Shaye Arbuthnot
| Degrees: | Bachelor of Arts Honours Major in History (June 2021) |
| Email: | shayearbuthnot@cmail.carleton.ca |
What is your favourite thing about the program?
My favourite thing about the Carleton History program was that I had the ability to expand my knowledge on the subject of History beyond the capabilities of writing a traditional research essay. For instance, I was able to demonstrate my knowledge and research of different historical topics through a variety of mediums which could include podcasts, edited videos, video games, and more. Overall, professors within the History department went above and beyond in not only their delivery of teaching but by ultimately allowing students to showcase their knowledge of History through creative outlets.
What will you miss the most?
What I will miss the most about studying History at Carleton is the fact that everyday in lecture I got to expand my historical knowledge into new areas I never considered before in History by learning new interesting facts and events. The History department offered a wide range of thematic topics beyond solely studying historical time periods and geographic areas which is where I grew to love attending class even more everyday to learn new knowledge. Some of these classes included: History of the Body, Madness in Modern Times, History of Disease, History of Radio, and more. I wish I could continue to take more History courses as the delivery of the knowledge from professors was nothing but insightful and exciting to learn. On a final note, while there was always an overwhelming effort of stress for writing history papers, I will miss the entire research and writing process because after completing a massive paper I always felt greatly satisfied with my work and felt I had gained professional knowledge and skills into the subject.
What is your favourite reading/book/text from the program?
Across my time as a History undergrad, there were many readings/books/texts I enjoyed but one book in particular that stood out to me was the ancient Roman novel “The Golden Ass” by author Apuleius. The book remains significant to me because while the text may be a funny myth to modern readers, there is still a lot of insight about ancient Roman society and religion that ancient scholars can uncover upon looking deeper into the reading.
What’s next for you?
I am currently attending Queen’s University for a Bachelor in Education in the primary and junior division. Upon completion, I plan to continue my career as an elementary school teacher abroad where one of my goals is to always make sure the subject of history is fun for students to learn as my love for history began with a good educator who changed my opinion on the subject. In the future, I plan to perhaps revisit university to earn a Masters in History.