My most recent nmy8 project was a bit different than those past. It came in the form of a couple of things:
1. some yet unpublished writing
2. a presentation about Nixon’s Watergate Scandal
You see, we in nmy8 gave ourselves three weeks to complete individual history/government projects, but I violated the rules a bit.
Actually, for much of the first two weeks, I wasn’t learning about history/government at all.
And for the first three days, I was visiting my grandmother out of town. When I got back from my trip, I was rather unsure about which direction in history/government that I wanted to aim.
I did, however, know what I was really interested in exploring: Violations.
By Violations, I refer to times when things go differently than as planned—either unintentionally or by design.
A few examples:
- When the TV anchor goofs up on air
- When your grand plan fails and you have to improvise
- When you misread your schedule and show up an hour early to the dentist
- When a flight gets canceled and passengers kick and scratch in order to get accommodated by the airline
- When an ambulance comes through a busy intersection and cars scatter in all directions
- When the baseball game goes into extra innings and they hold a 14th inning stretch
- etc.
Collectively, I call these events Violations. And they fascinate me. So in the second week of my project, I pretty much ignored history/government and spent time writing about my experiences with Violations.
I knew that I wouldn’t be finished with Violations by the three-week project due-date, but I spent time on it anyway.
Was I afraid that somebody (read: Rob Greco) might reprimand me because I didn’t have a clear goal in mind? Yes, I was terrified of that.
But it was a chance that I was willing to take. And in the end, I made it through unscathed.
Finally, week three of my project came around. I began to think about the fact that I was expected to give a presentation to the group and that I couldn’t get up and talk about Violations. I wasn’t even done with Violations. I needed something ‘real and substantive’ to present about.
So I descended upon Richard Nixon. Richard Nixon has always fascinated me. I was genuinely interested in learning more about him.
And I went to the library and took out some Nixon books. I read through them and familiarized myself with Watergate. I watched All The President’s Men. I went online and listened to some of the Nixon tapes.
Then, finally, the group presentation day arrived. As I watched other students present their projects before me, I was shaking in my boots. They all sounded so proficient about their topics and I was terrified that I would stand up and have nothing to say (I hadn’t rehearsed anything.)
But then my turn came. I walked to the front of the room and slowly started speaking. And speaking. I was on a roll. And I was comfortable. The words just flowed out. I had no end of things to say.
After fewer than four days of planning and research, I told Watergate’s story—and I told it pretty damn well.
Could I have taken the project further if I spent more time on it? No doubt about it. But I didn’t want to—I was busy writing about Violations.
That was of no matter though. nmy8 really enjoyed my presentation. The students had no criticism. They didn’t say that I sounded like a procrastinator who’d whipped up his project at the last minute. They commended me on my depth and command of my topic.
Should I privately feel ashamed of myself for not sticking to Nixon and not going all the way with him? Maybe. And for a few days, I was. I was guilty.
But now I just say what the hell. Just as long as I can easily make my study sound thorough, then it’s all the more time for me to explore Violations.
