I had to wait till the end of the Semester (and for grades to come in) to make sure I was able to do this blog. Now, I am proud to say that I am one of the few, the proud, and the brave to survive a class with Dr. Thomas Mackey. I hope to share with you that experience.
A Mackey class is quite a ride. It's an experience that I am so glad that I had. However, I hope to share with you some tips that I wish someone had shared with me.
1. Go to class. Not only is there so much vital information for the tests given in class, you will find that his lectures are something that you do not want to miss. He keeps his classes so informative, but at the same time so entertaining. His was legitimately the only class which caught me surprised when our 50 minutes were up. I learned more from his lectures than from anyone else's...except maybe Farrier's.
2. Ask questions. He always allows you to ask questions in or out of class, and being able to pick the brain of someone like Mackey could be a once-in-a-college-term kind of thing.
3. The key to writing...is rewriting. Write your papers for Mackey. And then rewrite them. And then rewrite them. Then show them to him and have him and his pencil destroy them. Then pick up the pieces of your shattered heart and rewrite them.
4. Don't say "basically." I know you want to. He knows you want to. Don't do it. It's a bad word.
5. People are no damn good. That's one of his mantras. Just listen to his lectures: some people are okay. But for the most part, people are no damn good.
6. When you do your work, when you have a conversation with him, when you ask him questions, when you write your papers, make an argument. Take a position and defend it.
7. If he ever asks you to read the Constitution or any part thereof in class, stand up. Stand up before he asks you to. Just do it. He'll be impressed.
8. START YOUR TERM PAPER EARLY. "Ah, I have plenty of time," you'll think. NO YOU DON'T. Start it now. Like right now.
And in all, you'll love Mackey's class. I strongly suggest you take one. It will make you grow as a person, learner, student, and writer. Those things are all pretty important, I guess.
Love,
Max Morley
A Mackey class is quite a ride. It's an experience that I am so glad that I had. However, I hope to share with you some tips that I wish someone had shared with me.
1. Go to class. Not only is there so much vital information for the tests given in class, you will find that his lectures are something that you do not want to miss. He keeps his classes so informative, but at the same time so entertaining. His was legitimately the only class which caught me surprised when our 50 minutes were up. I learned more from his lectures than from anyone else's...except maybe Farrier's.
2. Ask questions. He always allows you to ask questions in or out of class, and being able to pick the brain of someone like Mackey could be a once-in-a-college-term kind of thing.
3. The key to writing...is rewriting. Write your papers for Mackey. And then rewrite them. And then rewrite them. Then show them to him and have him and his pencil destroy them. Then pick up the pieces of your shattered heart and rewrite them.
4. Don't say "basically." I know you want to. He knows you want to. Don't do it. It's a bad word.
5. People are no damn good. That's one of his mantras. Just listen to his lectures: some people are okay. But for the most part, people are no damn good.
6. When you do your work, when you have a conversation with him, when you ask him questions, when you write your papers, make an argument. Take a position and defend it.
7. If he ever asks you to read the Constitution or any part thereof in class, stand up. Stand up before he asks you to. Just do it. He'll be impressed.
8. START YOUR TERM PAPER EARLY. "Ah, I have plenty of time," you'll think. NO YOU DON'T. Start it now. Like right now.
And in all, you'll love Mackey's class. I strongly suggest you take one. It will make you grow as a person, learner, student, and writer. Those things are all pretty important, I guess.
Love,
Max Morley