For me, the only time I write outside of school is when commenting on social media. I like to make an objection on the internet when some people are leaving wrong information there. Usually, it is about technical information on bikes and cars, especially on mechanics. Other than that, I only write when I have writing classes. All my other classes do not require me to write. I find writing easy but am afraid to write for my classes since they require research and references. I do not even like to write a script for my presentations. Currently, I write my essays just straight down from top to bottom with my outline from the very beginning. After the completion of ELWR, I have some preparation on what college writing should look like. Back in high school, I did some readings like Shakespeare and other California requirements. For these years of college, I have only read my textbooks. I like to read Chinese history, but in fact listen to it when I am doing assignments. It is my time to learn from the history. I do not really use historical texts in my writing. However, I think it is a good source for me to understand the logic between evidence and the warrant. Overall, I consider myself to be someone who lacks writing techniques but usually gets a good grade in writing classes by following the rubric.
What is New?
1. Growth & Change When this class started, I only read to get information. I read textbooks to learn facts, and I listened to Chinese history to understand the simple logic between evidence and claims. Today, my way of reading has changed completely. Instead of just accepting what I read, I now ask hard questions. What I notice now is the hidden power differences in a science fiction book, an essay, or even daily media.
Class concepts like theory and characterization have changed how I read. Before, I just believed whatever the story told me. But after learning about how powerful groups force weaker groups to change, I learned to look for what the author is hiding, just like what is hidden in the history. A classical Chinese verse says that only the winner records the history. When reading Octavia E. Butler’s Dawn, looking closely at the Oankali showed me something important. They use their biological power and the excuse of "healing" to take away human choices. This theory changed how I see the world. It taught me to question systems that look "safe" or "kind" on the outside, rather than just believing they are good.
2. My Writing Process My writing process used to go in a straight line. I always made an outline at the very beginning and wrote straight down from top to bottom. I was scared of adding research and references to my essays. Now, I treat writing and revising the same way I fix a mechanical problem on a bike or a car. It is a step-by-step process of finding the issue and making adjustments.
I no longer see the first draft as the final paper. It is just a test to help me figure out what I really want to say. The best revision strategy I learned was reverse outlining. Looking back to map out my logic after finishing the first draft helped me see where my argument was weak or where I jumped to conclusions too fast. Also, peer review and feedback were very helpful. Getting feedback from classmates helped me overcome my fear of references. Instead of seeing outside sources as a scary requirement, I learned to use them as helpful tools to make my arguments stronger and deeper.
3. Academic Skills & Transfer Throughout this course, I have improved my ability to do close reading, build strong arguments, and use sources properly.
I practiced close reading best during the "Reading the World" assignment. I looked at several pop songs by Khalil Fong and focused on specific lyrics like "I will not let go of your hand" and "I will not let you get hurt". I looked at the text very closely. I saw how the idea of "protection" in the song was actually very similar to the scary and strict control in Dawn. This close reading helped me build a strong argument: the most dangerous types of control often look like kind protection.
To build these arguments, I learned the value of using feedback and writing multiple drafts. In my Essay #2 research proposal, my first ideas were too broad. By writing more drafts, I narrowed my focus to the unbalanced power and genetic control in Butler's book. This turned a basic summary into a sharp critique.
I plan to use these skills directly in my future classes for linguistics and cognitive science. Language is never completely neutral. It is shaped by human thinking and social power. The ability to use a theory, read closely for hidden biases, and carefully fix my work will be very useful when I study how human language and thought are formed.
4. Who Are You Now? In my first draft of the "Writer's Portrait", I said I was someone who lacked writing skills but usually got good grades just by following the rubric. Outside of school, the only writing I did was leaving comments on the internet to correct wrong technical information about bike and car mechanics. I was scared of college writing because it needed research and references. I preferred the safety of clear facts.
Reading that document again now, the biggest difference is that I am more comfortable with complex ideas. I am no longer just looking to correct simple mechanical errors online. I am learning to explore deep and difficult ideas in books and society. I am now a thinker who is comfortable staying in the gray areas of a text, like the confusing line between saving someone and controlling them. I am a writer who knows that using a specific theory can completely change the meaning of a normal story.
I still face challenges. Sometimes I still struggle to mix difficult reading materials into my essay without losing my own voice. However, I now have the right tools and strategies to work through those problems step by step. I am leaving this class not just as a student finishing an English requirement, but as a more confident reader who can think deeply about the texts, media, and world around me.