Introduce yourself - Name, ID #, specialization. You may specify why that is your chosen specialization. - Hi! My name is Marie Entao. I'm from ID 120 and I'm currently studying AB Literature with a Major in Creative Writing.
Why did you choose Literature? Was this your first choice? (If you shifted, what course did you come from and why did you shift?) - Before I entered DLSU, I honestly had no idea what degree to take. What I did know, however, was that I had always gravitated towards the arts. For a while, I considered studying Music with a Major in Violin Performance, but I eventually decided not to after realizing I did not want to do music full time. My next option was Literature, but I initially hesitated since I felt burned out from writing for a few years in junior high school. Thankfully, my senior high school Creative Writing teachers reignited my love for literature and inspired me to pursue a career in it.
How is your experience with your Majors? - It has been a rollercoaster of emotions. On one hand, I have enjoyed learning new things about my craft through both my professors and my peers. I have become more exposed to different genres/ writing styles and have developed a greater appreciation for literature that I used to be totally disinterested in. On the other hand, however, it has been challenging to adjust to the aspects of the course that are not as "fun" (at least, not initially). There were many moments I complained about the sheer volume of readings and questioned why I even had to learn about certain literary theories that didn't seem applicable to me outside of school. In fact, I even considered shifting because I felt that I was “not built for it." Looking back now, I have realized that deciding to power through the challenges of this course has made the journey all the more rewarding. All knowledge can be proven useful in some way — perhaps not now, but later on. It may not always have a direct or clear use in my life, but the discipline it has taught me will serve me well both in the present and the future. Overall, it has been a humbling experience and I will always be grateful for the friends and mentors who have guided me through the course.
Favorite moment in your Majors so far? - One of the most notable highlights of my journey as a Lit Major was discovering my passion for creative nonfiction. I cannot really pinpoint a single specific moment when I realized it, but it was definitely around the time I started having creative nonfiction classes. It was a genre I had not seriously considered before, but I chose to specialize in it since I was not very good at poetry or fiction, the two other options that were offered to my batch. In the end, I knew I had made the right choice as I have come to enjoy writing about real life in a creative way. As Lee Gutkind puts it, creative nonfiction is simply "true stories, well told," and I aim to achieve exactly that.
What’s your advice for incoming Lit Majors? How to survive subjects? Orgs? Opportunities? - The #1 piece of advice I would give to incoming Lit Majors is to anchor themselves with a community both in and out of the program. In my darkest moments, it was the people I loved who kept me afloat and motivated me to continue pursuing my dreams. Having friends within the program who shared and understood my struggles was invaluable as they — quite literally — kept me sane whenever I couldn't understand the concepts being taught to us. In other words, I learned to work together with my peers instead of treating writing like a competition. Learning to admit whenever I was struggling and asking for help also gave me the confidence later on to step out of my comfort zone and experiment with my craft as I became more resilient in dealing with criticism. Moreover, whenever I faced disappointments, my fellow Lit Majors were there for me and helped me not dwell too long on my insecurities. However, while I appreciated their support, I also knew that I would need space to breathe outside of the program, so I joined the Lasallian Youth Orchestra (LYO). There, I continued to hone my violin playing skills and found like-minded people who share the same love for music. It was through LYO that I achieved a better work-life balance, pursued my two passions in life, and prevented myself from burning out too easily, so I would advise incoming Lit Majors to find orgs/ groups that can help them do the same.
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