Looking Back

In life, it's always about getting somewhere.  In middle school, everyone is getting ready for high school.  Once we begin high school, preparation for college starts.  Sometimes we forget that it's not about getting somewhere.  It's not about hoping to be someone.  It's about being the best person we can be in the present, right now.  Robert Frost once declared his similar feelings when he said, "A person will sometimes devote all his life to the development of one part of his body - the wishbone."  Life is supposed to be a journey in which the significance lies in the trip itself.  I think that the purpose behind this blog was to enhance what we were working on in class.  It was the thin, subtle yet permanent marker that drew the parallel between the literature we were working on and our lives.  It made the assignments more relatable.  In learning the curriculum, it seems that we are merely fullfilling the requirements of the state.  These blog assignments are what reminded me every thursday afternoon that what we are learning is enjoyable, and I shouldn't rush through everything.  Each week, the blog was the one assignment that I usually took my time on.  It wasn't necessarily to check my spelling and grammar, or to make sure the diction was perfect.  It also wasn't to get a good grade.  I spent time on my blogs because the topics allowed us to relate the assignment to an experience that was significant in our lives.  Every time I wrote a blog, it was like a discussion I was having with myself in my head.  By the time I had finished writing, I had learned something new about myself.  When I was doing most other assignments during the first part of this year, in every class, the question in my head was always, "How can I get a good grade on this assignment and put in the least amount of effort possible?"  When I got into the blog, my perspective changed.  Like everyone, I still take the easy way out sometimes.  Now, I have a new outlook on school.  Each assignment is like a tiny opportunity to improve upon myself.  A way to discover talents and feelings about myself I never knew I posessed.  Sometimes, I would just start typing and lose track of time.  I would often forget that I was publishing the posts onto a blog.  I would discuss personal experiences or feelings that I didn't want people to read.  I would end up going back and deleting certain sentences.  As I read over my blogs, I saw how much my writing had developed since the first few.  I sounded like a third grader!  Some of them embarrassed me, and I wanted to delete them immediately.  But as my mouse was hovering over the "delete" button, I remembered that we were SUPPOSED to think our first posts were terrible.  The assignment was meant to show us our growth over the past year and remember things about our lives 9 months ago.  My favorite blog I wrote was the one about Kay--my old neighbor with Alzheimer's.  She doesn't know who I am anymore, so it was nice to read about a time when she knew me.  I also enjoyed reading "Writing about Writing."  I wrote, "I conjured up a realm in the clouds, and Mushroom Land, where tiny fairies lived in fungi. When I got old enough to write, I would make up tales about my fantasy worlds.  I like to just sit down and write, not being held back by the confines of reality"  I could tell that I was writing about something that I loved doing.  The blog has always sparked something inside of me.  It takes me back to times I loved, experiences that helped me grow as a person, and things that I am passionate about.  The blog helped me to become a more dynamic writer, student, and a better person.

My favorite Assignment

I love to talk.  I really, really love to talk.  Naturally, I was excited when I heard about the very first discussion we would be having in class.  I want to become a lawyer, and enjoy arguing my point.  I also like writing, so the project combined two of my favorite things in English.  The assignment seemed difficult--10 questions and answers!  At that point, I still didn't quite understand how or why we were we were supposed to be writing answers--Why would we ask questions if we already knew the answers?  It seemed ridiculous.  I later learned that the purpose of the questions are to ellicit a variety of responses, so obviously the answers of my classmates would be different than my own.  I struggled in writing my questions, but I worked hard and the fun soon began. 

Once we got to the discussion part of the assignment, it was exciting!  The arguing was fantastic.  We got to discuss things on both a literal and symbolic level, which really helped me to get a full understanding of the literature.  Saying everything I wanted to get out there was difficult with so many people participating at once, but I soon learned.  I was proud of myself for working hard at something new.  The discussions are also great for people who DON'T love to talk in front of people.  It gives them a safe environment in which to practice getting over nervousness!  The discussions were one of my favorite parts of english class this year.