I’ll Take My History With Vodka Please: Musings of a History Major, Museum Lover, and Slavophile

Christopher Morley

Undergraduate/History

One of the first reactions that I get when I tell people that I’m a history major is “Oh…so do you want to teach?” Actually, that’s probably the most common reaction that I or any of my colleagues in the history department receive. The other two most common responses I get are, “What type of history?” and “What do you want to do after college?” 

So, to answer the question, I am interested in the people, languages, and cultures of Russia and Eastern Europe, after graduate school (I have no idea yet where) I want to become a museum curator, and no, I do not want to teach. I do, however want to talk about, among other things, my love of museums, which began when I was quite young. 

I have fond memories of going to the Neville Public Museum in Green Bay, and spending hours there, wandering through the galleries. Although the artifacts were from lands far away and bygone civilizations, they were relevant because they were right there before my eyes. At an early age, this interest in the past and “old stuff” was sparked. Another childhood memory concerns a specific type of toy that I played with.

When I was a young boy, I used to love to play with Matryoshka dolls – Russian nesting dolls. Simply painted in the garb of a Russian peasant girl, with rosy cheeks and shining eyes, this simple yet delightful toy amused me for hours on end. This early fascination with one of Russia’s finest and most widely recognized traditions was perhaps my first exposure to the culture and crafts of Mother Russia.

Skip ahead to 2007. Fall, at the University of New Hampshire. Sitting in my Russian history class along with my peers, we anxiously await the arrival of the professor, who will begin the class. 

Female, middle-aged, blue eyes sparkling behind glasses, blonde hair framing a pleasant face, Cathy Frierson steps into the classroom and into our lives. In addition to reviewing the syllabus, Dr. Frierson lectures about various aspects of Russia, including political and geographical identities, in order to get us acquainted with the many challenges and complexities of that vast and wondrous country.

From day one my fellow classmates and I were mesmerized. Not just by the subject, which was highly interesting, but by Dr. Frierson herself. Her passion and enthusiasm were infectious. Each and every one of us truly enjoyed learning about Russian history, and actually looked forward to going to class.

Through her lectures Dr. Frierson brought an ancient, mystical, yet amazing and complex country and its culture to life. Whether hearing her speak about the volost courts of the 19th Century, or the plot of a Pushkin novel, she presented the material in a fun and interesting way.

Even though lectures were the basis of the class, there was a good mix of media. We watched films about Russia, listened to Russian music, and even got the chance to talk to young people our age from Russia. We also learned the extent to which teachers can influence, for better or worse, their students, and how a teacher can either make a class miserable, or utterly astonishing.

Although my Russian language skills are still quite poor, I do enjoy speaking the language, especially with native speakers, who, in addition to being wonderful people, do an excellent job in helping me become more familiar with their mother tongue.

Spending much of my own free time learning about Russia, via books, magazine articles, and of course, the internet has really broadened my horizon, and allowed me to grow in ways I never knew were possible. 

Learning about another country, culture, language, religion, etc. can be fun and exciting. But it can also at times be tedious and even frustrating. It’s a journey where you will grow both personally and academically. Even though it may be difficult at times, it’s definitely worth taking that first step; however the decision is totally up to you. You’re up to the challenge? That’s great! I fully support you and wish you all the best in your future endeavors.