I have been told that many people read this blog, which is true. I can tell by the number of hits it receives. Apparently, I need to correct a few things I have said and one big idea that some people misinterpreted from my blog because they have been taken incorrectly by the people I have said them to, or who have read them.
- Do not simply study twelve texts for your comprehensive exams; however, you will only use twelve on the actual test. You should study several from each time period and be intimately involved with at least three or four from each time period outside of your own. By intimately involved I mean that you should know everything you possibly can about them, writing down what questions you could use them for would be helpful. Hopefully, the rest of your education will fill in the gaps that are left. This is risky, so make sure you are well-rounded in your knowledge to start with.
- Make sure you study the periods, movements, genres, forms, and other general information. This is the key to success. You don’t want your oral exams committee to wonder if you really know about Modernism because you have to stumble over yourself, cobbling together the main tenets of that particular literary movement.
- I did study, but I wish I would have studied more. I wish I would have studied more thoroughly and smarter. I wish I wouldn’t have had to paint my house, remodel my house, go on two separate week-long vacations, have people staying at my house, and most importantly, I wish I could have majored in English in my undergrad so I would have had a better foundation for all of this. My insecurity in passing my exams lies in the fact that I am afraid: one day will everyone discover that I am a fraud?
Having said all of that, I wish adult life could be less similar to middle school. I wish we could stop talking about each other and telling stories about others to make ourselves feel better. I wish we could each be secure enough in our attributes to recognize the beauty in each other rather than exploiting the shortcomings.
Reason Breeds Insanity 
You’re not a fraud. We all study in different ways, and you did the best you could when taking the exam–and that best was enough to pass. I wish you wouldn’t feel insecure in passing your exams.
People suck … I’m sorry you were put in a position where you felt like you had to explain yourself on your own blog. That’s not fair.
I love you, Corbs.
Thanks, Ladies! I do think it is strange, but I can see the point. I don’t want people to think that I just flat out didn’t study, or that I don’t like teaching. : )