The SWC Tutors, Part 3

Alyssa

My name is Alyssa, and I have a bachelor’s degree in English from Texas A&M University – Kingsville. My areas of expertise are literary analysis and MLA formatting/citations. I’ve never been very good at math, but MLA citations are like a formula to me. I plug in the right information, and out pops a fully-formed citation. It’s as close to being a mathematician as I’ll ever get. I also have a deep-seated love for books and analyzing every last ounce out of them. Don’t get me started.

I love that writing can take my imperfect thoughts and verbalizations and turn them into something poetic. I talk fast, and writing forces me to slow down. On the flip side, I love when I read someone else’s writing and one sentence floors me. I’ll stop and take a second to really absorb what I just read and then read it again. Words are so powerful. I wish I could tell my younger self to stop fighting against what I knew I wanted to do. I went through a couple of majors before I settled on English. This was mostly because of people around me telling me that I needed a “practical” career path. I didn’t know how practical the English discipline would be. Don’t let anyone dissuade you from what you love.

My bakery

At one point, a few years ago, I considered opening a bakery. I wanted to call it The Cupcake Library and have cupcakes named after different books and characters. This was a way of combining my love of reading and baked goods. I still bake a lot, but my bakery never made it past the planning stage. I dreamed of having magical Harry Potter cupcakes and serious Mr. Rochester ones. Maybe someday!

Howdy!

Rylie
Howdy, y’all. Rylie here! Now that I’ve gotten my obligatory Aggie greeting out of the way, I can tell you that I graduated from Texas A&M University in College Station with a bachelor’s degree in English. I am currently halfway through obtaining my Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Popular Fiction Writing and Publishing through Emerson College’s online program.

My area of expertise is definitely in Creative Writing, and the part of the writing process that I enjoy the most is getting started. The feeling of staring at a blank page that so many people dread is actually one I relish. I know it sounds crazy, but the possibilities of a blank canvas are endless. Who knows where my mind will go? At times, I’m just along for the ride!

My favorite things

My favorite things about writing have to be getting to express my creativity and helping people to see things differently. Ever since I was little, I’ve had a huge imagination. It’s gotten the better of me at times, via nightmares and daydreaming, but it’s also gotten me through a lot, like insomnia and anxiety over school. Whenever I’m stressed, I write myself into a different world. Writing novels means that I get to invite people in to see what I’ve created and if I manage to introduce them to some new ideas or views along the way, even better!

I wish Younger Me could’ve gotten the advice to join clubs early and get very involved. Once I found my favorite club, I had a stress-free environment with many friends; both of which helped me to do better in school. Though we’re now spread throughout the United States, we keep in constant contact and meet up every now and then. 

Ethan 

My name is Ethan, and writing has always had a special appeal to me. I am a firm believer that, as Margaret Atwood said, “A word after a word after a word is power."

Having been a voracious reader since childhood, I understood the power of words early on. Language has the power to inform, to persuade, and to transport us to different times and places. The ability to harness that power through the written form is part of what makes writing so appealing to me. Being able to pass along what I have learned as a student and a writer is just icing on the cake.

Though I’ve always been passionate about reading and writing, if I could go back in time, I would tell my younger self to read and write more. After all, there is no such thing as too many books, and there is always something new to write about. As I try to explain to new students, good writing takes lots and lots of practice, and I am always striving to become better at it.

As an undergraduate, I started out as a science major. However, my affinity for reading and writing quickly caused me to change majors, and I wound up completing a bachelor’s and master’s degree in history at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. I am proficient in general academic writing and research methods, but, as a history student, I will always be partial to historical research and writing and liberal arts topics in general.

In addition to reading and writing, I have a few other hobbies. I am an avid outdoorsman and regularly go fishing and hunting. I also enjoy watching cooking shows and doing my best to replicate (with varying degrees of success) the various dishes I see on TV.