Reflection Paper

When I first decided to expand my education, it had been so long since I had been to school, and I was very hesitant. I talked at length about my decision with my husband and with his encouragement, decided to enroll but still was not quite sure which degree program to enroll in. I knew that this was something that I had always wanted to do since I obtained my Associates Degree in Nursing, but I did not have the courage, nor did I want to give up the time with my family and children. I second guessed my abilities and my knowledge because it had been so long since I had been in college. Now that my children are about to graduate high school and

Everyone on the planet has a goal set in life, but only a handful attempt to improve to obtain their goal by studying the subject their goal is in. In my English class, English 101 this quarter I was astonished by how much I had progressed as a writer sharpening my writing skills and also learned a lot about writing that I hadn’t learned before. In my writing portfolio for this quarter I had to write an autobiography essay, a research essay, and this reflection essay to develop my writing skills better. The writing assignments were fun to do because it challenged me to work on essays of different styles that were new to me. The essay assignments helped me grow as a better writer that gave me the self-confidence and skills to take on the world on my own.

On September 6, 2017, I were documented for an incident that involved a University Housing policy violation. I was charged with violating the University Housing Alcohol 1.2 policy. With my violation, came consequences. I met with The Residence Conduct Coordinator to discuss my actions and came to the conclusion that I would have to schedule a meeting with The Campus Alcohol and Drug Education Center (CADEC) and with that, a reflection paper.

From the early beginning of the school year to the current day, my writing skills and knowledge have improved and broadened over time. If not drastic, the change is noticeable nevertheless. For almost an entirety of eighth grade, assignments of varying difficulty challenged me to a degree. To be frank, some seemed as though they were beyond my comprehension and ability. However, determination amalgamated with knowledge obtained in advance helped me to overcome my doubts, for I exceeded my expectations; surprisingly good grades and comments are a delight, owing to the fact of that I don’t tend to think of myself as being proficient at writing. Consequently, the assignments given to me this school year shaped me into who I am as a writer.

The contents of this portfolio show the transitions in the revision process as I demonstrate growth. There are four papers I wrote this semester, the original and the revised one that I improved according to the instruction and feedback I received over the course of the semester. From unit one to unit four, there is a significant improve in my writing. With the feedback of each paper, I realized which areas I needed to improve and do better on the next paper. The help from writing lab also made me a better writer, but there still much more I need to improve because I am not a strong writer like my fellow classmates. The portfolio also contains artifacts that I perceive as exemplifying my development as a writer. These are my revision memos of the four papers I wrote and revised, plus a selection from my essay that I believe exemplifies my development as a writer. The last part of the portfolio is the Hupomnemata, which contains my in class writing assignments throughout this semester.

Revision has always been my favorite part of the writing process, yet this seminar class tested just how far I was willing to go to edit a piece of writing. Several of my essays address extremely personal matters, and these works were difficult to edit because of their sensitive subject matters. These essays tempted me to develop an unhealthy, protective attachment, which would have caused me to resist any editorial suggestions. In order to solve a majority of this problem, I strove to view my essays as imperfect art rather than a page from my personal journal. Despite this challenging revision process, I believe that my edits greatly enhanced my collection of essays by making them more potent, clearer, and more polished. Overall, I consistently worked on

“As a student, I write for multiple purposes. Purpose is the key for how my thoughts are dictated on this blank white sheet.” After writing this in my in-class journal discussing my transition from five-paragraph writing to actual formation of thoughts without a specific format, I realized that this process was a larger undertaking than I originally thought. Through endless amounts of essay writing the personal academic improvements that have taken place this quarter are indescribable in comparison to any other academic feat made in my brief but fulfilling college career.

This first semester at the University of Akron has flown by. I learned many new writing concepts that helped me become a better writer. English composition was a required class that I had to take in order to get my degree. Although this class was required I still wanted to take this class to become more knowledgeable about writing. Coming into English Composition I was worried about all of the papers and the workload that I would have to complete. I knew that I was going to have to write a lot more than I previously had in highschool, but I was unsure of just how much. The works that I decided to include in my portfolio comprise of my Literacy Narrative, Image Analysis Paper, and essay titled Mayas Hardships based on Maya’s experiences in I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings. I selected these works because I felt that they are the ones that require the most improvement to them. The papers i've chosen show how far I’ve came In English Composition.

My senior year US History teacher Mr. Seagars told the class a story about a student that could write answer so believable that it even made him question whether he had his facts wrong about history. He stated that by the time he finished reading the incorrect answers of this student that most of the time he gave him credit just because the story was so good. That student was me. I grew up in a lower middle class neighborhood in the small town of Anderson SC. The average passerby would most likely sum me up as the runt of the neighborhood if they did not know me. There were only a handful of kids my age to interact with. The majority of my playmates were much larger and much older than I. This upbringing taught me many lessons growing up. Any wrong move, word or reaction could result in ridicule or even worse, a beat down. I quickly learned to navigate the jungle that people called a neighborhood but more importantly I learned what makes people do things they do. This knowledge has help guide and in many cases protect me as I have gone through my adventure so far in life.

Nothing has affected my life so much as the street that I lived on. Almost all my childhood memories were on this street; countless games of tag, races with my siblings, and imaginary games that entertained us for hours took place on the asphalt of Dale St. The street I grew up on was what made me who I am. What we played, where we played it, and everything that is important in between has now become a part of me, and ultimately shaped me into who I want to be.

Following our final preseason game of tryouts, the bus was significantly quieter than usual. The ride from Masconomet High was nearly an hour, giving us time to contemplate our spots on the team; we all knew final cuts were coming. The tense feeling was noticeable looking at everyone’s eyes. To alleviate my worry, I focused on things unrelated to soccer, or, what I would do if I didn’t make the team. However, when the bus arrived back in Needham, I couldn’t think about anything but soccer. Everyone stepped off the bus and we all waited one by one along the brick wall to get called over.

I never thought that I would be considered a disappointment to my family until the summer of 2017. As a black child you are raised and expected to have a certain religion and abide by it, but as I got older I became open minded and realized that this “idea” of religion is a hoax and is not real. This one belief and idea that I came across changed how my family will view me for ever , as I walked my journey to a non Christian lifestyle.

I truly believe that in order to work with youth, you must first understand what it means to be a youth. I am not referring to the vague age-range that usually begins somewhere after your teenage years and ends briefly before college, or the memorable moment when puberty began or the onset of your menstrual cycle, which society often refers to as the beginning of growing up. Instead of viewing youth as a group of individuals who share similar ages, I like to think of youth as an experience; one that can shape a person’s level of dependency and mindset and is usually influenced in various ways depending on different cultural perspectives. Growing up and residing in both urban and suburban areas of Rhode Island, I have come to appreciate the diversity that surrounds me. Without a doubt, I am able to connect with my students because I value their uniqueness and use my own youth as a model and guide as to what has influenced my life decisions. For me, whether I am using my story to depict self-awareness, self-development, or simply to show my ability to understand and connect with my students, it is always coming from a place that I know will best support them. In the same respect, Providence College’s School Counseling Program also embodies similar values nurtured by its unique Dominican tradition, which is one reason why I became so interested in the program and believe it to be a great fit for me. Through this program, I hope to learn the skills needed to build an overall

Grumpy Hughes Lane. Avery County, North Carolina. July 2017. Situated in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains lies a humble homestead with a paraplegic man and his lovely amicable wife. Their home, a dilapidated nineteen thirties fixer upper, was in desperate need of repair, especially on its exterior, so myself and other youth collaborated to make the Hughes family’s dream of a reliable and dependable home a reality.

The Christian Manhood course taught me many things, but it specifically taught me to be open to growth and I learned about how important it is to be in a community of fellow believers. Although this was only part of the class it really stood out to me as a very important take away from the course. It is something I will take with me for the rest of my life and that I will always remember.