Why I’m Considering the Russian Major

As you may have read last week, I am considering the SOAN major. However, I am also considering the Russian major. Because I believe in having the best of both worlds, I am tentatively planning to double major in both! You can learn more about the process of declaring a second major here.

So, why the Russian major? It’s not for the same reasons why I started taking Russian in the first place. I took Russian because my dad suggested it and I was in a silly, goofy mood so I said “Why not?” I never even dreamed that I would consider majoring in it! Here are some reasons why I’ve gone from “Why not?” to “I’m a prospective Russian major!”:

Area Studies Are So Interdisciplinary

This seems to be a very compelling reason for me to choose a major. Area studies require a multitude of different methods and reasonings because they look at a part of the world in deep detail. In order to get to know a part of the world intimately, one must look at its people, its culture, its environment, and even its geology!

Here at Carleton, we have a large focus on Russian literature, but many electives that count towards the Russian major come from the history or Cross Cultural Studies departments. It’s entirely possible to focus my Russian studies in a way that compliments my SOAN major aspirations. The liberal arts college experience is learning that everything is connected in some way so I am sure that even if I focus on Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, it will somehow connect back to sociology. 

Amazing People In the Department

Have you ever had a teacher who believed in you even when you didn’t believe in yourself? I’ve been lucky enough to have four in the course of one year: Dr. Laura Goering, Dr. Victoria Thorstensson, Anna Dotlibova, and Darina Kozhakhmetova. No matter how terrible my grammar was or how little vocabulary I knew, all four of these faculty members saw the best in me. 

Dr. Laura Goering has taught me how to learn, which in turn has helped me in every one of my classes since then. I know that I can always turn to her for help with anything, whether it be the pesky genitive plural case or trouble in my little brain. Dr. Goering’s existence proves to me that happiness is found in day-to-day life, not solely in the grandiose accomplishments we try for.

During spring term, Dr. Victoria Thorstensson told me that I work so hard, I’ll be fluent in Russian by fall. While I haven’t quite gotten there (yet!), I have learned quite a bit of Russian because I sit down with my Quizlet flashcards. Dr. Thorstensson’s belief that I can do great things makes me feel empowered to take on tasks that I’m not so confident with. She reminds me that speaking softly commands more attention than carrying a big stick.

Anna Dotlibova is quite possibly the funniest, most hands-on professor that I know. She cares so much about the well-being of her students and is constantly encouraging self-care. While rumors claim that she doesn’t speak English to students, you can always feel how much she cares about you, even if you don’t always understand what she’s saying. When she started calling me by the diminutive of my Russian nickname the third week of my first-year fall term, I knew I found a home in the Russian department.

Darina Kozhakhmetova is the sweetest, gentlest soul I know, and she single-handedly keeps me focused and motivated while I study Russian grammar. She reminds me of the greater things that await me at the end of my college career. She is also a very, very good Eastern European pastry baker. Darina deserves a big round of applause for all she does for the Russian department *clap clap clap*.

Maybe I just want to major in Russian because I love the people in the department so much. I also love the students! Stay tuned for a blog about being the Russian TA.

Comps Excites Me

In order to graduate from Carleton, every student must complete a comprehensive capstone project called “Comps.” For the Russian major, Comps consists of two parts: a factual exam and a research paper. At first, that sounds really overwhelming, but after spending a lot of my time this term with a research opportunity (blogs forthcoming!) I realized I love researching.

To be able to investigate a topic relating to Slavic Studies is very intriguing to me. While much of the previous comps projects in the past have been about Russian literature, I’d like to explore Soviet history further. Of course, I am only a sophomore and Comps is rather far away, so I don’t have to decide what I want to study just yet.

When I first thought about applying to Carleton, the idea of Comps scared me out of my socks. But now, after learning more about what Comps is for–showcasing the skills you’ve learned at this awesome liberal arts college–the fear has slowly been replaced by anticipation. I’m eager to show what I’ve learned about Russian culture and history to my professors and friends, and maybe even some of you future Carls!

Personal Point to Prove

You caught me! The Russian lexicon and grammar have evaded me in the past, but with some helpful study tips I learned during my first year, I’m on track for Russian language proficiency. I have a point to prove to myself that I can do hard tasks, and majoring in Russian seems like a worthwhile endeavor to do just that.

This reason is only a small portion of why I want to major in Russian. I don’t think that I have to prove my dedication to language-learning to anybody but myself by majoring in Russian. It feels like a full-circle moment to major in what was my hardest class first-year fall, and I’m up for that challenge.

I think that the smallest bits of motivation you can muster to achieve a goal are integrally a part of it. For me, I find motivation in the idea that I will have conquered a very difficult language and skill by majoring in Russian. I may never be completely fluent in Russian because I started too late (the Linguistics Department can tell you all about that!), but I can immerse myself in the language and get pretty close.

Takeaway

I am considering the Russian major because I am extremely interested in it. For me, the value of a liberal arts education is the ability to explore areas of interest and find your niche within them. Although I never dreamed I would major in Russian, I am so glad that I took a chance by taking Russian 101. Without it, I wouldn’t have met some of my best friends or learned how persistent I can possibly be.