End of Semester Reflection

1. What are you better at now than you were at the end of the previous academic year? Name all of the (course and general) ways that these improvements were made possible. 

I feel like one of the things that I have improved on is recalling what I understood from class and what I need to study up on. This is something that i’ve previously struggled with, as study skills is not something I have worked on or needed before. But as classes get harder and demand more attention, studying and note taking capabilities are crucial. Forming groups with classmates has helped immensely in this process along with setting boundaries with my family like time limits. 

2.  What are you most proud of from the past academic year? Why does this make you proud?

I am most proud of not dropping my Precalc class. Although I know I probably failed it, at least I know I tried and didn’t give up. Unlike last year when I dropped the class before the final. 

3.  What went well this past academic year? What tools, supports or resources aided your success? 

Throughout the semester, I have learned to make the best out of bad situations.  I worked on study skills even when it felt like I had no time or energy and worked on my literature skills. I feel like I have written the best papers this year in my philosophy class than ever before along with using my previous experience to write a research paper with my group that I was genuinely proud of. 

4. What did not go well this past academic year? What was missing that made this experience challenging or undesirable? 

I have had a lot of hurdles this semester. With missing a lot of weeks due to surgery and then getting sick and spending a lot of days in and out of hospitals, deadlines were a tough issue for me. Thankfully I had understanding professors and I was able to make up the missing work.  I’ve also struggled with my mental health, I was diagnosed with anxiety and ocd something I haven’t exactly had the time to process. I was missing support and just overall order and time to truly put my best foot forward this semester. 

5. What insight did you gain about your own needs for mitigating challenges? Where or how can you fulfill these needs in the future?

In regard to mitigating challenges, one of the things that helped the most was having set ways to collect myself. For example, if I was struggling I would make study days with my best friends or bake my favorite cookies with my siblings. This helped me slow down, relax and then focus better later on. In the future, I would like to incorporate therapy and have my own space where I am not constantly being held back. 

6. What did you learn from overcoming challenges? How will you remember what you learned and apply it when a similar issue arises?

I learned that I have to put my mental  and physical health into consideration.  This semester, alot of my downfalls have been caused by issues at home that caused me to put aside schoolwork or being too sick to function. This led me to be stressed over my missing assignments and rushed everything. Half the time I was too scared or ashamed of what professors would think when I once again asked for an extension but I realized being able to effectively communicate was the best solution, something I need to remember to apply. 

7/8 . Who and what helped you to grow this year? 

My friends have helped me grow a lot this year. They have helped me when I have been sick, they have helped me study, fill me in on missed notes and classes. Along with my professors who have been more than understanding. Truly this semester I have had an amazing support system. 

9. What experiences are you grateful for? How can you acknowledge or express that gratitude?

Honestly iam grateful for all the new people i met this semester. I made two great friends in writing for sciences and another great one in pre-calculus. We helped each other through thick and thin and went to dinner to celebrate the end of the semester. 

10. When did you feel happiest or most at ease this year? How can you experience those moments more frequently?

This semester I felt happiest when it was over lol. I could finally breathe, relax and I left for the Dominican Republic to visit my family. Finding small moments to celebrate is one way I try to experience that feeling more, be it a passing exam, a birthday, anything. 

11. What moments are you proud of? What can you do to celebrate yourself? 

I am proud of the work I have submitted, no matter what I feel it is always apparent that I put my heart into it. Something I do to celebrate is bake with my siblings and spend time with my friends and family. 

12. What new ideas, information, resources or research made a positive difference for you this year? What was helpful about these things? 

The Research I did over the summer at a medical school and the experiences and people I gained made an incredibly positive difference for me this year. I came back with insights and a refreshing hope for what my future could be. It’s something I needed as I am often doubtful of my aspirations to be a doctor. 

Course Specific Reflection:

1/2 . How has your understanding of the meanings behind (and usefulness of) genre, medium, author’s intent, and audience changed? 

My understanding of these mediums hasn’t really changed since I did have previous experience in research papers but my perspective has improved. Most specifically the use of genre and medium to communicate the same topic to different audiences. Like in our papers versus our presentations, though I discussed the same topic the information I presented varied since one audience had a greater grasp of the topic versus the other. 

3. How has your writing process changed or evolved after this semester and how has the class affected this process?

I feel like I have learned how to better analyze sources and form an outline instead of just jumping in. Before I would just force one good version versus now where I see the benefits of a streamlined process. Not only is it easier for me as the writer to process and be efficient but also for the reader to comprehend. 

4. You produced a work that had you create for a new audience: explain (using genre, medium, and audience understanding) how it was that effective for the audience you chose. 

I feel like the using a presentation as my medium was the most effective method for presenting my research. considering that my main audience was late teens to early twenties. Besides having the information be straightforward it was also relatable and engaging through the slight jokes and visuals. Making a normally complex topic more easily digestible and memorable. 

5. Knowing what you know now (from having taken this class) how would you approach a situation in the future in which you were asked to write in a new genre and for a new audience?

With the knowledge that I have obtained while taking this class, and my group, I am better prepared to present difficult topics to new people. Using other researchers as inspo and taking into account every aspect of my audience. Not everyone is meant for certain conversations and not everyone learns the same way. Ultimately, I will use that going forward as it is a lesson applicable in other aspects of life. 

6. How has your understanding of the research process-how it is and how it should be conducted-been affected by this course? And how might this help in the future?

Going from a Med school research lab to this class was honestly great. Although this class didn’t give me new insights per say, it did cement and put into practice what I had just learned over the summer. It was great seeing months of work  come to fruition when in any other situation they would have been disconnected. 

7. How has your ability to compose your own positions, arguments or stances been affected by the courses? 

I feel like my ability to compose my own ideas and positions has improved greatly by both this class and my philosophy class. It has taught me to take into account personal bias, multiple perspectives and other people’s level of comprehension.  Your job as a writer is not to change someone’s opinions but to give them tools to sit there and form their own questions and answers with due knowledge.