Benjamin Bingler Elizabeth Hinnant ENGL 1101 December 3, 2013 Semester Reflection This semester, in our English 1101

class, I feel that I have grown exponentially in my writing style and with how I approach literary assignments. Throughout the semester, Ms. Hinnant along with my classmates have challenged my writings and assignments in a constructive way that resulted in a positive change in my work. This class was different than other English classes I have taken in the past due to the amount of writing and workshops we participated in. While I have taken other classes that I would consider writing intensive, like ENGL 1101, I do not think they truly had such a large impact on my writing style as this one did. For instance, in past writing intensive classes that I was enrolled in during my time in high school, teachers would tell me what they expected us to write with strict guidelines and rules that, if not followed, would result in a failing grade. Due to this, I entered college with the notion that I needed to write what the teacher wanted to hear, rather than what I wanted to write. On the very first day of ENGL 1101 Ms. Hinnant made it clear that she would have none of that. I really appreciated how she convinced us to write what we felt we should write, rather than what we felt the teacher wanted. Ultimately, I think Ms. Hinnants instruction for us to write what we wanted positively influenced the way I write, which resulted in better papers and writing assignments. One specific way that I believe my writing has changed for the better this semester is just simply how I phrase my sentences. In the past, I tried to impress the audience with sophisticated

word choice and exaggerated eloquence. After reading my assignments from this semester, and looking back to assignments from high school, I think that my work has improved dramatically simply because I do not try to write in a way that I am not comfortable with. Not only does this new way of writing make it easier for me to put my thoughts on the paper, but it also improves the understanding of the audience when reading my writing. This semester has also improved my ability to write an effective paper by showing me that it is okay to have a Shitty first draft. And trust me, I have had my fair share of shitty first drafts this semester. Now that I know that the first draft does not have to be prize winning literature, it is easier for me to get my thoughts out and on to the page. Before, I tried to make my first draft perfect which resulted in me holding back some thoughts that could have made the paper far better than it turned out. Ms. Hinnants teaching on bad firsts drafts informed me that, while still largely important, our first drafts did not have to be perfect. The method of writing and revision that I learned in this class will influence future writing assignments that I undertake until the day I stop writing. Besides the fact that I had to write about them after I read them, the online and in class reading assignments did not seem to have much of a positive effect on me. I really tried to embrace the readings that were assigned, however I ultimately couldnt bring myself to enjoy reading that I am being required to do. In assignments such as our first online reading/response about Bohannons book, I learned that the writing should always be reliant on the audience. This is a piece of knowledge that I think every writer needs to know. If you have no audience, then a text is useless. Due to this book being written for people like me (Freshman writers) I was able to extract useful pieces of the texts. Other than this particular reading assignment, I had trouble

relating and understanding the texts, and ended up just going through the motions of the assignment. The informal writings that we participated in, usually during the beginning of class, forced me to think and write in a way that was different than what I had experienced in the past. I have had teachers who have assigned small writings at the start of class times in the past, but I have never had a teacher who really challenged me with these assignments. In ENGL 1101 with Ms. Hinnant, I felt I could relate to the prompts. I appreciated that I was not just being asked to write about my weekend or how I felt about school. Instead, I was being asked about new topics and prompted to write in a fashion that required me to explore myself. In conclusion, I truly believe that this semester with Ms. Hinnant has enabled me to write at a college level. I feel prepared to enroll in more writing intensive classes and also feel confident that I have the skills required to move on.