The Tutor of this Semester

This afternoon I first time met my writing tutor of this semester. To my surprise, the college Writing Center assigned my old tutor from last semester to me again. I have a conflicting feeling towards him. On the one hand, he is indeed a knowledgeable person. Today he told me that he will to go Yale University graduate school to study American intellectual history. His concentrating field is just what I am studying now. Probably just for this reason, the Center assigned graduated students to him. On the other hand, he provides limited service during the one hour tutoring session. He is polite but shows little passion to help others. I am not satisfied although I understand that I should not complain. As long as I learn something from him, no matter how great or how tiny, I must appreciate.

History 710 Urbanism in Antiquity

The course Urbanism in Antiquity deals with ancient cities of Greece and Roman only. I should realize this early because the concept of ancient history is very different between American’s and mine. From Western point of view, ancient history refers ancient Greece and Roman, which are the direct source of modern Western civilization. Indian or Chinese ancient history would not be called ancient history but be categorized to Indian or Chinese history. Thus, my dream to study Indus cities or Chinese medieval city Chang’an in this course became in vain.

Greek and Roman history is completely new subject for me. When I mentioned this in the self-introduction in the first class, the professor asked if anybody else has never studied ancient history either. The result is that around one third people in the class is in the same boat with me. Although I must need to spend a lot time to get into this new and broad topic, I feel it is interesting and have the confidence to do well.

I got a sense that Professor Allen must be a very understanding person from a small thing in the first class. Unlike most professors, who usually expect student participating as more as possible, Professor Allen said that somebody likes talk, but somebody likes study quietly; it is nothing wrong with somebody doesn’t talk in the class because everybody has his or her own way to study. Thus, instead of class participation, deportment occupies 10% of a student’s final grade in this class. I appreciate it.