Pre–premaster

This summer, I felt like Spider-Man in Ancient Greece as I prepared for my upcoming master's in International Relations. While watching Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, I kept expecting Tom Holland’s character to turn to those feasting in his halls, climb the walls, and shoot some webs. It was either my lack of imagination or his bad acting, but nonetheless for three hours I believed him to be an anachronism, a 21st-century superhero left to live in ancient Greece. 

Marvel usually makes this work, contrastingly. Thor, a 1500-year-old Norse god, lives long enough to be helped by suits of armour and MRI machines as Asgard is evacuated by spaceships. It gives a weird perspective on old tales and traditions; perhaps they need an injection of technology to modernise and remain relevant (or these stories are so great they adapt and evolve to whatever one deems fit). So, thank you, I guess, to Stan Lee for keeping centuries-old stories alive. But what of its opposite then? Bringing the new into the ancient world doesn’t carry the same effect. Homer doesn't need a “Spider-Man” crossover, no matter how much Nolan forced it onto the IMAX screens. Consequently, I think Thor works because he follows the natural law. He is in our time because time naturally moves forward. On the contrary, Tom Holland requires a time machine, or a wormhole; I’m sure the Marvel writers can conjure something up, yet it feels alien. 

To be sure, a master’s program is a natural follow-up to a bachelor's; at least it should feel like that. An evolution, such as Thor’s transition to the present. Although my master's deviates slightly from my bachelor's, the impending one-year shortcut to the office feels more like I’m being dropped in the middle of a violent anachronism. Therefore, I spent the last two months attempting to prepare as best I can for this upcoming year. Force-feeding heavy jargon and theories, as I assume it’s how Holland must have felt when people spoke ancient Greek to him. I do believe now I should have started from the beginning. Admittedly, understanding the grassroots of, in my case, political theory and its evolution would offer substantial evidence of its outcome now.

Pleasantly, the example of Thor provides a path, as starting from the beginning uncovers the foundation. The only question is where to start. Is it really possible to condense 2,000 years of political theory into summer readings? I do appreciate my belief in it two months ago, but it was doomed to fail. I don’t have Thor’s 1500 years, so I’ll make do with Holland’s acting skills. Now, when I begin, I’ll find myself on the island of Ithica surrounded by Greek myths and language. I’ll be impressed only by its novelty and my lack of understanding, while content in remaining an ignorant novice and accepting that I won't know everything before I begin. 

On Students' Viewpoint, UU students share their views with the wider university community. Connor, who's pursuing a Master's in International Relations in Historical Perspective after obtaining a degree in Media & Culture, is one of the columnists invited to write in this space. You can also read the perspectives of staff members on Staff's Viewpoint and click here to check out the columns by students and staff in Dutch.