Mines A Tale That Can Be Told

To be honest, I have very mixed emotions about this blog assignment. I mean, posting my thoughts for the whole class to see in a way makes me kind of nervous. However, I totally plan to embrace this experience and work it to its fullest.

I am from the Baltimore, Maryland area though I technically reside in the little known town of Jacksonville. I love where I live. Being surrounded by rolling hills and dense forests is truly inspiring but it is far from convenient. It’s one of those locations where you have to get in your car and drive 15 minutes to get to any form of civilization. I went to Dulaney High School, known for its competitive sports teams and challenging AP classes. I tried to be very involved in my school while also taking a lot of AP courses. I am not a math person in the least bit. My focus is aimed towards liberal arts. At the time I was filling out my application for UMD I guess I was in a very Government mood for I ended up picking Government and Politics for my major. Honestly, not a whole lot of thought went into my decision and I completely forgot about it until Orientation when I was placed in that group. I do like Government but I’m not sure if it’s what I want. I’m hoping to double-major. Maybe Anthropology, Latin, History? We shall see. As far as I am concerned, I am utterly undecided for my major until further notice.

I feel that I am pretty prepared for this writing course. In high school, I had a few great English teachers; some, not so good. I took AP English Writing and Literature and did really well. Writing should be enjoyed, an idea instilled upon me by my mother, one of the most liberal-arts minded people I know. I do enjoy writing. I keep a regular journal for all of my thoughts and I am an aspiring songwriter, something that gives me the most satisfaction as a form of writing. When I write a paper, I usually follow all of the proper steps. The longest stage for me is most definitely the brainstorming, not because it is the hardest but because it is my favorite. Why not spend the most time on it? My mind goes wild with ideas to attack the question, or inquiry. It’s most important to make sure that the writer’s voice is present to represent the point of view.

The most challenging paper that I have had to write has to be my UMD application essay. I do not think that I have ever put so much thought into anything. It was not just a paper to impress a committee, it was a declaration of who I was at the time and still am now. I wrote about my connection to Henry David Thoreau after reading ‘Walden’ and how it changed my perspective on life. It was deep, maybe too deep to share.

In other writing courses I learned of the importance of rhetoric to convey a message to the audience. I am not going to pretend that I am an expert. There are gaps in my understanding of writing and I am eager to fill them through this course.

I would consider myself a decent writer. I mean, I can’t just turn out an essay in an hour or two, it takes me a good deal longer. The thoughtful ideas that I bring to my writing is my strength. I think through everything thoroughly, analyzing every word. Maybe that’s one of my weaknesses; sometimes I have a hard time just letting the words flow, letting them be artistic in and of themselves.

I can write a great introduction when I’m in my mode. But, by the time that I get to the conclusion sometimes I lose it a little bit. A strong paper should have a strong conclusion as well.

This idea that I can pretty much write about anything I want, within reason, for this research project feels liberating. How will I handle this power of choice? It’s going to take a lot of thought to be able to pick just one area of focus. Maybe I’m thinking of music: the necessity of music classes in school, how music affects the mind, etc. Maybe I could focus on social patterns in a college atmosphere. I just do not know yet.

When I think of argument I think of forming a case to defend a position on an issue. I think of lawyers, the great orators, and how they use evidence and rhetoric to prove their side. I think of politicians and how they can swing the vote in their favor by a convincing argument. I think of using the principles of argumentation to persuade my parents to let me stay out later. Argumentation in everywhere and learning how to use the principles is an effective form of writing. No doubt that the information learned in this class will be useful in all other classes while in college as well as essential in life.