A Year in Review

Over the past semester of my freshman year in college I have changed tremendously, both inside and outside of my composition class. At the beginning of the semester my essays were very vague and I didn’t go into details on specific points. Often times I forgot to make simple acknowledgments to my sources by not introducing my quotes or facts. For example, in my first paper, “Texting While Driving” I would just state facts as: “the first mobile phones to the public for mobile access in 1983.” The correct way would be to give credit to the source that gave me that information would be to say: “According to the Motorola Company,” before I state my facts. Not only does this flow better but it gives credit where credit is deserved.

When I look back throughout the semester I realize how poorly written some of my drafts were and I see all the mistakes I made. Fortunately, I am the type of person that likes to look at mistakes and learn from them. Looking at my papers from Composition I compared to Composition II is like day and night. I feel much more confident about my writing now because I know how to prevent simple mistakes, such as not citing correctly. I also feel like my ethos is clearly expressed in my papers because I will not bash one side of an argument, even if I’m writing a persuasive essay. Ethos can be defined as, “the character or disposition of a community, group, person, etc.” I have always been a person to explain things and reveal my own opinion at times, which I feel is evident in my papers. For example in my Rogerian argument paper, “The Legalization of Marijuana,” I stated my own opinion to my audience: “Even though I understand where the pro-legalization groups are coming from, I personally find myself supporting the DEA’s mission and position in the argument over marijuana.” The example of me expressing my opinion shows that I do not discriminate against others in my writing.

Although I made great improvements in my English Composition class, I feel like my best improvements were outside of class. At the beginning of the semester I was initiated into Phi Delta Theta, a Greek fraternity at OU. Throughout my pledge ship I was taught a motto that the founder of my fraternity, Robert Morrison once said: “To do what ought to be done, but would not have been done unless I did it, I thought it to be my duty.” This quote is very simple and to the point, but yet it says so much at the same time. Before I was in college I didn’t realize what life was all about. I thought that having a lot of money and living a rich life is what everyone tries to live for. Morrison’s quote has taught me more than just that, it has taught me to do what is right. When I say do what is right, that doesn’t just mean do homework and things that benefit me, but do things to help people around me.

Over this last semester I have tried to get as involved in helping others as possible. My fraternity requires numerous hours of volunteer work while also requiring participation in Philanthropies. Although there is a requirement, I don’t hesitate to volunteer when I am available. The past semester has also taught me how to study. Entering college fresh out of high school was a drastic change. In high school I could just study the night before and be just fine. Unfortunately, college does not work the same and I feel as if it took the whole first semester to realize that. Since the beginning of this semester, I have not only become better at writing in my English Composition class but I have become a much better person.