Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Looking Back - Self Eval.


1. All right, so I'm here to evaluate my progress through the course. It's really awkward because to some degree I don't feel changed or richer in knowledge. I guess that's just the perspective I have while having lived in change. It's kind of like watching you pet grow up. Being with a kitten every day you hardly realize she's getting bigger and losing the kitten cuteness, and then one day you have this cat with a terrible loving habit of grinding her claws into your chest while she cuddles up with you. Where did the time go, honestly?

 

So coming in I knew English in any setting was going to turn out in one of two ways. Either I'd love it and write to my fancy all I wanted, and excel in it, or I'd find myself taking very boring notes on a piece I have no desire to read or acknowledge followed by drafting papers no one will ever read or reference. I mean, thinking about it, if you don't seem to know an author or title, it means the works sucks or the author isn't dead yet (or so that's the trend). The genre might just not be your cup of tea either… Regardless, I found myself doing the latter a majority of the time. It's boring to me because writing holds a different function in my life. I like to write, and still do, but it's for me most of the time. Guiding questions are fine, but I don't really have a motivation to write about an ad in the newspaper other than a grade.

 

Now in reflection I can say this hasn't changed much at all. However, I have picked up on a few stylistic tools that can help me perhaps improve my own self-motivated writing. Maybe someone will pick up on it before I die or I'll move onto something more meaningful. Prior to this course I was told to address my audience, but no single teacher in high school had a way to show me how. Professor Squillante managed to in exposing the class to the appeals. Go figure, a philosopher from ages ago who spoke an entirely different language living in a different culture could speak clearer than English teachers with their Master degrees in English, communications, etc. here and there. Thank you Aristotle…

 

Another transition in the course as a first year seminar has been moving from a very narrow, isolated view of the campus to something more. I have the Arboretum across the street, but I would have never had means to enter the Palmer or find the theatre. I knew PSU had a lot to offer, but nothing ever showed me that perspective so directly. The campus is undoubtedly overwhelming at first, but I found this course to help make it a little smaller and manageable. By picking a subject, say art, you can be looking with a finer toothed comb. Arts aside, I learned a new way to take on the 900+ organizations or other events on campus without having my eye twitch from stress of it all!

 

In all, I can safely say I've really become disillusioned with what's meaningful in the world over the past four years. Penn State provides me with a new canvas, and art at large is providing new inspirations and motivations. I've become very estranged from art and this course was refreshing to get back to it even a slight bit. I still feel I'm far behind though, be it a creative writing major or someone working in visual arts, music, etc. It's time to paint a new picture on my blank slate. Daunting? Sure, but I won't gain much from just sitting here now will I?

 

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10) http://aglydesweetconcoctions.blogspot.com/2012/11/art-of-unseen.html?showComment=1355236820623#c7441359503797640955

3. "Hi, Ms. S--I completed my SRTEs!" Sorry for the late post, but an upset stomach denied me permission to leave my bed.

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