Reflection on Writing
Registering to earn general education credit and improve my writing, I was not expecting this course to have such a huge impact on my life and my character. It’s safe to say that if it wasn’t for writing, I wouldn’t have survived my first semester.
Writing has challenged me to think about broader ideas about myself and society. Whether the course focused on the student’s personal journey or addressing relevant events, I was able to think critically. Really critically. This course allowed me to answer some of the most difficult questions about myself. The assignments and writing prompts were what I desperately needed at the time. Writing helped me simply sit down and put my thoughts on paper. Just forming my thoughts into written ideas were essential for my first semester of college.
I also want to say, though it may have seemed like I didn’t care much about writing, I truly appreciated this class. I admit that I should have submitted more assignments on time, revised my work more substantially, or participated more in class discussions. The lack of effort on my end is now being addressed. As the transition from high school to college this year is somewhat nonexistent, I ended up bringing all of my worst high school habits to this class. I could see how my old study habits, working under pressure and procrastinating, couldn’t go on any longer as I traverse into higher levels of education. Towards the end of the semester, and into finals week, I decided to change these habits by dedicating almost my entire day at a cafe to work. This allowed me to bypass the distractions that are present in my home. During this time, I managed to get an astounding amount of work done. Sadly, my state has reissued harsher COVID19 restrictions and the cafes have been closed. I would have dedicated that time to catch up on my writing work a lot more effectively. I know now how important it is for me to really get out of the house and have actual time dedicated to working.
Writing had helped me discover how to work more studiously, but it has also helped me discover what major I am truly passionate about. With the help from the prompts of WP1, WP2, and WP3, I had found who I was. This realization was my main focal point throughout the semester, so I shouldn’t have to reiterate it all again. Those prompts really questioned me personally, of my passions and aspirations, and through writing, I was able to express all of my thoughts. I never expected to end this semester in hopes of switching my major, but here I am. If it wasn’t for writing, I probably would still be in that nasty dilemma.
Additionally, writing was a space to talk about real and pressing issues of society. From pedagogical texts to hip-hop albums, I was learning all about systematic oppression present in our society. I appreciated how different mediums were used throughout the course. Everyone excels at different aspects of learning, whether it’s textually, visually, or auditorily. The amount of educational freedom in this class is unrivaled. Being able to not only absorb information through different mediums, but also being able to create at one’s own hand is essential. It was nice to be able to write about anything in medium posts, along with the creative freedom in WP2.
Another monumental aspect of writing introduced was the connection between me and my peers. Not sure if this is too much information, but Anna and Jerry were the first students at USC that I connected with on Instagram. None of my other classes had this effect. It may be the small class size or the comfortable class discussions, but nonetheless, writing had actually been the class to make some of my first connections as a freshman. Similarly, I had presence and communication with the wonderful instructor Dr. Dissinger. I actually had a larger presence in this class than in other classes, despite not even attending any of the 1-on-1 meetings, or participating in class as much as others. I think that says a lot about my involvement this semester. Hopefully, you can take my word, but I’m much more involved and animated in person. The online aspect of this semester really had me shying away from participating in things. It just doesn’t feel the same. The most expressive I’ve been in a Zoom meeting thus far would literally be my presentation during my WP2. I really enjoyed that project.
As I’m writing this, I’m beginning to wonder what a semester will look like without writing. How will I address my personal dilemmas? Or even learn about modern events and society? Would I be able to make connections with my peers? With my instructor? These questions are quite daunting. I don’t think I’ll know until the next semester starts, but I’ll surely make an effort to find ways to answer them.
WORKS REFERENCED:
Nguyen, Justin. “MY CINEMANTHOLOGY” Medium, Writing 150 Fall 2020, 13 Oct. 2020, https://medium.com/@justinn7/my-cinemanthology-da399a95b503
