Reflection Paper
My Experiance
I always liked writing, but never when it came to school assignments. Writing, to me, was supposed to feel free, just like painting. But whenever I had to write for class, I felt like I had to restrict myself and sound “professional,” even if it meant losing my real voice. English 110 changed that for me. Throughout this course, I learned that my writing doesn’t have to be stiff or closed off, and that I can express myself while still doing academic work. This class taught me four major lessons, how to represent my identity confidently, how to use peer feedback to strengthen my work, how to choose my own audience and write in my natural voice, and how one-on-one office hours can improve my writing. Together, these lessons helped me grow as both a writer and a communicator.
One of the most important things I learned this semester is that I can communicate with my readers and deliver my message using different writing strategies. When I completed my Translation one, I turned my LLN essay into a poem, and that process helped me shift genres and make my message stronger and more emotional. In my poem I wrote, “the scattered lyrics started to come together; / all these years of trying to organize them / finally paid off,” I used metaphors and imagery to express the moment when my mother found her voice and stood up for us this line communicates the heart of my story in a way that feels poetic and symbolic, but still true to my experience. In my final LLN Essay I expressed that same moment more directly when I wrote, “At that moment I felt proud and embarrassed. I was proud of my mother who did not hesitate if her English was perfect or not… I was embarrassed of myself for not being able to use the language that I left my mother’s language for.” By comparing these two versions, I realized how different media allows me to show different layers of meaning. The poem captured the emotional rhythm and imagery of the event. While writing the essay gives clearer reflection and detail. Writing the poem helped me understand my own story better. Because I have always struggled to express myself through different channels, being able to deliver the same message powerfully in both the essay and poem made me feel accomplished and showed me that I grew as a writer.
I also learned an important thing this semester is how to incorporate peer review feedback into my translations. I used to feel nervous and anxious about what people would say about my work, but I realized that feedback is necessary for improvement. I learned this especially through my Translation Two assignment, when my classmates commented that my poster needed a clearer message and a stronger visual argument. At first, I believed that my argument was already clear, but during peer review I realized that my audience wasn’t fully understanding the point I was trying to make. That made me rethink how I was presenting my ideas. In my first draft, the images and words were there, but the meaning wasn’t obvious to someone who didn’t already know the story behind it. After receiving feedback, I added a message in the center that said, “Your identity is what YOU make of it,” I used stronger color contrast, rearranged the word bubbles, and made the empowerment message stand out. These changes made my argument clearer and easier to understand. This showed me that peer review isn’t just about correcting mistakes, it helps me see my work from my audience’s perspective. Because of that, using feedback has become an important part of my growth as a writer and creator.
Another major thing I learned in this class is that I don’t always have to write in strict “Standard English.” I learned that I get to choose my audience, and based on that, I can decide how I want my writing to sound. For my LLN essay, I didn’t want it to be written only for a college professor. I wanted it to connect with my peers who went through similar experiences as me. In that essay, I used my natural voice so readers could feel my story instead of reading something that sounded forced. This resonates with me because I used to think that every writing assignment had to be perfect and formal, and I would change how I talked just to sound more “appropriate” for school. But through this class, and especially through my LLN essay, I realized that the way I speak is not wrong, it’s part of my identity. Using my real voice helps me communicate more honestly with my audience. I learned that I shouldn’t erase how I naturally speak just because it isn’t traditional Standard English. Instead, I can choose the language style that best matches the people I want to reach.
Lastly I learned how helpful one-on-one office hours can be for improving my writing. When I was working on my synthesis essay, I struggled to make the paragraphs flow, and the peer feedback I received wasn’t helping me fix that problem. Going to office hours with my professor, Micaela, made a huge difference. She told me, “I really like your topic about your ‘RSR’ but I think the main reason you’re struggling to make your essay flow is because you’re missing your transitions.” Hearing this directly helped me understand exactly what to change. This experience resonated with me because I never thought something as simple as adding transitions could make my essay so much stronger. I used to avoid office hours because I was intimidated and scared of getting feedback, but meeting with her showed me that going to professors for help actually makes my writing better. It helped me overcome that fear and taught me that one-on-one feedback can be clearer and more useful than anything else.
Overall, English 110 helped me grow in ways I didn’t expect. I learned to express my identity in my work, to value peer feedback, to choose my audience and use my real voice, and to reach out for help during office hours when I need it. These lessons showed me that writing doesn’t have to be something I hold back or hide in. Instead, it can be something honest, meaningful, and connected to who I am. Because of this class, I feel more confident in my writing and more open to using my voice in any assignment I do in the future.
