A Time of Ups and Downs, Lefts and Rights…..

Oh Whatever, Let’s Just Say It Was Quite the Ride!!

As stated in the title of this reflection, this past semester, in and outside of this class, has

been quite the ride. In retrospect, this class has helped me become a better writer, better

analytical thinker, and, overall, has helped me grow to become a better person in all aspects of

life. Because this class has had this effect on me, I’d like to share, in detail, the processes I’ve

gone through in this class to create outstanding work that shows my prowess, creativity, and

determination as a writer.

First off, I’d like to focus on the social issue I chose to delve into this past semester. A

few months ago, when life was more normal and monotonous than it is now, my uncle gave me

the opportunity to go with him to the Volunteers Of America (VOA) Youth Resource Center and

serve lunch to teens that were experiencing homelessness. At first, I was a little skeptical and

nervous, mostly due to the fact that it was a new experience and I wasn’t sure what would

transpire. After arriving at the center, though, I began to realize that we were much alike, the

only difference was they didn’t have the same privileges as me. As I mulled this over in my

head, a determination to help these kids started to grow within me. Coincidentally, a week later

in this class, we were given the assignment to choose a social issue we believe needed to be

solved, and my mind went straight to homelessness among teens. Apparently it was meant to

happen.

In class, as we began to research, analyze, and write on our chosen social issue, my love

for these kids and the need to help them grew. Not only did I learn more about the implications

of the issue, I also gained a deeper appreciation for these kids and what they were going through,
leading me to search for specific solutions to fix the issue, and inevitably, start to work with

professionals in the field and seek out government officials willing to help. All in all, my ability

to gather information about these teens and present it in clear and concise fashion has grown

alongside my determination to help those who have lived less fortunate than I.

At the beginning of the class, when we were given the opportunity to begin choosing

different mediums to produce our work in, I had decided to just stay in my comfort zone and

stick to writing only essays. As I progressed along in the class, though, I began to notice that

much of the information I was gathering would be best presented in mediums different from an

essay, leading me to write my final piece, my proposal, in the form of a letter. Nearing the end of

the class, as we created our final project, I also decided to make a major adaptation of my

Informational Effect piece. I decided that because it was so full of information that, if utilized

correctly, could make my audience truly yearn for more knowledge on the subject, I would make

an Infographic. This is because it presented my research in a visually pleasing fashion; one that

anybody of most ages could understand. By participating in this process, not only did my piece

become more mature and professional, I also learned how vital of a piece it was to the rest of my

project.

My experiences throughout the semester in regards to the collaborative effort I

participated in were mostly positive. I was given good feedback throughout the semester on my

projects, all of which was constructive criticism. The peer review process was very helpful to

me, along with the group discussions we had; they helped me gain many differing perspectives.

Although I did have these experiences, the specific experiences I had with my magazine peer

group was very difficult. I rarely received any feedback, and many of it wasn’t until after the
project was due. Thankfully, I was able to still accomplish what I needed to for the projects, but

it would’ve been very helpful to have received help/feedback in the final stages of this class.

While I’ve mentioned there were many important lessons I’ve learned throughout this

class, there are 2 ideas that I’ve come to realize are very true. These 2 ideas are “Language and

writing are resources people use to do things, be things, and make things in the world” and

“Rhetoric provides a method for studying the work that language and writing do”. Personally,

what I believe the first idea means is that the use of language and writing is a tool that should be

used to take action in the community, a tool that can help us become better people, and a tool

that can help create change for good in the world around us. In addition, I believe that the second

idea means that rhetoric and the art of writing persuasively in all genres provides a way for us to

dive deep into and come to truly understand the implications of language and writing. I

specifically applied these ideas in each one of my projects. For example, in my Flash Memoir,

after explaining my first experience with homeless teens, I break the “4th wall” and focus on the

audience, asking a question with the intent of causing a change of heart in them. In my Profile, I

use writing as a tool for the audience to take action by focusing on someone who is in the middle

of the issue, taking action for the betterment of these teens. While I did apply the first idea in my

Infographic, I believe that I applied the second idea more fully. By adapting my piece, I was able

to truly dive deep into the use of language, as an infographic doesn’t use excess language, and

was able to create concise statements that fully portrayed the perspectives I found in my

research. Finally, in my Proposal Letter to the mayor, I was able to suggest solutions to teen

homelessness with the purpose to create change for good in the world around us.

In conclusion, while I have experienced some challenges and setbacks throughout the

semester, my goals and purpose for writing have become much deeper and personal than they
previously were. While I had originally only taken this class for the grade so I wouldn’t have to

take this class in college, my purpose deepened as I continued to write about this issue that

plagues our society today. I now not only worked hard in this class to get an outstanding grade, I

worked to create permanent change in the lives of teenagers like me. Why, you may ask? So they

may move forward towards a brighter future filled with hopes and dreams they once thought

were impossible and live a life full of humanity that was once unimaginable.