Reflection

My Growth As a Writer- Final Draft

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 To quote the renowned philosopher Voltaire, “Writing is the painting of the voice.” From a young age, I have always enjoyed writing. Whether it be digitally or physically, writing has always brought me comfort and relief. It is the medium by which I am able to express emotions I am afraid to say aloud. I would even go as far to say that it is one of my most prized possessions. However, I will be the first to confess that I am by no means a great writer. Nevertheless, I have always tried to improve. I have always strived to hone this craft to the best of my ability. Throughout several years of academia- elementary school, middle school, and high school- I have observed gradual, minute improvement in my writing. However, I have never been so confident with the quality of my writing as I have over the course of these past four months of writing 101. I feel this improvement to be specifically attributed to my utilization of diligence, consistency, and peer review.

It brings me no little amount of amusement to say that peer review is, by far, the most advantageous tool that helped improve my writing. I once detested peer review because I thought it fruitless, embarrassing, and condescending. This may be due to past experience; peer review has never significantly brought me improvement. However, during this past semester, I can proudly attest that peer review has changed my writing habits for the better. The constructive criticism that peer review brings helps me in a myriad of ways. Thanks to the objectivity of my peers, I am able to view my work from different perspectives, which allows me to elaborate upon, or fix, certain ideas and notions. For example, it has often been stated by my peers that I could improve upon my fluidity to give my work more structure. I have always struggled with this because I find it hard to eloquently link certain sentences or ideas with their proper partners. Before peer review, I feel I would frequently approach a creative roadblock. I would sporadically write strong sentences and paragraphs, and then have no idea where to put them, or how to connect them. After peer review, however, I gain helpful, objective insight that allows me to overcome this writer’s block, and adequately phrase my intentions. Moreover, I am a very talkative person, and it often shows in my writing. Peer review has rescued me from my reputation for verbosity, and has offered concise alternatives that adequately display my points. Where I flourish in word count, I fail miserably in brevity and fluidity. Peer review, overall, has brought me priceless qualities, enlightenment, and a tad bit of pride. Having an audience helps me identify and evaluate my strengths and weaknesses.

The other indispensable tools this class has presented me with would be diligence and consistency. Consistency and diligence have been the most effective and reliable method of improving my writing skills. The more you practice, the more you grow. Consistent, diligent practice allows you to see your growth and your shortcomings, along with your stylistic tone and habitual writing tendencies. It also aids in molding your identity as a writer. For example, if I compare my work from the beginning of the semester, which was an analysis piece of David Brook’s New York Time Op-Ed, to my most recent paper, a personal Op-Ed, changes in my writing tendencies can be clearly distinguished in that there is more conciseness, style, and clarity of tone. By practicing more, and with honest effort, my faults become glaringly apparent and, consequently, can be addressed and improved upon.

While the concept of writing well and often is not hard to grasp (it is simply practice), the execution is particularly difficult. Diligence is highly lacking in today’s modern, convenient world. More often than not, especially in academia, people will do only enough to satisfy the needs of the task. The same quality of work will not result from obligatory effort as it will from voluntary effort. That is to say a fundamental truth: we learn by practice. However, it is hard for students, especially college freshmen like me, to become motivated enough to practice, let alone to do good practice. This laziness is something I once gladly indulged in. However, as my growth as a writer became steadily apparent, I realized the importance and the impact of trying your best. By motivating myself to try my best, I began to realize my full potential. Thus, consistent writing, combined with genuine effort, or due diligence, regardless of the motivator, will inevitably result in noticeable change.

It is a rarity to literally be able to look back upon your growth. That, I believe, is why I hold writing so dear- why it is so beautiful. It is an everlasting reminder, a figurative tool by which you can gauge your growth: from where you once were to where you are now. This class has allowed me to showcase the improvement of my writing abilities, which I owe in no little part to peer review, consistency, and diligence. To peer review, I accredit my style and growth. I will always treasure peer review in that it gave me an audience which appraised and revealed my strengths, weaknesses, and idiosyncrasies when I was blind to them. Thanks to this tool, I am able to dauntlessly accept criticism. Moreover, by implementing due diligence and consistency, I have learned immensely about my capabilities and tendencies as a writer, and am able to bring my full potential as a writer to realization. It is because of these tools I can, in short, effectively expand upon my ideas, think objectively, provide structure, and exercise brevity. It is because of these tools that I have improved at all. This semester has proved extremely valuable in helping me realize the importance of introspection, and will remain forever fundamental in my development as a writer.

The Best Reason To Go To College final draft (using for epilogue project)

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        Pico Iyer’s “The Best Reason to Go to College” Analysis by Jamya Evans (final draft)

 

In “The Best Reason to Go to College”, Pico Iyer challenges the lack of kind receptiveness in the world today, and informs readers about how adopting a positive mindset can make a difference. He effectively does this by intertwining his life experiences, as well as quotes from various influential leaders, with the approachable mindset he expects his audience to want to possess. Additionally, Iyer uses ethos and pathos to help influence readers to believe his claim.

Iyer introduces the audience by addressing the issue of colleges and institutions, which he believes only close and shut down young minds instead of broadening and opening them. Iyer uses ethos to establish credibility by stating that he is a seasoned writer and traveler of 45 years. This shows that he has interacted with multitudes of people, and can properly attest that the current style of thinking is flawed. He states his presuppositions of the young classroom, and how they proved him very wrong. By doing this, he is acknowledging that he too can stand to have a more open mindset. This also shows the danger of having such a rash, judgemental mindset. Had he approached or treated one of these students based upon his presuppositions, he would have been publicly humiliated and sorely embarrassed. After reflection, and being startled by his negative mindset, Iyer firmly holds to the belief that all minds, no matter how “seasoned” or “experienced” can stand to grow. (Iyer 2020).

The author then dives into the comparisons and contrasts between his generation and the present. He describes the current youth as “…brighter, more mature, more reliable, and infinitely more globally aware…” than he and his friends were. He attributes this to the youth’s diversity and open-mindedness. After observing the perspectives of those around him, Iyer begins to ponder in depth about the mindset of the world. 

After pondering, Iyer transitions readers into current events. He alludes to the current pandemic, and how the political choice of not wearing a mask stems from a negative mentality. Such a mentality is more than a political issue; it is an issue of human decency and kindness. This is a great example, in that those who don’t understand the ethics or morals of how wearing a mask helps keep others safe would benefit greatly by keeping an open mind. One might argue that politics are grounds of leeway, and that it is not possible to keep an open mind in such a troubling and political world today. However , even Iyer himself takes time to respectfully consider opposing political views. This is because, as Iyer repeatedly emphasizes, that it is important to practice keeping an open mind constantly, and in every area of life.

Such a mindset, Iyer goes on to say, will not be cured by institutions, because they are ruled by groups of people that have no intentions of expanding the minds of today’s youth. The author attempts to connect with readers by giving an example of how he tries to expand his own mind. He states that listening to Fox news helps him consider other political positions or opinions while living in the democratic state of California. Next, he references the closed mindset some have in regards to religion. He uses religious leader Pope Francis to support his observation. He paraphrases the Pope in Wen Wender’s documentary “A Man of His Word” to ask “…would God love Ghandi any less than He does a priest or a nun simply because the Mahatma wasn’t a Christian?”. (Iyer paragraph 5). In doing this, Iyer illuminates the open mindedness of a famous, conservative religious leader while also highlighting the importance of not imposing our views upon others. This practice, along with attentive and active listening, helps to create the healthy mindset the world needs.

Furthermore, Iyer references his personal experience with the Dalai Lama, who referred to the world’s state as an “emotional crisis” that could be cured by “emotional disarmament”. In doing this, Iyer shows he is not alone in his observation of the world’s close minded and apathetic mindset. This helps support his claim because the Dalai Lama is a highly respected, and religious, world figure. Thus, if even the Dalai Lama, a conservative leader, is speaking in favor of an open mindset, then this idea must have some validity. Furthermore, this shows that diversity is not a barrier when it comes to keeping an open mind, and that all people, regardless of religion or beliefs, are able to come together and have an amiable, enlightening discussion. Keeping an open mind is not simply thinking positively, rather, showing basic human decency and kindness by being a good listener. Iyer uses the Dalai Lama in order to get readers from all backgrounds thinking. Therefore, by emphasizing the urgency of adapting an open mindset, and the importance of avoiding such an awful way of thinking, we are able to make a change. Because, as he goes on to say, through our minds,“…we begin to change the world.” (Iyer paragraph 4).

Pico Iyer’s column “The Best Reason to Go to College” is a masterful argument that influences readers to have an “expansive mind”. Iyer persuades readers by effectively illustrating personal experiences in which a negative mindset was harmful.  He repeatedly re-iterates these personal experiences to allow readers to first handedly view the change his mindset over time. The argument is further strengthened as Iyer encourages readers to take on the noetic task of broadening their minds by using rhetorical devices such as ethos and pathos to establish credibility and trust, as well as quotes from respected religious leaders. By doing all of this, Iyer successfully persuades readers to open their mind to receptiveness and positivity.

 

                          References 

Iyer, Pico (2020). The Best Reason to Go to College. New York Times publishing. (accessed  September 7, 2020). https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2020/09/06/opinion/college-students-learning.amp.html

 

“Getting Started” Questions

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I have grown as a writer this year in that I now give my writing its due diligence, with genuine effort. I believe peer review and consistency have been fundamental in my growth. My lack of motivation at the beginning of the year, along with my tendency to properly structure my essay to ensure clarity, have constrained my growth.

As a writer, I feel my main strengths are my expansive vocabulary and my eagerness to learn. I will use these strengths to continue to grow by expanding my vocabulary even further, and by studying the given constructive feedback.

I feel I am weak in that I struggle with brevity. As a person, I am usually long-winded, and I feel this comes across clearly in my writing- my inability to wrap up a paragraph or essay. It is important for me to strengthen this so that I don’t lose the attention of readers, and that my main point is always known. I will practice conciseness by elaborating only on key points to fix this weakness.

To ensure that I am a life long learner, I will continue to engross myself in books on various topics of life, and to always approach problems with an open mind that is ready to learn.

I would like to be a neo-natal nurse practitioner, which would involve informative, data based writing, as well as informative essays at UMMC’s nursing program.

A common theme I see is improvement. I feel I will adequately be able to incorporate and show how I have grown from past assignments to present.

Multimodal Project

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During the multimodal writing project, I have discovered yet again a myriad of strengths and weaknesses. This project truly highlighted my writing abilities, in that it forced me to reshape my essay while keeping the basic structure, or fundamental points. It was, I will confess, difficult to condense a 1,450 word essay into 500 words. However, greatness lies on the other side of fear, so they say. After accomplishing this writing task, I have discovered that it is more difficult to write opinionated pieces than it is to write formal essays. I feel this may be because I have always written, for the most part, nothing but formal pieces: analytical essays, research papers, synthesis papers, etc. Maybe I have been trained to like formality. I think I did well in my conclusion, which was the hardest part. It was the hardest part because I had to condense an already condensed version of my essay into one paragraph. However, the fact that I succeeded shows that it was, in hindsight, not as difficult as I imagined. If I had more time, I would have redone the wording a little bit, because I feel the essay could have flowed smoother. Additionally, I would have chosen even more multimedia for the piece. The synthesis essay (or homework assignment) truly aided me in this project. It helped me link my view(s) with the author that I mentioned. This project, to me, was a test on my comprehension of my synthesis writing and the application of it.

Weekly Write: What the Eyes Don’t See Reflection

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What stands out most about the book is Hanna-Attisha’s admirable courage and sense of duty. She fulfilled her moral obligation to her community. This is something the world needs more of, and its something I envy. It takes such courage to stand up in today’s world and choose to be opposed and outcast by some for the greater good. If I were in her shoes, the most I would have done would have been attending city hall meetings, or calling to voice my opinion on the issue. As sad as that sounds, I am not that much of a courageous person; I am sometimes timid. Therefore, I feel it very unrealistic for me to be the superhero. The only questions I have about the book are in regards to Flint’s government. Who elected such a government? How many people have been impacted in other ways by this selfish, greedy government? This book was an excellent read, and there was nothing I did not enjoy. If I absolutely had to sum up this entire book in one sentence, I would say the following: Hanna-Attisha’s admirable courage and bravery led to the exposure of the government and restoration of the water system in Flint, Michigan. I believe the title “What the Eyes Don’t See” was an excellent title for such a book. It is metaphorical and literal. It shows the crypticness of Flint’s government and water suppliers. Additionally, it foreshadows the book, in that it basically tells that the residents are not seeing the corruptness that is taking place behind the scenes; they do not see the lead or corrosion in the water. Personally, this book has prompted me to do some spiritual growth. I feel that I am not impacting my community or world as much as I could be, and I have much more than others have. It has really helped put things into perspective.

Analysis Unit Reflection

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Regarding the analysis essay assignment, I have discovered that I do not enjoy analytical writing. I felt very pressured and constrained; it was hard to expand on topic sentences and the thesis without being repetitive. I now know to value creative writing assignments when presented with such. If I had more time, I most likely would have been able to squeeze out more ideas, or better explanations, that support the author’s claim. I have indeed done this multiple times over, and the experience gradually worsens. I am simply not a good analyzer. Even in life, I’ve found that it takes immense concentration for me to evaluate or analyze a situation, or even my emotions. I have to take time out to focus on just that, otherwise, I will lose interest and become easily distracted. I think I can attribute this to my lack of creativity in writing. Although the overall experience was not favorable, I do have a better idea or understanding of how to proceed if I were to write another one in the same manner. In most areas of life, I would consider myself a “perfectionist”. However, when it comes to analytical writing, or anything in the world of academia that I find unmotivating, I will become hurried and rushed. This assignment was good for introspection. As for the paper, I feel as if I did good. I can not say that I think I did my best, as I stunted my own potential. Time- wise, I gave this paper more effort and energy than any of my other college assignments so far. The peer review, I must say, helped significantly on my paper. I was able to revise my paper based upon other people’s objective comments. This was an enormous help, because I seem to be unable to take things out of perspective. Additionally, everyone, including my professor, was very king and helpful. Overall, I am proud of having completed the milestone that is “my first college paper”. This was a very helpful learning experience, academically and personally. Thank you.