Malcolm Hall

Dr. Hudson
HON1000
8 December 2014
Reflective Essay
Honors 1000: The City helped me grow in my understanding of the city of Detroit and
gave me greater insight into the problems that the city faces today. These insights came in the
form of history lessons about what happened in the past and how it affects the city in the
present. I learned that Detroits decline is largely due to the migration of its population from the
city to the suburbs and that we must strive to make positive changes in this city. The lectures in
Honor 1000 helped me to understand the key issues that Detroit is dealing with while the readings helped to understand the history behind those issues. The problem of racism was brought
up frequently, making it evident that it is one of the key issues in the city. Additionally, this class
has taught me to consider the future implications of what I research and how the effects of problems today and their solutions will affect my future. I learned writing and research skills. I was
encouraged to use scholarly journals and found that they are a wealth of information. The most
valuable information, or idea, that I took away from Honors 1000, however, was the idea that
everything is a work in progress. Just like Detroit is a work in progress, so is everything else. I
learned that I should always work towards improving myself and the world around me. This
course made me realize that I need to evaluate my career goals and orient them towards making the world a better place.