Reflection

To be quite honest, I was not exactly sure how I felt to be taking English 102.  Im pursuing a degree in healthcare related fields where they mainly focus on Sciences and Math, which I excel much easier in.  I felt this class was pointless to take it had nothing to do with my degree.  After taking this course I know now why i gravitate more towards Math and Sciences.  In Math you are presented with mathematical problems that you must answer according to the formula given to you by the professor.  Almost all the time there is only 1 correct answer and that is it.  Math is very straight forward and to the point.  Yes it requires you to be smart but does not require you to think like English does.  In English you must be creative and be able to think outside of the box.  Which for me takes me out of my comfort zone.  Everything in literature is always open to interpretation and there is always multiple interpretations of everything. There is always that fear you might be wrong because there is no exact answer like in math. On top of feeling out of my comfort zone, Professor Brady announced she did not like to give out A’s and as each class passed I felt everyone in my class was so brilliant and I was no where close to their level.  I was starting to get down on myself when I realized this should be grounds for motivation not negativity.  Being surrounded by smart people would only help me in end, it would make me try harder to be on the same level as them.  As far as Professor Brady being a tough grader, it only inspired me to try earn one of her coveted rare A’s.  Each class challenged me in all aspects of learning and I have progressed immensely.  This class taught me how to be a critical thinker,reader,writer and speaker. 

Everything about my writing as changed for the better! Being out of high school for eight years, the whole concept of college was quite intimidating to me. Especially English, it was not one of my best subjects.  Before this course I did not know how to construct a well thought out paper.  Now I feel I have gained the knowledge and confidence to write papers that I can say I am proud of.  To say I take pride in my writing is never something I thought I would say and it feels great.

One of my favorite things in class was the blog.  It gave everyone an opportunity to share their thought with everyone.  In a way I felt it made everyone a little bit more comfortable with each other.  I got to see other people’s thoughts and views on topics a lot more than if we just had class discussions.  When we had to comment on other peoples blogs, I felt it was a small conversation going on.  Some of my classes people barely speak to each other and know no ones names.  In this class I feel we all know each other pretty well and there is a sort of camaraderie amongst us I felt in no other class.  

After this semester I will be applying to Dental Hygiene and Cardiovascular Technology programs.  They are quite competitive and require very high grades and admission letters.  I knew if I tried hard enough I could achieve the good grades but the admission essays was a whole different ball game.  Before this class I did not write essays very well and wondered how I would be able to satisfy that part of the application.  I now do not worry anymore, I am very confident in my writing and feel like I have gained the necessary tools in this class to help me write my admissions essays. 

As the years go on, I see myself evolving into a better thinker and writer each year. I hope to get into one of the two fields I am applying to.  I do not have exact wants for my future yet besides school, I just want to be truly happy with whatever path I am led down.   This class has given me the courage to push passed what I am comfortable with and try to expand my knowledge in whatever ways possible.  I look back on the beginning of this semester of dreading taking an English class and how I felt it was a waste of time.  I no longer have that close-minded outlook anymore.  I gained so much knowledge in this class from Professor Brady and from my fellow peers.  You both challenged me each and every class and I greatly thank you for that.