bring to campus the type of passion and personality that will enrich the university community. Make Your University of Wisconsin Essay Shine You have lots of breadth in choosing what to write about, but youd be wise to steer clear of bad essay topics that often go astray. Also, dont just focus on what to write, but also how you write it. Pay attention to the style of your essay so that your narrative is tight, engaging, and powerful.   Also be sure to follow the tips on the UW website. One important tip relates to your essay length. While the application allows you to write essays that are up to 650 words, UW recommends essays in the 300-500 word range. While you may be tempted to use the entire available space, youd be wise to heed the universitys recommendation and exceed 500 words.