Class So Far...

As I am looking over my citizenship grade, I feel fairly confident. This will be my 10th blog post (I know, I love to blog). I think that blogging helps me to get my ideas out there. I am so busy and often forgetful, so I love to be able to get my thoughts down and available for the class immediately without needing to remember or have to write them down, in hopes that I will be able to bring them up in the following class. I am a pretty deep thinker, so sometimes talking in class doesn't always bring out my best ideas. I always hate sitting in class with people who talk purely to talk and get participation credit. While I don't say tons each class, I at least try to add a thing or two that I think is valuable. I want to be sure that my comments and ideas will actually mean something to the class. I also like commenting on classmate's blogs. Reading their ideas inspires me to think about something in a different light. When something strikes me as interesting or insightful, I love letting the person know that.

Digital Story part 2

I am excited to report that I had a great interview with my professor on his writing career. It was interesting, because as a published writer, I would have expected him to be into writing and creativity at a young age, but I was surprised to realize that that was not the case. Here is a hint- he writes history books on tutor history.. I do not want to reveal too much detail on what he told me, but I am excited to start working on the project. I am a little nervous with the technical details, but I hope it will be easier than I expect and overall turn out great.

Digital Media

When reading, Youth Culture and Digital Media, I think it is wonderful to think "outside the box" when it comes to forms of expression. While writing is one of my favorite things to do and a great way to express yourself, so are other forms of art such as pictures, music, artwork, etc. I really like how the digital story combines all of these elements. The digital story is a great way to tie in how writing with other things that come to mind when writing.

Writing is supposed to paint a picture, well vivid writing that is. The digital stories helps to incorporate that specific song that comes to mind when discussing something or the particular image that reminds you of the person or object. I think the digital story can be compared to the what goes through the brain when given a particular topic to think about because you can combine things that may not be directly related to other people and relate them through a way that makes sense to you.

I am interviewing my professor for my digital story today and will be interested to see what I will be able to accomplish with his story of his writing.

Class Consulting

Help me!

Yesterday, the class reviewed my first draft for my paper on the article "In Defense of Conference Summaries: Widening the Reach of Writing Center Work."

I really feel like I benefited from what the class had to say. I feel like I will be able to focus my paper a little bit better to give across the meaning that I want to, rather than a slightly different idea. As a writer, especially in the early stages, I often get confused with what I want to say and and what I want to actually say. Hearing opinions from the class and their interpretations help me to realize this.

I feel like when I revise my paper this weekend and turn it in, it will be clearer with a better overall connection to my thesis and point that I am trying to make.

Thanks classmates!

Week 4 thoughts...

As all of you read in my paper, I am not so keen on this idea of conference summaries. I think point blankly that they are a waste of time, especially at a small univeristy like Richmond, where most of the students ACTUALLY have relationships with their professors. The professors can see the progress of their students in both class discussions and through out assignments. The point of having such small classes is so that there is this communication and relationship between professors and students. There is no need for a middle man such as a writing consultant to spend time explaining the progress of a student that the professor can see and acknowledge himself due to the class size and relationship.

I also think that these conference summaries make it seem as if consultants are not trusted. We are in college now, we do not need to be constantly monitored after ever consultation. If a consultant is extra busy with clients than that would mean extra conference summaries which would just take up even more time that could be put towards actually helping someone.

While my opinions may seem rather... bold and strong, I do not mean to offend anyone who does like this idea. I however, believe that it is just unnecessary for a school as intimate and small as Richmond

Consultation with my Sister Part 2

I had my second skype consultation with my sister, who wants to transfer colleges. We awkwardly said hello via the internet and discussed the progress from her rough draft/brainstorming session that we had about a week ago to her fully completed draft.

I was pretty impressed. This girl who a week ago was so flustered and would constantly contact me alerting me of her stress level actually pulled herself together, thought about what I suggested she do (think about the real reasons she wanted to transfer) and even supported this information.

I had little to suggest. I fixed some technical errors and switched around the wordiness of some sentences, but overall she had her ideas together, and she was able to really show rather than tell how transferring would benefit her. I really was proud of her, for she overcame her fear of saying the wrong thing and wrote a good, convincing essay. She brought in her personality, which I suggested and I think it is going to do her justice.

While we did not only have two consultations, it was more like 10 between the phone calls, emails, and bbms, I feel confident that I helped her bring out the truth. While fixing minor errors here and there is somewhat important to show that a person is a good writer, I think that getting her to dig down deep was way more important and beneficial than changing a few words.

I feel satisfied, and I think she does too.

My writing experience

I finally found a professor who grades like a teacher should grade. I am ecstatic. My polysci professor graded based on the quality of writing, not what position or stance I took. It was wonderful to receive a paper back with no personal comments. He simply put details of the writing, not my opinion. "Clear, direct statement of your stance. Good use of supporting material." That was all he wrote, short and simple. I didn't have to spend time reading extensive comments about what the professor thought I did wrong and how he does not see the way I do. This type of paper and professor made writing enjoyable. I didn't have to worry about censoring myself or predicting what exactly the professor would want to hear. I am delighted that I have 4 more of these mini papers to do. :)

Week 3

High School to College writing...

When I first read this topic, I thought wow... I am a senior in college, I cannot even remember what it was like in high school. But I thought back 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 years.. wow am I old, and remembered things I used to write about in high school. I remember when studying for the SAT, I was always told that the best essays were the longest- word count was important. I also remember my tutor telling me to throw in a few big words if I could and to stay within the traditional intro, few supporting body paragraphs, conclusion. I did just this and received a pretty great score on my SAT writing section, well at least high enough to get out of Expository. However, getting out of expos only made me a little too confident. I thought wow, college must really not be that difficult. So I went to classes and wrote my first core paper and oh shit... maybe I am not such a good writer after all. Think of something original, I was told. But why? I just didn't get this. I knew the book and wrote about what happened and the characters, so why should I try and make up some new idea that I didn't even know if I could prove?

This is when it hit me. College writing is more about thinking outside the box. I could know every line of the story and the characters, but I had to transition away from this regurgitation and focus on bringing something innovative and new to the table. I would say that college writing really challenges my creativity. I tend to focus more on a cool or interesting character or piece of the literature that I find different and can write about. This is what I strive to excel in. I don't care about the professor or how he thinks- I write about something interesting to me, and if I can find this passionate thing and argue it, I feel accomplished myself.

Tutor Session 1

My panicked little sister frantically bbms, facebook chats, and calls me non stop with concerns over her college transfer essay. Where do I begin, she asks. What do I give as my reasoning for wanting to go to a different school? These are all tough questions that in reality, only she could answer. I could give her answers and we could play the game about what the colleges want to hear, but what's the point if she can't argue that reasoning? I told her to go on skype and we had a little sisterly heart to heart. I said, Brianne, be honest with them.

We first went through honestly why she wants to transfer. Its not because she isn't having fun or meeting friends or wants to be closer to home or near her boyfriend. She wants to study at a school is has a better program for her field of study. The girl is determined and knows what she wants and needs a school on her level. I know this, now let's put this on paper. The trick to this is reasoning is to make it sound sincere like she is.

I suggested that she brainstorm a little bit by going to the college websites and looking at her chosen field of study so she has some support for her reasoning. If she can demonstrate how she would excel more at the transfer college then not only is she giving reasoning but also giving support to her reasoning.

We hung up on skype and a few hours later she sent me a very rough draft of some points. She was finally getting at the honesty I think she needed.