In Unit 1, I spoke about my personal experiences with education as an immigrant. I went into details, comparing the Jamaican style of teaching versus that of the United States as well as the challenges I had and how I was able to overcome them. It took me re-examining and re-adjusting the writing at least four times before I was able to turn it into a finished product. The critique I received for this writing was helpful as I was able to use it to revise my thesis statement, providing a stronger reason for my claim rather than it being merely an assumption. The structure and body of the essay was a bit unorganized prior to getting the feedback as my thoughts were somewhat jumbled and this happens a lot especially when you have multiple ideas or things you want to write about. However, the feedback gave me a better insight in the sense that I was able to write exactly what I was thinking in a more organized fashion, fixing the inevitable mistakes that were made.
In Unit 2, it was a bit more challenging for me as it required a whole lot of research as well as having to focus on the use of the sources and what they had to say rather than my opinion. The topic I chose was how millennials were defying the odds and taking over the entrepreneurial industry. It became even more testing when I came to the realization that there was not as much sources in varies genres to write about as I thought and so I had to do a bit more digging. I did not receive any feedback on the rough draft for this essay however, I used the knowledge I had acquired from reading “Shitty First Drafts” by Anne Lamott as well the “Reflective Writing and the Revision Process” by Sandra Giles. For the reflective process of the essay, I was able to revise and focus entirely on refining my intentions, purpose as well as the intended audience for the writing which helped in allowing me to stay on track as well as making the writing even better.
For Unit 3, I created a blog that was centered around the topic I chose in Unit 2. It was very exciting for me because I had the opportunity of choosing a genre that was very different from what I was accustomed to and that was the use of a blog. I was able to share stories of one of my mentors as well as my own experiences in a conversational and informal manner which gave me the opportunity to connect with the audience on a more personal and relatable fashion. It also meant a lot to me as I was able to be authentic in the process. The feedback I received for Unit 3 was very helpful as I was able to go back and correct the mistakes I made while being a bit more explicit with what was asked of me. It gave me the chance to revise my Artist’s statement and be more clear as to why I decided to choose the use of blog as my genre as well as the reason for choosing my targeted audience.
Prior to taking this course I was guilty of reading solely for excitement or enjoyment purposes. I never really thought about how important the connection between reading and writing was until I discovered the power of writing like a writer, as well as focusing on the purpose, choices intended and the audience in which the writing was centered. These practices were imperative in assisting me throughout the semester with my writing for each unit as well as the various categories of writing that were assigned. To be honest, I never really thought of myself as a writer. I had this fictitious idea that writers were able to just write their perfect piece in their first go, not realizing that they had to go through multiple rough drafts before they were able to get to perfect their writing. After learning this, my attitude changed and confidence grew even more because now I think of writing as a process or journey where I’m able to write shitty first drafts, expressing my thoughts freely, allowing them to flow through the pages without being hard on myself, knowing that I will be able to reshape and fine-tune my writing into perfection. This is something I believe I will be able to take with me and use in every aspect of my life especially in the professional world. When it comes on to revising the assignment, I thought it was very effective because it gave me the opportunity to look at my writing and see it from an outward standpoint, understanding the purpose, and intentions of the writing while focusing on the audience I’m trying to target, rather than merely seeing it as a piece I wrote. In using this technique, it ensured that the purpose of the writing were met.
The most challenging process for me this semester was the writing process and not because it was difficult but because there were times when I had no idea of what to write or what topic to choose. There were days when I would have to write and would experience writers block and that was very frustrating for me. There were times when I would feel so overwhelmed by all the assignments and course load I had to do, but then I was reminded why it was important for me to finish what I started. I did my best to ensure I got adequate rest to recharge mentally and from there I was able to take on the challenge and complete each task assigned. It has been a learning process for me and I am filled with gratitude because I had the opportunity to sharpen my skills in critical thinking, rationalizing, learning and seeing things from varies standpoint rather than my own.
In closing, the three points that were instrumental for me throughout the semester and my writing process are as follows – “You are already an author” – Mike Bunn, which meant we are the originators or creators of our own pieces of writing which we derive from our practices, involvement and daily communications. Another point that was instrumental on my journey was this point I made in Unit 1 “Education is one of the most powerful tools an individual can use to unlock the future, breaking barriers, sharing or exchanging knowledge which can later be used to change the world.” Last but not least, I have been a huge supporter of one consistently improving and educating themselves and the mantra that I have been living by is from the blog post I made in Unit 3 about Sashin where it states that “Formal education will make you a living, but self-education will make you a fortune.”
