And so it begins...

E.M. Forster and I welcome you to my blog!

(If only I could submit literary cupcakes for my thesis...)

I've been writing an introductory post for AT LEAST a week now. And I think I'm going to scrap everything I've got so far and just start over. (Tragically, this seems to be the best route for my academic writing of late as well.)

Hi, I'm Jess, and basically, I'm a huge nerd, hence the blog title! You can regularly find me geeking out over things like hockey (I miiiight have been riveted to all three nights of NHL all-star weekend), music (I've been described as a human jukebox, perhaps my greatest compliment), and literature ("ZOMG There's Victorian references in this modernist novel!!!"). I also fancy making sports and literature-themed cupcakes (see above). Oh, and I tend to succumb to all things adorable, namely cupcakes, sparkles, hearts, Etsy... So if you put all of that weirdness into a blender, you get a spazzy girly-girl who gets too excited over fantasy hockey success, can name 80s songs by their guitar solos, and makes ridiculous marginal notes in her schoolbooks. Win?

The written word is (generally) my friend, as I get flustered pretty much every time I open my mouth. But this semester, the written word and I are at odds. You see, I'm currently working on my English Lit M.A. thesis, and I've never felt more frazzled/panicked/incapable of writing a coherent thought meant for someone who reads above a first grade reading level. So there's that. I also am terribly freaked out by the unknown, and the fact that my life will change drastically in about eight months is not sitting well with me. I've been in school since I was three years old. WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU'RE NOT IN SCHOOL?!?! Well, you get a job, I guess. I actually just took on a second job, which has exponentially increased both my anxiety and (on the plus side) my bank account. (Flyers tickets for all!) My ultimate dream is to be a novelist, which means that I should probably get my MFA in creative writing, so my school days may not be over. In case they are, though, I want to enjoy these last few months in grad school with my wonderful friends!

Basically, I need to heed the immortal words of keymaster Lloyd Dobler (upon being tackled by a drunken party guest): "YOU MUST CHILL! YOU MUST CHILL!" I'm hoping that this blog will prove to be a creative outlet to calm my nerves and also potentially help people who are feeling equally unnerved by the thesis writing process. (Solidarity!) Because if I can't help somebody through my writing, there's really no point to doing it at all...