English 1102

I chose to take Dual Enrollment at Georgia State University. English 1102 covered many of the same topics as AP English Language and Composition from my junior year. The piece below is my reflection and review of my work during the semester. It is titled Mirror, Mirror and explains the importance of self-refelction in self-growth,

Mirror, Mirror

Self-reflection is a crucial aspect of being human. Considering our own actions, the reasoning behind performing these actions, and potential consequences, are essential survival skills that enabled our species to evolve. Even from an academic standpoint, self-reflection is important for survival. Taking note of when assignments are due, how many elements are required for completion, how best to tackle the task, and whether or not waiting till the last minute was a good idea are all necessary considerations. For a successful (and hopefully less stressful) academic career, it is best to look within and answer a couple of questions: Do you work best under pressure? Do you work best in a public space like a coffee shop or a library? Do you prefer to complete work all at once or split it into manageable pieces? Do you struggle with procrastination? Throughout this past semester, I answered these questions for myself. I appreciated that this class helped me reflect on my habits as a student and the necessary areas of improvement. I learned that I do work best under pressure, prefer working in a public space rather than my own home, and prefer to complete assignments all at once instead of overtime. This semester, I learned more about myself as a student, how to challenge traditional thinking and examine art/literature from a new perspective, and how to enjoy the writing process as a whole.

This was my favorite class this semester. As a dual enrollment student, this was one of my first college classes (outside of AP), where I truly got to know myself better. I enjoyed the positive atmosphere where we would come into class and begin with a doodle. Although a seemingly small act, doodling the first thing helped me to think about my plans for later in the day and calm any nerves. I felt that my performance in class discussions was better because I was less anxious about what lay ahead. The structure of this class also worked well for me. Completing the discussion posts often assisted in writing paragraphs for the next assignment, which helped me work on my procrastination habit. Even though I typically prefer completing my tasks in one go, I saw that completing assignments bit-by-bit was less stressful and something for me to start doing in the future. I also appreciated the in-class peer-review sessions because that wasn’t something I’ve ever done consistently in previous English classes. It was a tremendous help to have a peer read my essay and tell me what worked well and what could use improvement.

I also enjoyed writing the large essays. Assignment 1, the visual analysis, was an excellent review from my AP Lang class in junior year. I felt that I could dig deeper in understanding various elements of the art and consider the creator’s purpose, intended audience, and tiny nuances that drove their message home. Now, whenever I see commercials or movie posters, I stop and think about what effect the colors, shapes, and positioning of figures have on my perception of the art. This deeper inner reflection has met my goal of improving my communication skills because now I am able to ask better questions and carry more interesting conversations. Assignment 2, the research paper, had a similar effect in furthering my goal of better communication skills as well as developing an appreciation for the writing process. Before this course, I would dread starting an essay. Getting started was often the most challenging part for me of the entire writing process, just putting pen to paper (or fingers to keys). However, I learned that a small doodle and five minutes of reflection help me stop putting off the essay that needs to be written.

Playing MLA jeopardy was one of my favorite days this semester. It was a fantastic class bonding activity to see everyone get excited about collaborating to answer the most questions. This activity also helped further my final goal: to better understand writing in MLA. Most of our essays in my previous English classes required only 12-point size, Times New Roman, double-spacing but didn’t require a ‘works cited’ page or numbered page headers. My other favorite day of the semester was the mini-presentation on the topic for Essay 2. I enjoyed hearing my peers so animated about their topics and learned more from them than I thought I would.

In conclusion, this semester was phenomenal for my personal and academic growth as a student. I learned more about myself than I ever thought possible, and I am forever grateful. I accomplished many of my personal and academic goals, learned how to think about complex ideas from a different perspective, and developed an appreciation for the writing process that will stay with me long after this semester. So again, I thank you from the bottom of my heart!