Writing has always been an important form of expression for me. I have always had a hard time expressing myself verbally, and I feel that writing gives me a control over my words that I can’t find anywhere else. My journal is one of the best ways I know to explore my thoughts and decide on a course of action to take. Writing forces me to slowdown and really consider how I feel about something.
English 201 has definitely helped me to grow as a formal writer. In high school, my English teachers told me I had good ideas but that my writing was wordy and unfocused. I understood what they were saying, but unfortunately they never explained what I should do about my problem. This made writing a very frustrating experience for me.
In English 201, I think the most important thing I learned is that when I start writing I usually don’t have a definite idea of where I am going. What I have found through the writing assignments and the peer commentaries is that my main ideas are often unclear at first, but as I got to the end of a draft they become much clearer.
In conclusion, I feel this class has been quite beneficial in my growth as a writer. I got lots of practice in different kinds of writing. I’m planning to major in mechanical engineering, and I know that writing will be an important part of my upcoming career, as well as in my personal life. For my career, writing will be a tool that I will often need to get my point across. I feel that I need to work on knowing when to put personal opinions into my writing and when I should be more objective. Sometimes I get carried away by my feelings about a topic. This class has helped me to understand different writing situations, and I think I am now better able to see when the personal side is appropriate and when it’s not.