Hard, different, scary, failure - these are all thoughts that entered my mind before I walked into College English. I had seen my three brothers go through this course and they literally told me horror stories that fed my imagination. Everyone struggles with some class at school, whether is gym, art, math, science, shop, or English class. We struggle, for without the risk of failure, there is no progress. After being in College English for a couple of weeks, I have learned what to expect, seen the progress I have made, and know what I can tell other students who are interested in taking this course.
Papers, grammar, reports, and debate are some of the things I knew I would be doing in College English. I never really expected to be reading a chapter and taking a test on the procedures that were discussed in the chapter. Usually that was something I did in history, math, and science courses. I was in for a surprise when I took the first test. I was not prepared, but I will be next time. I also did not expect to create this website. Now I believe I understand why my brothers were stressed and can relate to them, even though they never had to create a website.
The progress I made already is amazing. I can now start forming a thesis while giving an introduction and have the conclusion of the paper tie into the first paragraph. I have made progress in creating a website, which was completely foreign to me. Giving meaning to a story was something I never had thought about. The purpose of the story I thought was to entertain the reader as I usually do not write informative papers. I have learned a lot already and I know I will learn more.
Now when someone asks me what to expect when taking College English I can answer them. It is a roller coaster, pulling out of the hair, squeezing more hours into the night kind of class. They should study hard for the tests, dot all the i's and cross all t’s for their papers and to remember the pillars.
What do I want to say?
How can I best say it?
My initial reaction to College English is not always what I expected it to be. Whether it is hard, different, or scary, I know I have learned more about writing already. I have come to learn what to expect in College English, appreciate the progress I have made, and can answer other students’ questions about the course.
