Good luck on your exams, I just finished mine but I am waiting for the results ! I am so proud of us African women, going to college and proving the world we are more than entertainers, sportspeople... here in France, they just showed a documentary making fun of us and downgrading us! So I am proud to witness your journey
Jacquie Nnyoung I can relate, I live in France and it's a shame they think low of the blacks. Imagine a French guy looking surprised when I told him I earned my MBA in the UK/my biologist asking " you have not eaten this morning?" and I replied No. she asked me about 5 times in different forms and I still said No.....then I noticed her colleague whispered to her " she's educated, she has not eaten" I suspect she expected me to say "yes, I have not eaten"......... For them Africans are not educated, it's a shame on them not me or any black fellow,I always tell them they lack exposure and education.
i totally feel you! my dissertation was about black feminism within music and the readings were so draining at times. hopefully you're taking time for yourself and your dad is 100% right, your work is important and needed to be written 💛
I’m an Asian doing English lit at Edinburgh uni and have felt exactly the same way since I first came here. I can totally relate to your experiences and hope things would get better for me as well in the following years here. Thank you a lot for making videos that encourage people like me and also reveal the truth though cuz I feel a lot people still have some unrealistic fancy about what these traditional British unis are like. Best wishes ❤️
Ive just come to the end of my English degree and I know where you are coming from in regards to the canonical texts being difficult to relate to, but I think its because you aren't meant to relate to the author or the context, but to understand the techniques and art form. We were lucky on my course, as my uni have specific modules based on fantasy and speculative fiction, American South literature and so on. So we had a more diverse range of authors and texts, but I think that maybe you would have enjoyed it a little more if you stopped trying to identify the distance between you and the author/character, especially where race and gender are concerned. I think it is important to appreciate that the majority of historic English literature is from the white man, because they had the privilege that women, and those of other races did not. More contemporary fiction and alt genre's offer a wider range of backgrounds, and hopefully now you are coming to the end of your studies you can explore them and enjoy them better because you have studied the history and the various influences.
In response to Annissa, The term "classics" is such a nebulous term. While my area of study in uni was music, I found that literature was a major through line in my studies. From art-song to opera, studying literature and finding a context from historical texts became increasingly important. Reading some authors from an historical lens makes it a lot easier. I'm not familiar with this term "race-politics", but writing is an ancient art-form. Who rises to the top is subjective, based on many factors, race being one of them. She is within her right to find Middle March boring. Literature didn't rise up from a wellspring in Great Britain. Your naming of Contemporary people of color tells me that maybe, with respect, you should take an african studies class. There are many before Baldwin, Angelou, Clarke,etc........
I truly resonate with this post. I my my time at school etc I always needed to make it personal and take it back to Africa especially in my art. Stay true to yourself Nissy and your study on these issues has enriched you and given you a better perspective on life. Read lots and understand the role of the British empire, imperialism, colonization and slavery. So when Ukip politicians chat rubbish you are educated about these issues. You are Congolese so make sure you do something about the Congolese genocide at the hands of the Belgian King Leopold 2nd. That's you and your ancestors......
Idk if it's Literature has shaped you this kind of mindset, or if you're originally such kind of a person, but I genuinely appreciate, or admire you, and this is my first ever video of yours that I'm watching now. Thanks for the details! I think I'm not afraid to be a rare Asian doing Literature now haha
Just got done watching. I hope you one day consider writing a book, you have a depth of awesome information. You don't need me to tell you how intelligent you are.....you already know that. I have loved listening to your experience and I do hope you seize every chance to do great things in your chosen career or in whatever way the good Lord leads you. Blessings!
Nissy I love you. Honestly I feel angry all the time too, I feel like sometimes we carry our ancestors pain. Thank you for repping us in Cambridge ❤️ love you
NISSY! This is so inspiring and insightful! Thank you so much! Yes @ your dissertation!!! I'm currently doing my EPQ on womanism! I totally relate to the heavily European based course omg. I want to take history at degree level and ATM I take it at a level. I love history with all my heart it is so interesting BUT all the history I've learnt in school? All European or American (the Cold War). it's frustrating to be recovering similar periods (tudors) although in more detail which is interesting it's still the same old thing! I want to learn about colonialism and history of other countries and cultures in the setting of my class room! I love how you made your education your own a true inspiration love you so much good luck in your exams and god bless 😘♥️
Love the video. It sounds really interesting that you talked about Lemonade and how it represented black women in your dissertation. Could you possibly do a video about this topic in more detail? I don't know if there are any rules against it considering it's an official piece of university work but if there aren't I'm sure it would make a really interesting and informative video.
In response: As another Cambridge English student, I can tell you that the first book given as example of being "White male dead", Middlemarch, is written by the woman MARY ANNE EVANS. George Eliot is her pen name, and a lot of the book is about the SOCIAL STATUS OF WOMEN back then. The white/male/dead part about readings is true. But the last time I checked I am neither white nor male nor dead, but that doesn't make it impossible for me to relate to them. Unless somehow universal shared human experiences like love, loyalty, grief that literature somehow becomes different on virtue of a writer being white/male/dead, I don't think it'll be impossible to relate. Unless you choose not to. And if you choose not to, you would be dehumanising these "white middle-class males". Shakespeare isn't Shakespeare because he writes about he it's like to be a poet / playwright during 16th century England. It's because his plays explore themes that we all relate to: jealously, ambition, love... Authors inevitably carry the biases of their times. For example, right now, we most of us eat meat. The vegan movement is growing. In five hundred years, maybe eating meat will be look upon as an atrocity. Does that mean works today that addresses societal issues and philosophical issues and reflect on what it means to be human is invalid? I don't think so. Literature is supposed to teach us about our similarities, but not divide further divide us. Much less are you supposed to use literature as a way to target a group of individuals currently not protected by the media (imagine if a white male talked about how he completely "whitified" his curriculum). Even less are you supposed to use it as a way of gaining clicks and views on RUclips. I don't think Nissy learned much at Cambridge at all. How heartbreaking that someone can go through three years of studying Literature and say things like this.
Woow!!! Nice video in general!! Your dissertation sounds so interesting but I understand why you will be angry cos you're learning about your history. My dissertation made me angry too so I can relate!!! You're the perfect representation of Black excellence!!!!
I goto uea and I'm in first year and I'm trying to blackify my curriculum as well - sometimes it gets a bit bland tbh and I know there are diverse writers but I question why their not in the curriculum widely
So at uea Pros no exams at all You get to pick one optional module - I picked imagining america which was interesting and really diverse There is some chance to write your own stuff but it doesn't count to your final grades The Lonely Londoners - this book along with citizen are the best books IMO you'll read in 1st year Cons Most of my modules were basically to do with white people although some themes were interesting Some of the books can be tedious Formative/practice essays aren't graded so its hard to tell how your doing and feedback can be hit/miss as some lecturers don't go in depth Any other questions?
Kwekue Ghana thank you so much! i had actually been looking into uea and the course sounded really interesting! may i ask how the uni is like in terms of vibe/atmosphere (e.g. busy, academically intensive) and the location (very distant from the nearest city/town or city centre)?
Its not too far from the city , taxis with a group are £6.50 from the uni to the city - if your a minority prepare for a culture shock especially if your from London , the city IMO is a bit empty in terms of things to do but I haven't explored everywhere yet I can confirm second year options seem quite interesting
As a fellow Congolese lady who didn't go to med school or become a lawyer or engineer (as expected by all African parents of their children), how did your parents accept your decision to study English at uni? I know if I told my parents I was going to study English, they would tell me "o lobaka anglais mikolo nioso"
S. Limbombe Because of the British system. You can do English literature at Cambridge and still get onto a good Graduate scheme. She can convert to law at any time and work in any business. If she graduates with a 2.1 at Cambridge University then she is set up for the future. Also she does so many other things......
Nissy please could you make a video on coping with the end of university, moving out, how to maintain uni friendships and that weird period between summer and graduation
Lol it's so funny how Cambridge categorises periods! As a historian (or student of history) calling the 1300s to 1800s "early" and post-1800s contemporary is near blasphemy! 😭 Great video :) you're really opening up what Cambridge is like for the ones coming after us.
I'm currently applying for English Literature at Cambridge and I've seen a lot of differnt info about how much you have to read per week... one website said it could be 40+ hours every week? I love reading but I'm worried I won't be able to cope... what has your experience been like with this?
Hi I have a question. I'm an indi-europen girl and I want to be a writer and I haven't study English literature in the high school. I have studied my country's literature.I wanna be a writer how can I enter Cambridge in literature course? How do they accept people like me?
I'm confused about what supervisions are - is that just another word for class? Or is it separate from your classes? If so, is the weekly essay on top of your other schoolwork or what?
how best should we address gap in slave history? is it only up to black people? Toni Morrison suggested in an interview a narrative from the point of view of the slave owner written by a white author but as a white I don't know how those thoughts could ever be explored? perhaps some kind of stream of consciousness would be interesting maybe how after emancipation you could look at the impact this had on sense of identity among whites- after the institution of slavery was abolished how did they orientate their sense of self-identity? think this might give a fuller picture of the destruction of slavery on identity. Is the gap in our history a national guilt issue or is there really a big literary hole? as you said harbouring resentment towards the people of the past can be debilitating so how best do we heed the lessons of the past to build a less ignorant society that is more robust and resistant to the racist mindset?
Wow !! That's great I also study at Cambridge university press ... And I always get A+ but I always came in top 5 students ...mashallah My exams r finished on Saturday I got my result and I got 3rd rank Masahaallah My aim to became a doctor inshallahtalh
I completely disagree with you here. It’s widely known that oxbridge are highly traditional universities, so you should have know what you were signing up for when you applied and what you were most likely going to be studying.Secondly the course is ENGLISH literature not world literature meaning that the novels will be written by English or American people, a majority of whom are not black. Thirdly being realistic here, most of the widely considered greatest works of English literature (with obvious exceptions of Mary Shelley, bronte sisters and wolf) were were written by white men. Just because they were white doesn’t mean that that’s automatically super bad because it not inclusive. I’m sorry but someones gender and race Should not devalue the merit of their work. Their writing has lasted all the centuries because it’s still relevant today and oxbridge would not be teaching it if that were not the case. The point is is that perhaps there should be more diversity, but if the great works of literature were written by men we should not replace them by lesser ones simply to fulfil some diversity Quota. You evidently did not read the course properly before applying because it’s pretty clear in the layout of it what kinds of novels you will study. There is a reason that oxbridge are the top unis in the world. Also you said that you read middlemarch because it’s “brutish” and “white”. Yet again you show to fundamentally misunderstand the curriculum. Middlemarch is a literary classic and it’s British (ahh there we go back to English literature) so obviously you are going to study it, because it’s a classic and it by and English author (both two fundamental concepts of the English lit course at Cambridge) not because it was written by a white male
I agree with this comment. I was doing MPhil at the Faculty of Education, also a Homertonian. So, when I decided to write the first paper on Vigotsky's psychology of language acquisition (so dear to my Russian heart) my supervisor said she did not know much about him, even though modern Western socio-cultural theories of language learning stem from this Russian guy's hypotheses. Boo-hoo, I had to tame my Russianness a bit and realize that...well, I'm NOT in Russia. I received very moderate support with that paper, but it would have been strange to go complaining how narrow an outlook Cambridge has in the field. On the other hand, why not make the programme more Russia-oriented in order to be more inclusive? Or actually ME-oriented: after all, I presume, the money I paid as an overseas student funded the education of a couple of locals.
Seriously? English Literature... hmm. So okay, what skin color has dominated English society for most of its history? Right, right... white skin. Yeah. So... it KIND OF makes sense that you wouldn't study, I don't know--Chinese writing in an ENGLISH Literature course, right? Or Spanish. Or Peruvian. Or Russian. Or African. Not to mention that you are at Cambridge. Which is indeed among the most prestigious locations to study ENGLISH LITERATURE. English--not African. Not literature from the Congo. You "can't relate" to everything in the canon of English Literature? Really? Such a statement sounds very much like you are racist towards white people and biased towards their culture, and more importantly, suggests you have some serious gaps in your understanding of how to read and appreciate literature from a culture that is not yours. Try reading Tennyson's In Memoriam. Much of what he writes is variations of mourning for the dead. Or the brutality of nature. If you can't find common ground there, you have a LOT to learn about reading literature at all. The study of history and literature is the study of appreciating the past and those who had completely different experiences than you in a completely different point in history than you. You studied "a wide range" of literature but only in a "British... box". Hm. If I didn't know any better, I would think you must be studying English Literature--oh wait, you are. Do you see the irony is such a complaint? There are whole degrees in various universities dedicated to African literature or Oriental literature or Spanish literature; if English literature is so repulsive to you, then why are you studying it at all? That's like going for degree in Classical Composers and then complaining that they aren't studying any jazz or blues composers. It is a very immature perspective and entitled to an extreme. Additionally, learning is learning. Doesn't matter if you like it or don't like it, disagree with it or agree with it. EVERY book you read, if read honestly with an attitude of respect for the author and what they have to tell you can inform you on many other things, can help you learn and grow, period. But there are various things I am tired of reading. I have had the slavery narrative, white guilt, evils of patriarchy, reparations, extreme third-wave feminism, and the rest of this whole deconstructionist and postmodern narrative shoved down my throat, and I find it utterly detestable and loathsome. But have I learned things from it? Absolutely--and what I'm talking about is material that is so hateful it almost oozes off the page and speaks revisionist lies over many parts of history--and I still learned from it (though not perhaps what I was intended to learn, haha). What YOU are talking about are some of the most beautiful and powerful things ever written in the English language (whether or not you can appreciate them is another matter). Though I am an American, as far as I am concerned, the study of English literature is the greatest celebration of English culture and its accomplishments, and even American culture in some ways as well because my country did originate with England. If you hate that culture, then it is just foolish for you to study a degree that is immersed in that which you hate. If you think you are in the slightest bit "original" in bringing in African literature or "blackifying" your curriculum... think again. Doing so is what is "in" now in academia. It's just sad that you think there is anything about that that is dynamic or particularly unique. In the US anyway, it is difficult not to be confronted with black history, black culture, and/or black literature at almost every turn. It is HARDLY original. The barbaric treatment of blacks. Hm. Yeah, the barbaric treatment of human beings by other human beings is a real aspect to human history. Interesting fact though: the majority of such things throughout history have not been from white people to black people. The vast majority of crimes against humanity are not actually relegated to ANY one nation or race. People are evil by nature. They do evil things to one another. The only thing that changes throughout time is the names and faces (including skin color). Slavery was horrible, true. But slavery is more dominant today than it ever was during the Atlantic slave trade. There are more slaves in the world NOW than there ever have been at any point in history. Oh, and another little anecdote: the racism in Africa right now is out of control. The systematic murder and rape of white African farmers is escalating and the government and local authorities are just letting it happen. But that's right, I forgot, "Only white people can be racist." You know, it's funny because if you think black people have been singled out, look at Jews. They have been singled out and hated for far, far longer than black people. They often are not looked at as individuals, but just grouped together and abused. Today, your "oppression" narrative is past. It isn't present (as much as people foolishly argue it is). However, Israelis are still fighting for their lives surrounded on all sides by whole NATIONS that hate them, and terrorist organizations whose leaders have declared there open desire for the genocide of the Jewish people. I mean seriously? And you want to talk about feminism? Okay, what about Muslim women in Saudi Arabia? Oppressive enough for you? Oh, right. The bad guys in that story aren't white, so... you don't really care about that. "Cambridge... was founded on the blood and bones of black people..." You. Have. To be kidding me. No. It most definitely was not. Cambridge is generally considered to have been founded in 1209 A.D. 1209!! I few hundred years earlier than when slavery was even a contributing factor to England. And to that point, slavery in the way you are thinking of it, only even came into the picture centuries and centuries after England had been existing and flourishing. So, don't give me this ridiculous narrative about slavery. If you want to talk about the "British Empire" or various as aspects of American agricultural economy, then yes, slavery was the backbone of much of that. But you CANNOT make such patently absurd statement of the whole of English or American culture and history. There are people at Cambridge who "owned slaves"? Really. I assume that was a slip of your tongue because last time I checked a bunch of white English men ended the slave trade in England in 1807. But seriously? If you go to Africa, you can find plenty of people there who also owned slaves, of their own people, and SOLD them. So, stop! Just stop this nonsense! Everyone has ancestors who did horrible things. I am positive that we all have a bunch of lying, thieving, raping, pillaging, murders in our ancestry. We ALL do. Human nature is human nature. Stop victimizing yourself as if you're the only ones to be enslaved and subjugated to others. It is simply and historically false. Yes, there is still racism. You are demonstrating that in much of what you've said here. Imagine if I to a university in Africa, decided to major in African literature and then said, I am going to "white-ify" black people's literature. How do you think that would go? Well, it wouldn't, and rightly so. I would be insane to do that. Nor would I want to. Somehow though, it's perfectly acceptable for you to do the same thing. Not only acceptable, but you're actually commended for it. Our world is completely backwards, and you are contributing to it. There is a really simple reason why the term "postcolonial" is used, and if you don't understand it, then I suggest you do a little research into it. It is not complicated. It is a helpful term to understand a point in history. Much like many other terms and "eras" and "ages" used in the discussion of history that are limited and only have selective utility which diminishes on closer inspection. Oh, you don't like how black women are put into a "box"? Hm. Yeah, I'll bet that white people don't really appreciate it either, and that to say that English literature is all the same thing is kind of like saying all black people are the same and they always talk about the same things and they're so boring. Probably a pretty offensive thing to say. Just a thought. And... you wanted to study all the "-ologies". Hm. So, the suffix -ology literally just means the study of, or field of study, discipline, branch of knowledge, etc. So, I don't think you wanted to study everything. Just a small edit there. With all that said, I think you have a lot of passion and I admire that. I also think you have been subjected to a lot of intensely biased information and probably equally biased authority figures who molded your mind into what it is. I encourage you to look analytically at your own mind and perspectives. Hammer on your own ideas as hard as you can and see if those ideologies can withstand such a rigorous testing. If they can, then more power to you. But to do that honestly, means that you have to ACTUALLY want to know the TRUTH, not just want to have your own opinions and biases affirmed. If you do this, I guarantee you will not regret it and you might just find that white people are not the devils many people today are trying to paint them to be and black people have not been the singular, helpless victims that they are often cast as throughout history. Be well.
You’re super lucky!!! It’s my dream to study Eng Lit in Cambridge 😩
It's my dream too😭
Good luck on your exams, I just finished mine but I am waiting for the results ! I am so proud of us African women, going to college and proving the world we are more than entertainers, sportspeople... here in France, they just showed a documentary making fun of us and downgrading us! So I am proud to witness your journey
Jacquie Nnyoung I can relate, I live in France and it's a shame they think low of the blacks. Imagine a French guy looking surprised when I told him I earned my MBA in the UK/my biologist asking " you have not eaten this morning?" and I replied No. she asked me about 5 times in different forms and I still said No.....then I noticed her colleague whispered to her " she's educated, she has not eaten" I suspect she expected me to say "yes, I have not eaten"......... For them Africans are not educated, it's a shame on them not me or any black fellow,I always tell them they lack exposure and education.
Liz Nourriture wow, I'm sure you're educated that you don't make the same intended mistake those French you mentioned do...
i totally feel you! my dissertation was about black feminism within music and the readings were so draining at times. hopefully you're taking time for yourself and your dad is 100% right, your work is important and needed to be written 💛
I’m an Asian doing English lit at Edinburgh uni and have felt exactly the same way since I first came here. I can totally relate to your experiences and hope things would get better for me as well in the following years here. Thank you a lot for making videos that encourage people like me and also reveal the truth though cuz I feel a lot people still have some unrealistic fancy about what these traditional British unis are like. Best wishes ❤️
Ive just come to the end of my English degree and I know where you are coming from in regards to the canonical texts being difficult to relate to, but I think its because you aren't meant to relate to the author or the context, but to understand the techniques and art form. We were lucky on my course, as my uni have specific modules based on fantasy and speculative fiction, American South literature and so on. So we had a more diverse range of authors and texts, but I think that maybe you would have enjoyed it a little more if you stopped trying to identify the distance between you and the author/character, especially where race and gender are concerned. I think it is important to appreciate that the majority of historic English literature is from the white man, because they had the privilege that women, and those of other races did not. More contemporary fiction and alt genre's offer a wider range of backgrounds, and hopefully now you are coming to the end of your studies you can explore them and enjoy them better because you have studied the history and the various influences.
In response to Annissa,
The term "classics" is such a nebulous term. While my area of study in uni was music, I found that literature was a major through line in my studies. From art-song to opera, studying literature and finding a context from historical texts became increasingly important. Reading some authors from an historical lens makes it a lot easier. I'm not familiar with this term "race-politics", but writing is an ancient art-form. Who rises to the top is subjective, based on many factors, race being one of them. She is within her right to find Middle March boring. Literature didn't rise up from a wellspring in Great Britain. Your naming of Contemporary people of color tells me that maybe, with respect, you should take an african studies class. There are many before Baldwin, Angelou, Clarke,etc........
I truly resonate with this post. I my my time at school etc I always needed to make it personal and take it back to Africa especially in my art. Stay true to yourself Nissy and your study on these issues has enriched you and given you a better perspective on life. Read lots and understand the role of the British empire, imperialism, colonization and slavery. So when Ukip politicians chat rubbish you are educated about these issues.
You are Congolese so make sure you do something about the Congolese genocide at the hands of the Belgian King Leopold 2nd. That's you and your ancestors......
Can you do a video in the way that feminists often over look the problems of black women.
Celena Sardothian white feminism, good video idea 🤗
Juxtapose Me ikr
oh and may you please do a video of how you study English literature and tips on his to write essays. I'm currently first year in unique, God bless💓
Idk if it's Literature has shaped you this kind of mindset, or if you're originally such kind of a person, but I genuinely appreciate, or admire you, and this is my first ever video of yours that I'm watching now. Thanks for the details! I think I'm not afraid to be a rare Asian doing Literature now haha
Just got done watching. I hope you one day consider writing a book, you have a depth of awesome information. You don't need me to tell you how intelligent you are.....you already know that. I have loved listening to your experience and I do hope you seize every chance to do great things in your chosen career or in whatever way the good Lord leads you. Blessings!
Nissy I love you. Honestly I feel angry all the time too, I feel like sometimes we carry our ancestors pain. Thank you for repping us in Cambridge ❤️ love you
NISSY! This is so inspiring and insightful! Thank you so much! Yes @ your dissertation!!! I'm currently doing my EPQ on womanism! I totally relate to the heavily European based course omg. I want to take history at degree level and ATM I take it at a level. I love history with all my heart it is so interesting BUT all the history I've learnt in school? All European or American (the Cold War). it's frustrating to be recovering similar periods (tudors) although in more detail which is interesting it's still the same old thing! I want to learn about colonialism and history of other countries and cultures in the setting of my class room! I love how you made your education your own a true inspiration love you so much good luck in your exams and god bless 😘♥️
Love the video. It sounds really interesting that you talked about Lemonade and how it represented black women in your dissertation. Could you possibly do a video about this topic in more detail? I don't know if there are any rules against it considering it's an official piece of university work but if there aren't I'm sure it would make a really interesting and informative video.
In response:
As another Cambridge English student, I can tell you that the first book given as example of being "White male dead", Middlemarch, is written by the woman MARY ANNE EVANS. George Eliot is her pen name, and a lot of the book is about the SOCIAL STATUS OF WOMEN back then.
The white/male/dead part about readings is true. But the last time I checked I am neither white nor male nor dead, but that doesn't make it impossible for me to relate to them. Unless somehow universal shared human experiences like love, loyalty, grief that literature somehow becomes different on virtue of a writer being white/male/dead, I don't think it'll be impossible to relate. Unless you choose not to. And if you choose not to, you would be dehumanising these "white middle-class males".
Shakespeare isn't Shakespeare because he writes about he it's like to be a poet / playwright during 16th century England. It's because his plays explore themes that we all relate to: jealously, ambition, love... Authors inevitably carry the biases of their times.
For example, right now, we most of us eat meat. The vegan movement is growing. In five hundred years, maybe eating meat will be look upon as an atrocity. Does that mean works today that addresses societal issues and philosophical issues and reflect on what it means to be human is invalid? I don't think so.
Literature is supposed to teach us about our similarities, but not divide further divide us. Much less are you supposed to use literature as a way to target a group of individuals currently not protected by the media (imagine if a white male talked about how he completely "whitified" his curriculum). Even less are you supposed to use it as a way of gaining clicks and views on RUclips.
I don't think Nissy learned much at Cambridge at all. How heartbreaking that someone can go through three years of studying Literature and say things like this.
Woow!!! Nice video in general!! Your dissertation sounds so interesting but I understand why you will be angry cos you're learning about your history. My dissertation made me angry too so I can relate!!! You're the perfect representation of Black excellence!!!!
I goto uea and I'm in first year and I'm trying to blackify my curriculum as well - sometimes it gets a bit bland tbh and I know there are diverse writers but I question why their not in the curriculum widely
Kwekue Ghana Would you mind sharing the other pros and cons of your course as well? :)
So at uea
Pros no exams at all
You get to pick one optional module - I picked imagining america which was interesting and really diverse
There is some chance to write your own stuff but it doesn't count to your final grades
The Lonely Londoners - this book along with citizen are the best books IMO you'll read in 1st year
Cons
Most of my modules were basically to do with white people although some themes were interesting
Some of the books can be tedious
Formative/practice essays aren't graded so its hard to tell how your doing and feedback can be hit/miss as some lecturers don't go in depth
Any other questions?
Kwekue Ghana thank you so much! i had actually been looking into uea and the course sounded really interesting! may i ask how the uni is like in terms of vibe/atmosphere (e.g. busy, academically intensive) and the location (very distant from the nearest city/town or city centre)?
Its not too far from the city , taxis with a group are £6.50 from the uni to the city - if your a minority prepare for a culture shock especially if your from London , the city IMO is a bit empty in terms of things to do but I haven't explored everywhere yet I can confirm second year options seem quite interesting
Great video Nissy!
May you please write a list of the African writers you used in your 3rd year exam?
I second this!
As a fellow Congolese lady who didn't go to med school or become a lawyer or engineer (as expected by all African parents of their children), how did your parents accept your decision to study English at uni? I know if I told my parents I was going to study English, they would tell me "o lobaka anglais mikolo nioso"
S. Limbombe Because of the British system. You can do English literature at Cambridge and still get onto a good Graduate scheme. She can convert to law at any time and work in any business. If she graduates with a 2.1 at Cambridge University then she is set up for the future. Also she does so many other things......
i cry clouds Your dentist sister will be rich.....
Thanks! Nissy for this in-depth talk, I really needed to hear how an English degree differs from A-level.
Nissy please could you make a video on coping with the end of university, moving out, how to maintain uni friendships and that weird period between summer and graduation
I can't do English, but I NEEDED THESE REVISION TIPS FOR MY A LEVELS 💖 thank you
JeanXMe thank you 😫 x
i am watching this video just after coming home from doing my gcse English literature exam
Rachel Gibson Same!
Rachel Gibson that paper was a blessing
Really resonated with this one, keep it going!
hey gaaarl, I live in South Africa🌻🌻 i really loved this video, you're such an intelligent women💓💓
You Go Girl 💥💥 You're truly inspirational 🌹
Keep up the good work!
Ikram Ali kek
How did the Cambridge uni was built of the black people’s bloods and bones? I became very interested in the topic!
LOOOL on the black magic disclaimer.
Brilliant video
I pray that your assignment will be favoured among the examiners in Jesus name.
I Asianised mine ^_^ You go Nissy!
jacqualine MC ayyyyy
which field can you go into after an english degree? im currently at GSCE and want to go into english however i dont know what job it would amount to.
please make a video on fake friends
How much were the fees for studying in Cambridge??
Or general in England . I am from Germany
I believe it's around £9000-£10000 ?
"White male dead" 😂
Lol it's so funny how Cambridge categorises periods!
As a historian (or student of history) calling the 1300s to 1800s "early" and post-1800s contemporary is near blasphemy! 😭
Great video :) you're really opening up what Cambridge is like for the ones coming after us.
I'm currently applying for English Literature at Cambridge and I've seen a lot of differnt info about how much you have to read per week... one website said it could be 40+ hours every week? I love reading but I'm worried I won't be able to cope... what has your experience been like with this?
Hi I have a question. I'm an indi-europen girl and I want to be a writer and I haven't study English literature in the high school. I have studied my country's literature.I wanna be a writer how can I enter Cambridge in literature course? How do they accept people like me?
Can relate so much! In school we never ever read anything that was not written by a white male.
What lipstick and eyeshadow(s) are you wearing? Beautiful.
Are there Maters courses of English literature in Cambridge University....
I am not able to find a link fron where to apply from.
LOOOL THE BLACK MAGIC PART KILLED ME 😂😂 THUMBS UPPPP
I'm confused about what supervisions are - is that just another word for class? Or is it separate from your classes? If so, is the weekly essay on top of your other schoolwork or what?
Gizan Glyer supervisions are small group tuitions.
comments about benevolent whitey deleted. i wonder why.
lol I want to do Medicine but I still watched because I love Nissy❤️
Love you so much! ❤
how best should we address gap in slave history? is it only up to black people? Toni Morrison suggested in an interview a narrative from the point of view of the slave owner written by a white author but as a white I don't know how those thoughts could ever be explored? perhaps some kind of stream of consciousness would be interesting maybe how after emancipation you could look at the impact this had on sense of identity among whites- after the institution of slavery was abolished how did they orientate their sense of self-identity? think this might give a fuller picture of the destruction of slavery on identity. Is the gap in our history a national guilt issue or is there really a big literary hole? as you said harbouring resentment towards the people of the past can be debilitating so how best do we heed the lessons of the past to build a less ignorant society that is more robust and resistant to the racist mindset?
I don't think you added the instagram for the top
Am really interested in reading your papers🙂🙂🙂🙂
same lol
how did you find the application process? how did you find making friends?
i hate 2nd year its annoying
yesss i think i always ask on snapchat when you have time for youtube hhahahah now i know i will copy you
xo
Daisy
nissy could I email you questions about how you managed studying Literature
Do you think most ppl at Cambridge relate to what they're reading???
Your hair 😍😍😍😍
Wow !! That's great I also study at Cambridge university press ...
And I always get A+ but I always came in top 5 students ...mashallah
My exams r finished on Saturday I got my result and I got 3rd rank
Masahaallah
My aim to became a doctor inshallahtalh
And what non-English language did she blackify her curriculum with?
;)
But what do you expect. Its an English university. Why does race matter just enjoy the story
Undergrad eng lit shd be abolished. Do it at post grad maybe. Waste of time. Read what you like but studying lit is pointless
I completely disagree with you here. It’s widely known that oxbridge are highly traditional universities, so you should have know what you were signing up for when you applied and what you were most likely going to be studying.Secondly the course is ENGLISH literature not world literature meaning that the novels will be written by English or American people, a majority of whom are not black. Thirdly being realistic here, most of the widely considered greatest works of English literature (with obvious exceptions of Mary Shelley, bronte sisters and wolf) were were written by white men. Just because they were white doesn’t mean that that’s automatically super bad because it not inclusive. I’m sorry but someones gender and race Should not devalue the merit of their work. Their writing has lasted all the centuries because it’s still relevant today and oxbridge would not be teaching it if that were not the case. The point is is that perhaps there should be more diversity, but if the great works of literature were written by men we should not replace them by lesser ones simply to fulfil some diversity Quota. You evidently did not read the course properly before applying because it’s pretty clear in the layout of it what kinds of novels you will study. There is a reason that oxbridge are the top unis in the world. Also you said that you read middlemarch because it’s “brutish” and “white”. Yet again you show to fundamentally misunderstand the curriculum. Middlemarch is a literary classic and it’s British (ahh there we go back to English literature) so obviously you are going to study it, because it’s a classic and it by and English author (both two fundamental concepts of the English lit course at Cambridge) not because it was written by a white male
I agree with this comment. I was doing MPhil at the Faculty of Education, also a Homertonian. So, when I decided to write the first paper on Vigotsky's psychology of language acquisition (so dear to my Russian heart) my supervisor said she did not know much about him, even though modern Western socio-cultural theories of language learning stem from this Russian guy's hypotheses. Boo-hoo, I had to tame my Russianness a bit and realize that...well, I'm NOT in Russia. I received very moderate support with that paper, but it would have been strange to go complaining how narrow an outlook Cambridge has in the field. On the other hand, why not make the programme more Russia-oriented in order to be more inclusive? Or actually ME-oriented: after all, I presume, the money I paid as an overseas student funded the education of a couple of locals.
Seriously? English Literature... hmm. So okay, what skin color has dominated English society for most of its history? Right, right... white skin. Yeah. So... it KIND OF makes sense that you wouldn't study, I don't know--Chinese writing in an ENGLISH Literature course, right? Or Spanish. Or Peruvian. Or Russian. Or African.
Not to mention that you are at Cambridge. Which is indeed among the most prestigious locations to study ENGLISH LITERATURE. English--not African. Not literature from the Congo.
You "can't relate" to everything in the canon of English Literature? Really? Such a statement sounds very much like you are racist towards white people and biased towards their culture, and more importantly, suggests you have some serious gaps in your understanding of how to read and appreciate literature from a culture that is not yours. Try reading Tennyson's In Memoriam. Much of what he writes is variations of mourning for the dead. Or the brutality of nature. If you can't find common ground there, you have a LOT to learn about reading literature at all. The study of history and literature is the study of appreciating the past and those who had completely different experiences than you in a completely different point in history than you.
You studied "a wide range" of literature but only in a "British... box". Hm. If I didn't know any better, I would think you must be studying English Literature--oh wait, you are. Do you see the irony is such a complaint? There are whole degrees in various universities dedicated to African literature or Oriental literature or Spanish literature; if English literature is so repulsive to you, then why are you studying it at all? That's like going for degree in Classical Composers and then complaining that they aren't studying any jazz or blues composers. It is a very immature perspective and entitled to an extreme.
Additionally, learning is learning. Doesn't matter if you like it or don't like it, disagree with it or agree with it. EVERY book you read, if read honestly with an attitude of respect for the author and what they have to tell you can inform you on many other things, can help you learn and grow, period. But there are various things I am tired of reading. I have had the slavery narrative, white guilt, evils of patriarchy, reparations, extreme third-wave feminism, and the rest of this whole deconstructionist and postmodern narrative shoved down my throat, and I find it utterly detestable and loathsome. But have I learned things from it? Absolutely--and what I'm talking about is material that is so hateful it almost oozes off the page and speaks revisionist lies over many parts of history--and I still learned from it (though not perhaps what I was intended to learn, haha). What YOU are talking about are some of the most beautiful and powerful things ever written in the English language (whether or not you can appreciate them is another matter). Though I am an American, as far as I am concerned, the study of English literature is the greatest celebration of English culture and its accomplishments, and even American culture in some ways as well because my country did originate with England. If you hate that culture, then it is just foolish for you to study a degree that is immersed in that which you hate.
If you think you are in the slightest bit "original" in bringing in African literature or "blackifying" your curriculum... think again. Doing so is what is "in" now in academia. It's just sad that you think there is anything about that that is dynamic or particularly unique. In the US anyway, it is difficult not to be confronted with black history, black culture, and/or black literature at almost every turn. It is HARDLY original.
The barbaric treatment of blacks. Hm. Yeah, the barbaric treatment of human beings by other human beings is a real aspect to human history. Interesting fact though: the majority of such things throughout history have not been from white people to black people. The vast majority of crimes against humanity are not actually relegated to ANY one nation or race. People are evil by nature. They do evil things to one another. The only thing that changes throughout time is the names and faces (including skin color). Slavery was horrible, true. But slavery is more dominant today than it ever was during the Atlantic slave trade. There are more slaves in the world NOW than there ever have been at any point in history. Oh, and another little anecdote: the racism in Africa right now is out of control. The systematic murder and rape of white African farmers is escalating and the government and local authorities are just letting it happen. But that's right, I forgot, "Only white people can be racist."
You know, it's funny because if you think black people have been singled out, look at Jews. They have been singled out and hated for far, far longer than black people. They often are not looked at as individuals, but just grouped together and abused. Today, your "oppression" narrative is past. It isn't present (as much as people foolishly argue it is). However, Israelis are still fighting for their lives surrounded on all sides by whole NATIONS that hate them, and terrorist organizations whose leaders have declared there open desire for the genocide of the Jewish people. I mean seriously?
And you want to talk about feminism? Okay, what about Muslim women in Saudi Arabia? Oppressive enough for you? Oh, right. The bad guys in that story aren't white, so... you don't really care about that.
"Cambridge... was founded on the blood and bones of black people..."
You. Have. To be kidding me.
No. It most definitely was not. Cambridge is generally considered to have been founded in 1209 A.D. 1209!! I few hundred years earlier than when slavery was even a contributing factor to England. And to that point, slavery in the way you are thinking of it, only even came into the picture centuries and centuries after England had been existing and flourishing. So, don't give me this ridiculous narrative about slavery. If you want to talk about the "British Empire" or various as aspects of American agricultural economy, then yes, slavery was the backbone of much of that. But you CANNOT make such patently absurd statement of the whole of English or American culture and history.
There are people at Cambridge who "owned slaves"? Really. I assume that was a slip of your tongue because last time I checked a bunch of white English men ended the slave trade in England in 1807. But seriously? If you go to Africa, you can find plenty of people there who also owned slaves, of their own people, and SOLD them. So, stop! Just stop this nonsense! Everyone has ancestors who did horrible things. I am positive that we all have a bunch of lying, thieving, raping, pillaging, murders in our ancestry. We ALL do. Human nature is human nature. Stop victimizing yourself as if you're the only ones to be enslaved and subjugated to others. It is simply and historically false.
Yes, there is still racism. You are demonstrating that in much of what you've said here. Imagine if I to a university in Africa, decided to major in African literature and then said, I am going to "white-ify" black people's literature. How do you think that would go? Well, it wouldn't, and rightly so. I would be insane to do that. Nor would I want to. Somehow though, it's perfectly acceptable for you to do the same thing. Not only acceptable, but you're actually commended for it. Our world is completely backwards, and you are contributing to it.
There is a really simple reason why the term "postcolonial" is used, and if you don't understand it, then I suggest you do a little research into it. It is not complicated. It is a helpful term to understand a point in history. Much like many other terms and "eras" and "ages" used in the discussion of history that are limited and only have selective utility which diminishes on closer inspection.
Oh, you don't like how black women are put into a "box"? Hm. Yeah, I'll bet that white people don't really appreciate it either, and that to say that English literature is all the same thing is kind of like saying all black people are the same and they always talk about the same things and they're so boring. Probably a pretty offensive thing to say. Just a thought.
And... you wanted to study all the "-ologies". Hm. So, the suffix -ology literally just means the study of, or field of study, discipline, branch of knowledge, etc. So, I don't think you wanted to study everything. Just a small edit there.
With all that said, I think you have a lot of passion and I admire that. I also think you have been subjected to a lot of intensely biased information and probably equally biased authority figures who molded your mind into what it is. I encourage you to look analytically at your own mind and perspectives. Hammer on your own ideas as hard as you can and see if those ideologies can withstand such a rigorous testing. If they can, then more power to you. But to do that honestly, means that you have to ACTUALLY want to know the TRUTH, not just want to have your own opinions and biases affirmed. If you do this, I guarantee you will not regret it and you might just find that white people are not the devils many people today are trying to paint them to be and black people have not been the singular, helpless victims that they are often cast as throughout history.
Be well.
What a condescending comment…
Your in England for christ sake. If you want to study african culture find a university in Africa.
*you’re