Practice Makes Perfect

Although I had been somewhat apprehensive about the volume and frequency of writing required for this course, I am glad to have enrolled in it. I suppose I had become complacent about writing in general. Rather than viewing it as a skill to be honed and mastered, I saw it as a necessary evil – even a chore when it had been for work related reports or briefings. And then comes English 103 with Professor Gross.

The blogging exercises have been the most rewarding and perhaps the most beneficial. I’ve learned to write with much greater efficiency and accuracy as a result of assignments requiring retrospective, introspective and even circumspective contemplation about the world around me. It’s been a lot of fun because I rarely get to reflect on life's many events in my normal “9 to 5” routine. It would seem that regularly exercising the mind and the pen can do just as much good for the body as 10 laps around the block.

The other important area of development for me has been analytical writing via the essay assignments. I have been particularly pleased with my recent efforts at writing a formal synthesis essay. Interestingly, the entire experience had been reminiscent of my research paper writing days were the goal was to synthesize a vast body of knowledge with newly found observations in the lab. Only through careful analysis and synthesis of data and facts could the real power of science shine. I never expected to could apply to everyday writing, as well.

And then there are those group assignments. To be honest, I have never been a big fan of group activities in school. More often then not one or two members of the group get left holding the bag for the entire assignment. But surprisingly, the groups I have had the privilege to participate in have been very cooperative and enjoyable. Did my writing skills improve as a result? Probably not, but I do believe my team building skills may have benefited from the experience. Coupled with the fact that some groups could achieve a virtual collective consciousness in an entirely virtual classroom, it has been memorable.

As the old proverbial saying goes, if you don’t use it you will surely lose it. Personally, I am thankful to have taken the opportunity to enroll in this class when I needed a creative jolt the most.