Wow, this is really my final blog. I feel like I am leaving somewhere that I have never been physical. This is like the quote Dr. Nafisi’s stole from Humbert in Lolita; we have to imagine each other because we do not exist it we don’t. Through words in blogs and Peer Draft Reviews, I have imagined you guys. It was fun, but challenging. I think if this was my only class or I had a couple of easy classes along with this one I would appreciate it more. Despite having a tough schedule, this class got a lot of my attention for the last sixteen weeks. It’s going to be different not writing one of these blogs every Friday. I guess I could keep writing them, but I probably will not.
English 103 taught me a different style of reading. Sometime you read and you just take what the writer gives you. Not in this class, it was like a treasure hunt. We where trying to figure out what the writer was trying to imply. What was the writer trying to hide? Is he bias? Is the writer bullshitting me? I think that is what made this class fun and at the same time challenging. Most of the assignments had no right or wrong answer, but you had to answer them thoughtfully and explain how you came to your conclusion. Also, unlike a couple of the classes I have taken at AVC, every book and reading assignment was interest. When I saw that a book call On Bullshit was part of our required reading, I knew this class would be different. It definitely did not disappoint.
I have never been asked how I felt about something so often. This was one of the main questions that the EL book always asks. It’s weird because I would be flying through my work it’s about 10:45 Sunday night. Then I run across a question that asks how "do I feel about something." When I first started in English 103 theses questions would take me a while to answer because it was so foreign. I would say to myself, "is this question supposed to make me feel a certain way?” It funny how such a simple question can be somewhat challenging.
This class made me a better more confident writer, through practice. I actually register to take English 299 to build off this momentum. It is actually just to continue writing because I don’t need the class. I should actually be able to concentrate more on the assignments because the only other classes I have are Photoshop and a digital photography class. I just go a Canon T1i, it is my first DSLR, I’m pumped.
Ok guys I guess this is the end we are the few that made it I guess there is something to be said about that. Well I guess I will see… oh yeah I have never seen you guys to start of with, you are parts of my imagination.
Here's to your imagination! I wish you well in all your future classes.
ReplyDeleteHello Jonathon! We did it! Yay! I really liked your blog. Isn’t it crazy how we’ve imagined the person behind the blogs and the other assignments. Luckily most of us put up pictures that help us remember were talking to real people. I’ve quite enjoyed this aspect, because I think its allowed people to share their feelings a little more candidly than if we were in class. Its true this class has really taught us a different way of reading. I think your reference to a treasure hunt is perfect. That’s exactly what we’ve done, sort of search for the underlying meaning. Which raises all kinds of questions within itself. I think its funny when you talk about the questions asking us how we feel. I too, at the beginning, would sit and think as to whether the essay in question was supposed to make me feel a certain way. After awhile though, explaining how you feel and why is a pretty awesome way of clarifying our thoughts. Discovering reason behind our feelings can be pretty interesting and actually help us find pieces of ourselves. Any who, I do have to say that as I’ve followed your blog, you’ve brought up opposing points to my ideas. But I have learned a lot from it and quite enjoyed the mental challenges. Good job! Oh yea and a Canon T1i!!! Not too shabby for your first DSLR, I’m a die hard Nikon chick myself but either way enjoy it! I’m about to graduate with my AA in commercial photography so if you ever need any help or just another set of eyes to look over a picture, let me know!
ReplyDeleteI know I have a blast with my photography and I hope you do too.
Best wishes!
Vanessa
Shotbyvanessa@gmail.com
I agree with you on the reading aspect of this class. Reading and picking the words apart was a totally new experience for me and a challenging one at that. Sometimes I had to read essays over and over. Oh and the book On Bullshit I read three times. Wow that book was challenging. The choices of reading material for this class were eventful. Usually text reading is boring but our EL book had some really good essay choices in it, I was impressed! I learned a lot for those essays and most of them kept my attention. I agree with you, I wish I had fewer classes so I would have got more out of this class. It is what it is though, glad we are finished. I had never been asked so much what I thought or how I feel either, it was kind of challenging to be honest. How do I feel about this? Hmmmm??? Yes it was surprising hard. Some of those EL questions required some deep thinking, but that was the purpose, right? LOL. Well I am so glad this class, this semester is over with. Hope you have a great rest of the year and a fantastic new year! Good luck with all your future endeavors. Peace out
ReplyDeleteI really love the quote you used for online class. I’ll be so happy to have my Friday nights back. I very happy that this week is our last. I agree that the books where fun and interesting. The reading really made me want to keep going with this class. The essay where always good and very helpful, I had learned the most from reading all the essays. BS for me was very interesting, it really helped pick through words and look at very thing differently. After reading Lolita, I really wanted to learn as much about Iran as I could. I think that my research paper is truly a history and not an English paper but I learned a lot about Iran. This makes me happy, even if I don’t get a great grade. I think you’ll do great in your class and will have no problems with it. I think your blog at I have read where always interesting and very thoughtful. Happy Holidays and good luck with all your class.
ReplyDeleteI am surprised that so many people drop out during the course of time for this class. They must have thought it was a simple point and click kind of class where they didn’t really have to put any effort into it. If they just kept up with the assignments I am sure they would have been fine in the end. Oh well, their loss in the end. I am pretty sure if we ever did meet we would have been pretty good friends. Perhaps someday we will meet and perhaps we won’t. I hope that you keep up with the writing since it never hurts to keep practicing even a little bit. I am not totally sure what you want to do in life but, I still wish you luck in your future classes. If we ever meet each other outside the online realm we should hangout and kick it when you are free.
ReplyDeleteOther than what I said in the previous paragraph I don’t have much to say about this class other than that it was a good new experience and in general I enjoyed it. If we do have another English course together sometime stop by and give me a greeting of some sort. Have some happy holidays and a happy new year! Good luck, hang loose, and peace out comrade!