Christine EaganApril 24, 2007Analysis of my workI was sitting there in my basement wandering what I was going to do for my personal essay. I glanced briefly at the assignment and had a grasp of what the professor was expecting. Thoughts were flying through my mind as I was looking around in my big and empty basement staring at my computer. I had a blank mind thinking about different events that have happened in my life that I thought were appropriate to talk about. I took a break and decided to go do some laundry to clear my head. All that came to my mind was how much laundry was down here and that nobody wishes to give me a hand in my every day activities. Therefore, I sat there and thought wow what a good idea! I was going to write about how it was to live in my house and describe it from when I was younger until now. So I continued to conduct a list of different aspects and thought that this would be boring.So again now, I went upstairs lying in my bed, trying to come up with ideas that would bring me back to my past, because sometimes I try not to think about certain events that have happened. It is now getting late and my son hops into bed with me and as were watching TV, my son keeps on talking to me as I am still trying to figure what would make a good personal essay. He than falls asleep and I get up and look around in my room at all the pictures. The pictures I look at are; my son Branden from when he was a baby until now, 4years old, my fiancé, pictures from my junior prom until now. Than it hit me, I wanted to talk about my relationship with my now fiancé and the struggles we have been through together, and how we are still holding out strong today.I started to list numerous ideas about obstacles we have been through. Some things on the list were; When we first met, when he got locked up, when I found out I was pregnant when he was not around, when he came home, and how we were doing today. With this list, I told my story in order from when I was in high school to until now in a segmented way. I thought the perfect atmosphere to be in was my fiancé house so I felt like I used to when I was younger to free my mind. As soon as I started writing, I could not stop! These pictures in my head of past events I repressed for so long were coming back to me. I was alone in his room just reflecting on overall the obstacles I have been through by myself, with our son, and with him. After I wrote my essay, I cried because those memories were hard, but they were happy tears to think, look where I am today.
When I completed my essay, I posted it on my blogger, and sent a copy to my professor. I viewed my blogger page in class and it came to my knowledge that I had 1 comment from my teacher, Chandler was her name. She expressed that I had too conclude that I needed a main focus to capture the reader’s attention. When writing my second copy I took her comments into perspective and did not conduct any list, just used my thoughts to make the best personal essay I was capable of. In dealing with writing and meeting the criteria for the assignment was a difficult task for me because I was not a writing major. I had fun and it was a good way to vent and express who I am and who I became.
1 comment:
You know, maybe having fun is the whole point - or most of it. I know in college there are lots of requirements and it ends up being about the grade - but finding the value in it for yourself (the fun) is always at the heart of it. I hope the comments didn't spoil the fun. I know I (the Chandler teacher) can be very goal oriented (there are writing practices I feel passionate about getting my students to try) and pushy, but I do try to pay attention to how students are taking what I have to offer.
You really grew as a writer this term, Christine. You were awesome. And so persistent with the technology. I hope it was worth your while to learn it.
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