Monday, May 6, 2013

Reflection


Jennifer Helmick


English 102

Reflection

5 May 2013

Reflection

 

            As the end of the semester is near, I wonder to myself what have I really learned in English 102? I do not think I can include everything I have learned in one essay because even though it was only a semester long, I feel like I received a lot of helpful information from this class.  I have learned how to write and express myself, how to think for myself, and how to find the answers to the things that I don't know. I have accomplished a variety of goals I once thought were unattainable. I have not only grown as a writer and a student, but as a person as well. In high school I never used to feel confident in my writing, but now I can turn in a paper and feel like something good will come out of it.

                To be honest, all my academic life, I always categorized writing under English class only; however, I recently realized that the skills you acquire in English courses will be extremely beneficial to you. Whether it is writing a business letter or a history essay, knowing how to write is always a must. You cannot escape the process of writing so it should be something to always keep with you. I have probably learned more about writing in just this one semester than my entire academic career. Not only did we learn how to write a film analysis, and how to research and construct an argumentative essay, but we focused on fixing our grammar, mechanics, and MLA format as well.

I feel relieved that this semester is over; although, I am so thankful that I had this class taught by my teacher. There are so many pieces to becoming a successful writer that I did not even think twice about before I took this class. After each essay I had written, looking at the corrections made by my teacher, I realized that there was so much work I needed to do in order to perfect my writing. I never truly understood or applied MLA format as much as I did this semester. I think many things go unnoticed in high school, and with college you have to apply yourself and make sure nothing is missing. I feel like I was forced to read through many MLA rules over and over again and it got annoying, but I am very thankful for what I know now. I learned to consider more descriptive adjectives for my writing because it appeals to the reader more successfully. I had to learn how to keep the reader interested and not just use one type of tone through the whole essay.

In the future, I hope to use all of the skills I have acquired during my English courses in  my everyday life. I know that they will be very helpful to me, regardless of what I am trying to accomplish. I feel that I am much better now in persuading someone through my writings, which would definitely come in handy during any career.  I have gained responsibility during this experience that made me much more organized. During this semester I was faced with deadlines, rules, and assignments that I could not work around. I learned that it is impossible to procrastinate and try to turn in a passing assignment. All of these responsibilities have made me realize that I could definitely take the next step forward in my academic career. With each new experience it has made me continue to grow and constantly learn something new. I have enjoyed my English class and know that what I have learned will be extremely beneficial.

1 comment:

  1. You were a great student Jennifer! Thanks so much for all your hard work. :D

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