Kalina Gallardo

Professor Pena

Semester Reflection

5 May 2019

The Semester in Hindsight

Compared to my first semester of college taking an RWS class, this one has been far

more productive, useful, and enjoyable. During my first go at being a college student I learned

that I am driven by purpose and autonomy. What I mean by that is, I need both of those aspects

to be present in my academic setting in order to truly thrive as a learner. I found these aspects in

my RWS class this semester and that has proven to make all the difference.

I’ll begin by exploring this idea of purpose, and pinpointing where it was present in this

learning environment. It is necessary to begin with the hybrid model of the class, combining in

class lectures and activities with online assignments and discussion boards. This format provides

for purposeful interaction in class due to the fact that we only met once a week, and deliberate

assignments online as they were meant to practice the information we were learning in class.

Because of this format I was able to truly focus on the lecture, and dedicate quality time to the

online assignments.

The tenet of autonomy which I uphold as a necessary component for my own academic

success is ambitious, I know. It is almost quixotic to believe that in every class the instructor will

provide room for the students to choose the topics they aim to explore. Though, as a student

seeking an education in the Liberal Arts, I think it is imperative to expect this standard in some

settings like an RWS class. After all Liberal Arts stands for the idea of the the liberation of
studies and the right amount of student autonomy fits right into that. I found this autonomy in the

opportunity given to us by the instructor to choose the topic we would be exploring this

semester. This allowed me to dive into a theme which I felt passionate and curious about. This

passion and curiosity allowed me to produce quality work and deepen my understanding of

female-centric pornography, which will add to my own identity as a feminist and cultural

worker.

Even though the two criteria of my academic needs were met, that does not mean I did

not struggle. I did. I struggled with the final group project by taking the, “If you want it done

right, you have to do it yourself” approach. This backfired as I received the lowest grade I had

received on any project this semester on this project. I also struggled with finding a primary

source for my Literature Review. I kept thinking that I could avoid doing a survey and secure an

interview with someone from Bellesa.co, and when that didn’t happen I struggled last minute to

produce an online survey which did not meet the 50 person limit and probably had a negative

effect on my grade.

Despite the downfalls, I am confident in my work this semester as a student of Rhetoric. I

appreciate the effort and insight shared by my professor, along with his belief in our ability as

students to produce quality work without having our hands held. I’ve learned how to apply my

knowledge of rhetoric into the practice of writing, and I have a body of work that I can use to

grow and build other academic skills upon. This RWS experience has been a total 360 from my

first try, and I am all the better for it.