Reflection

After all, I feel very glad I took this class which was a whole new experience to me. I really liked the use of a blog medium for how it helped me improve my writing. Also, feeling the atmosphere of the class created by passionate discussions and participating in the process of the group project really encouraged me to take one step forward.

At the beginning, I was nervous about making my essays public. However, it gave me opportunities to read other people’s essays and get comments. In general English classes I took, I did not get that long and detailed comments from my professors and of course from my classmates. The few words like “why?” “Support this topic more” or “run on” written in red pen in the margins of my paper rather gave me an unnecessary pressure instead of a help. I think that was why I kept getting the same words I mentioned above every time I turned in my essay, which meant that my writing was not really improving that much. So having my classmates and Kara’s long comments on my posts was really helpful for me to improve my writing and made me think about the audience by not assuming things when I write.

Even though I did not really speak much in the class, I learned so much looking at how Kara and my classmates led the discussions on various and substantial topics so passionately. This was first time I had class which was full of discussion. Now, I think I will be able to start thinking more critically and actually speak out my thoughts in my future classes.

Lastly, I felt great about my first experience of the group project. I have been mostly taking basic design and economics classes, so I had no experience of a group project and presentation in front of a class. On the first day of class, I was reading the syllabus checking if we had to do a group project. It is embarrassing, but honestly, I might have dropped the class if I saw the words, ‘group project and presentation’ on the syllabus because of my fear. Now, I do not fear about group project and presentation any more since I learned that they are great ways of learning about something more deeply and that it feels really great after accomplishing a goal with all group members together. So I really want to thank Kara for including this group project later and helping me get rid of my fear which existed for very long time.

I believe that experience is the power. Taking this class has been a very valuable experience to me, and I feel that I am improved in writing and thinking critically. Now, I am ready to start my third year with a fully charged mind. Thank you, Kara.