The Value of a Tertiary Education

Today, we covered Asrophil and Stella in Renaissance Literature class. Of course, seeing that it was a class taught by the professor whom I deem the Sheldon Cooper of the English Department (cos he’s so brilliant but not as socially awkward though I don’t know him outside of a classroom context to ascertain this), I experienced my weekly information overload. Terms like lyric subjectivity, autopoiesis, Epicurean good even St Augustine’s notion of the interior ineffability and Hamlet (“that within which passeth show”) inundated my brain and I honestly felt like I was in uni learning things which I never would have in any other institution.There I was in the third row, cup of coffee on the table, notepad out, pen in hand, thinking through theories and creating ideas only English majors and starving artists could.

Then came the presentation by some classmates. They really had interesting and enlightening things to say about the sonnets, they really did. But somehow, their first speaker just ruined that presentation for me and it was through no fault of that first speaker. It’s seriously a reflection of how much tertiary education has done for the maturation of my thoughts.

First Speaker: …the Petrarchan form in A ‘n’ S… A ‘n’ S was probably written in…

My Thoughts: Hmm, Petrarchan form, interesting, did it in JC…Let’s review… A ‘n’ S? A. N. S. Ayanas. Aynas… ANUS. ohmygod it sounds like everything she says is referring to anus. Holy crap shits and giggles. Oh god Sher Li just turned and raised her eyebrow knowingly (or is that judgementally) at me. Must hold it together. Snort oh god stifle it, STIFLE IT!

Clearly tertiary education has benefited me much.

Sorry, I shall now banish myself to the deep recesses of the cave and watch shadow plays on the wall as I am clearly not fit to be outside with the rest of humanity basking in enlightenment.

Who knew scatological humor could be derived from Philip Sidney’s ‘Astrophil and Stella’?

Alright I shall stop now. I truly am ashamed at having thought of such profane, base thoughts.