Improvements
Made My Freshman Year
Transferring
from high school to a university can be tough with a lot to get used to. There
is a lot more homework and reading assignments than there was in high school.
Students also need to learn to become more responsible and independent. The
first year of college can be very stressful and hard to get used to. With the
help of teachers and classmates, students can become more comfortable on their
campus. English 113A and B has taught me a lot that will greatly benefit me in
the future. English 113A and B have prepared me for the next couple years in
Cal State Northridge. English 113A and B have helped me become a more
responsible and confident student, and with the help of the ethnography
project, studying rhetoric, and analyzing different information I have learned
to become more observant.
To
begin, English 113A and B have helped me become a better student. It helped me
become more aware of my surroundings and it showed me how to look at things
deeper with an open mind. As a freshman, English 113A and B gave me an
understanding of what college is all about. The deadlines, projects, essays and
group activities done in English 113A and B have made me become more comfortable
in the college setting. This class prepared me for my next couple years in Cal
State Northridge; the things I learned in this class will help me in the long
run. This is important for me because it has helped me grow as a student and it
helped me prepare for the upcoming academic challenges in the future. It also
helped me on becoming more confident and independent. Transferring into college
after high school was an achievement but it also brought the fear of failing or
the thought of college being too challenging. English 113A and B showed me that
working hard and striving for something you want can help you become
successful. I have gained grades in this class that I am very proud of. Doing
every homework assignment assigned has made me realized how it is all up to me.
I made the effort and pushed myself to earn good grades by always doing my
assignments. This is what helped me become more responsible. I know this will
definitely help me in the long run whether in school or in a future career. It
helped me become independent because I earned good grades by showing up to class
everyday and staying after class to ask for help. While English 113A and B has
helped me become a more responsible student, it has also helped me become observant
by teaching me about rhetoric and how people use different techniques to grab
ones attention.
 |
| Rhetorical Triangle |
Rhetoric
consists of three strategies: Pathos, Ethos, and Logos. Pathos is used to make
the person being persuaded feel emotion. Ethos gives credit to someone of
authority such as doctors or judges and finally Logos is used when showing
logic or statistics. Studying rhetoric made me realize how much it is used each
day, from commercials and advertisements to my niece asking my sister for candy
and soda. Studying rhetoric has taught me how to observe people and what their
intentions are. When using Logos, it is very easy for people to be persuaded
into believing something is true. It can easily convince people to buy a
product. While Rhetoric has helped me understand the strategies used in
everyday situations, English 113A and B has also helped me analyze and think
much deeper when studying and reading.
The
poem, “It’s a Woman’s World” by Eavan Boland, is very interesting when studied
carefully. Studying this poem has showed me how to deeply analyze readings and
information given to me. The importance of knowing how to analyzing information
helps me to better understand reading assignments that lead to class
discussions. When reading the poem, “It’s a Woman’s World”, it is hard to
understand what the speaker is trying to say. It can also be very difficult
interpreting lines in the poem. After carefully analyzing the poem I got a
better understand and realized how important the topic really is. The poem
“It’s a Woman’s World” encourages women to be strong and independent. Although
women should be strong, the poem states how a woman’s sensitive and fragile
side is shown with the thought of her children. This is described in the tenth
stanza, “By night our windows / Moth our children / to the flame”
(Boland 38-40).
Knowing how to analyze text helped me on how to better
understand what is being said. English 113A and B has also helped me understand
material being taught in my classes and perform well in all my classes when
doing exams and quizzes. While English 113A and B helped me understand my
readings, it also helped me understand my surroundings. |
| Santa Monica Pier |
English 113A and B
have also helped me become more aware of my surroundings. Things in life are
sometimes taken for granted. Spaces and our surroundings are sometimes not
appreciated. We sometimes forget they are there for us to enjoy or help us make
a living off of them. During my ethnography in Santa Monica Pier I realized how
much I take for granted every day. Doing my ethnography showed me how spaces
can be used very differently. It also made me realize that there are many
places I can enjoy with loved ones that I have not experienced yet. Watching
many excited faces at the Santa Monica Pier made me realize how important it is
to enjoy my surroundings and take advantage of them. Santa Monica pier is used
for entertainment but it is used by many as a place to make their living. Those
who use the space to make a living, take advantage of the fact that Santa
Monica Pier attracts visitors whether from Los Angeles or tourists traveling
from outside of the West coast. The ethnography project also showed me how
different spaces bring different emotions. A place by the beach gives the
visitor more peaceful and relaxed feeling while a busy highway can cause stress
and frustration. Also how objects placed in a given setting create different
vibes. As well as, if the setting looks dirty and messy it makes the visitor
not want to stay for very long. On the other hand, if the setting is beautiful
and clean, it attracts a lot more visitors and makes the attraction much more
enjoyable.
Over
all, English 113A and B has made me grow as a student. It has showed me how to
become more observant, responsible, and hard working. The things I learned in
English 113A and B will not only help me in my academics but in the future
after college. It has helped me to know how important it is to analyze my
surroundings. Every bit of information learned in English 113 A and B has made
me improve my role as a student.
Works
Cited
Boland, Eavan. “It’s a Woman’s
World.” (Course Handout)
Credit
ReplyDelete