As someone who’s lived in central Texas for the past nine years, I haven’t seen much snow. Yet I look out my window now and the city is frozen. My street that frequently rings till the early hours of the morning now lies still; so quiet. It allows us to pause and appreciate the moments of this unprecedented semester.

Throughout this semester I have developed somewhat of a writing routine: brainstorming, outlining, researching, drafting, editing, proofreading, the dreadful submission (eek!). Though, the most valuable aspect of it all has been the substantial feedback received from both my peers and our professor. It has been an absolute privilege. However, when that privilege was not offered, I believe I learned how to better identify areas for improvement in my writing. This is a skill that takes sufficient, lifelong practice, though, through the lots (and lots) of writing this semester, I feel more confident in this ability.

Although somewhat of an avid reader, It was not until this course that I began to recognize the vast range of rhetorical and literary elements in literature. I now began a book more curious than before. I love finding a talented writer who uses these elements unexpectedly. I now see when these aspects may flourish or falter and how I may equip similar strategies to strengthen my own writing. 

I am also now more inclined to notice these elements in my own writing. Take for example tone. Although we naturally shift our tone between let’s say… a research paper and a creative narrative, I have now learned how to effectively harness these alterations to better suit my audience and my purpose.

Out of our many explorations into the literary world, my favorite would have to be our experimentation and analysis of genre. Genre has now surpassed the boundaries I previously defined it as. We’ve worked with such unexpected applications from Machado’s In the Dream House to our own personal composition projects. Each offered flexibility to be creative and to genuinely enjoy the process. I now feel better equipped to apply the variations of genre in my writing, and I look forward to exploring this more!

I was so relieved to discover the wide range of academic resources at our fingertips. Particularly in our topic section, I was able to explore the vast databases provided by City College. This is a resource that I’m sure will prove useful in not only my English classes but also the sciences. I no longer have to suffer the frustrating popups announcing “Sign up now to access this article! Only $199.99 billed annually!“

This course was the most unconventional format of my semester, yet it has proven the most fulfilling experience of my entire academic career. I have learned so much about literature, writing, mental health, and most importantly, I have learned from the fascinating minds of my peers. I loved the collaborative elements of this course. It was thrilling to follow a forum thread with my fellow classmates and to ask big-picture questions just for the fun of it. This has been the only course where I leave having developed true friendships that I look forward to fostering beyond this semester. We are at such an isolating time in history, and though I enjoy all the alone time and the freedom to work on my own schedule, it has been incredibly encouraging to develop connections with my peers even from the safety of my home.

Many months ago I wrote within my first journal entry that “the consistent writing prompts have gently forced me out of my comfort zone.” This has held true. I’ve always felt a lack of aptitude in literary analysis and expository writing, although this course has offered me great practice in these valuable academic skills. I am positive they will come in handy as I continue my academic journey and beyond. I feel so grateful for the opportunity of this extraordinary class. It was the perfect experience to introduce me to the world of college-level writing.

If I could choose one lesson to take from this course, it would be that writing has immense potential and it cannot be defined by fixed boundaries. Each piece we examined took a unique form and expanded on our perceptions of language. A short story does not require proper syntax, not every storyline must end in a resolution of conflict, and writing has the ability to “show not tell.” We have read marvelous works of literature, that have introduced us to this marvelous world. I am not a marvelous writer, far from it, though I believe I leave this course a stronger writer, having developed skills to write effectively. As we have seen throughout this course, writing is an invaluable resource beyond the academic world. I now approach writing with anticipation and excitement rather than fear or intimidation. I look forward to developing my voice and both my creative and analytical writing style.  I have so much more to learn, though I say goodbye confident in the road ahead.