# <span style= "color:#b10e0e">Hum10 Newsletter 1 | Week of 9/11 </span>
# The Odyssey reading guide! Writing lab start date! First event sign up! Mentorship program! And more!

## Reading

Our next lecture (9/12) will be on *The Odyssey.*

You should read the whole book before lecture. Our preferred text of Homer's The Odyssey is the recent Norton Library edition of Emily Wilson's translation (available as a digital text through Harvard Libraries). If you have trouble finding this edition, you may read another; of those readily available, we recommend the translation by Robert Fagles. Wilson has written a wonderful introduction for her edition. You might give special attention to pp. ix-xxv and xxxii-xxxv (or pp. 1-23 and 65-74 in the earlier Wilson edition) if you have time.

For additional background information, please see our [*Odyssey* reading guide](https://sites.google.com/g.harvard.edu/hum10/syllabus/reading-guides/the-odyssey?authuser=1).

## Lecture Materials

You can find the slides for last week's introductory lecture as well as digital copies of any handouts [here](https://canvas.harvard.edu/courses/121337/files/folder/Lecture%20Materials/Introduction%3A%20Conversation).

## Writing Labs & Assignments

Writing labs will begin meeting this coming **Thursday (9/14) at 10:30-11:30am**. Locations for those meetings will be shared by your TF soon.

You should also soon be receiving information from your TF about a writing questionnaire, which we ask you to fill out and submit on [Canvas](https://canvas.harvard.edu/courses/121337/assignments/743123) by 9/12 at 10pm. This will give your TF a chance to start getting to know you and your writing better.

Please read the assignment submission details on the Canvas page carefully, as also a test-run to make sure you're familiar with the procedure for uploading assignments (this is how you'll be submitting all papers for Hum10).

## Events

### *Half-God of Rainfall* (September 14)

Our first event will be this Thursday 9/14 at 7:30pm. We have 11 tickets available for [*Half-God of Rainfall*](https://americanrepertorytheater.org/shows-events/the-half-god-of-rainfall/#book) at the American Reptertory Theater (aka the A.R.T.). To sign up for this event, please [fill out this form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/17kvjs-UEbRZwytXL1WNz3RkGbGvgUbJYSiHIBOjrkJE/edit); for this event, tickets will be first-come first-served. (For general information about how tickets are distrubted, see below.)

#### Information about *Half-God of Rainfall* from the A.R.T. site:

> Experience a new epic fusing Greek mythology and Yoruba spirituality from award-winning playwright and poet Inua Ellams (Barber Shop Chronicles). When Demi—half Greek god, half Nigerian mortal—takes his first shot on a basketball court, the deities of the land wake up. But as Demi’s skills propel him from his village in South West Nigeria to the NBA playoffs and the London Olympics, Zeus gets jealous of his game. Adventure from half-court to Mount Olympus at The Half-God of Rainfall and see mothers, daughters, and goddesses rise up.
>
> Directed by Taibi Magar (Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992; Macbeth In Stride; We Live in Cairo) with movement direction by Orlando Pabotoy.
>
> This production contains haze, fog, flashing lights, and loud sounds, and stages sexual and physical violence.

### General Ticket information
all students in Hum10 will be asked to attend at least one event over the course of the year. Students may request tickets for more than one event, though we do prioritize tickets for students who have not yet attended on. As we get closer to the end of the year, at least some tickets will be entirely reserved for student who have not yet attended an event.

### Later Events

Check here for the [full schedule of planned events for the Fall](https://sites.google.com/g.harvard.edu/hum10/the-course/events?authuser=0).

## Mentorship Program

The student leaders of the HumAlum peer mentorship program will be visiting at the start of Tuesday's lecture to share info about the program and plans for this year's events and activities.

They have also posted their [interest form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc_mh_62vFlX85b_tlMv-UjGmn7FKxghqH48a__Lj02zaNtXw/viewform) and invite current Hum10ers interested in being matched with a mentor to put in a request!

Here's more info from Ellie Powell, George Roggie (program co-directors), Kiesse Nanor (chair of matched mentoring) and Jonathan Schneiderman (alumni programing chair):

> Your Hum10 mentor will be a sophomore, junior or senior who took Hum10 and wants to share their advice concerning the course. Often, Hum10 mentors and mentees actually become good friends as you'll be matched based on your similar interests. Your mentor may be involved with a club that you plan to join, or share a take with you on whether or not it's ever okay to wear socks with sandals.
>
> You can be as involved or uninvolved with matched mentoring as you'd like to be. Though we think they'll be a good resource for you, you never have to contact your Hum10 mentor. On the other side of things, you could get weekly lunches with them--that's great, too! Either way, you'll now know one more upperclassman who can help you through your Harvard journey!

## Additional Resources

### Library Access
Information about library reserves for access to course texts can be found [here](https://sites.google.com/g.harvard.edu/hum10/syllabus/library-reserves?authuser=0).

### Accommodations for students with disabilities

We encourage you to let us know how we can improve your learning, participation, and access. If you have a disability, or believe you may, and want to request accommodations, please consult with your seminar leader, writing lab instructor, and the Disability Access Office (DAO) so you can obtain a Faculty Letter with any documented disabilities by the second week of classes; this document should be shared with your seminar faculty member and seminar/lab teaching fellow by the end of the second week.