Community college was great, but let’s be real — it wasn’t exactly what you’d call academically rigorous. To be honest, it didn’t prepare me well for what was waiting for me: UC Berkeley. Professors were very lenient. The homework wasn’t challenging. And the readings? Don’t get me started on that one.
So now that I’m about to head to UC Berkeley, this one question keeps looming: Am I actually ready for this?
To help ease my nerves and feel somewhat ready for the fall semester, I’ll be doing a little light preparation by reading.
Though, why read in the first place? I could just watch YouTube videos, right?
I’m an English major, so reading is kind of my life. It’s calming because it’s familiar to me. And honestly, reading is one of the only times that I can escape and focus on something else.
But if you want the less romanticized answer, I’m just trying to trick myself into feeling more confident and intellectually stimulated.
Here are the four books I’ll be reading this summer and why they made the cut.
-
“The Nuts and Bolts of College Writing” by Michael Harvey
I’ve always been told that I’m a good writer, but honestly, I never thought I was. I’m a perfectionist, and sometimes I wonder if the professors at community college had low expectations. That’s the main reason why I decided to pick this book up. While talking with an English professor at my college, he told me that what got me an A at my community college would get me a B at UC Berkeley. So I thought, “Well, I’ve got to start getting better.” This reference book is a little more than 100 pages, filled with knowledge on essay structure, clarity, using sources well and much more, so you can write as if you didn’t procrastinate until the night before.
-
“How to Read Literature Like a Professor” by Thomas C. Foster
I had a professor who I took two classes with, so I became familiar with his approach to analyzing texts. We would talk often as well, so I knew what his thought process was like and I could figure out what he wanted us to look for in whatever we read. But now I need to read like all professors — enter this book, a crash course in how they think. It’s like a how-to guide for picking up on literary patterns and symbolism that I’d probably miss from being too caught up in the plot. If you want to be a deciphering pro in your next English class, this one’s for you.
-
“The Source of Self-Regard”by Toni Morrison
The same professor I mentioned in the second point gifted me this book after I won a scholarship. And honestly, if a professor gifts or recommends a book to you, then it’s most likely an important one. Morrison is a well-acclaimed author and I’ve heard people say that her writing is beautiful, so I’m excited to take a look at her works.
-
“These Fevered Days: Ten Pivotal Moments in the Making of Emily Dickinson”by Martha Ackmann
OK, I can’t be the only one who thinks this sounds like a book English majors would read, right? As soon as I picked it up, I knew I had to purchase it. Not only is the cover pretty — seriously, stop reading this blog for a minute and look it up — but Dickinson is one of the most classic poets ever. I figured it was high time to jumpstart learning more about poets, and I think this is the perfect book to start.
Although this is my personal way of preparing for Berkeley, I highly encourage you to find a way as well. Whether it’s through reading like me, exploring the campus to get your bearings or even connecting with fellow transfer students, finding small ways to prepare yourself over the summer can help ease the nerves. You’re more ready for UC Berkeley than you think — but it’s still OK to want to feel more ready.
