Luis Valdez

Professor Lawson
English 113A
December 3, 2014
Reflective Essay
Word Count: 725
The Learning Strikes Back
Through my first semester of college I have learned a massive amount of
information and things, from academic things to things about myself that I never
thought I would achieve, especially through school. My portfolio is a reminder of
most of the things I have learned in my English class, and once again its both
scholar things and also things about me.
In my first semester in college not only did I learn grammar things like how
to organize a paragraph more thoroughly, but that I am getting a second
opportunity here in college to right my wrongs from High School. I have learned
a lot about my writing process. One specific thing I noticed with peer review along
with other classmates is that we need to invest more time into our research and
writing process; I feel is one of the fundamental things one needs to be a good
writer. Every time it came to peer review most of us, the students, admitted to each
other that we had done the rough draft that same day. As much as Professor
Lawson may have taught us, time definitely had to be invested to put to use the
tools and techniques she instructed us.

The things I learned in my English class I have already put to practice in

other classes, like in my math class. There we had a five page essay due on
mathematics and voting; I used most if not all the techniques the professor and
class taught me. The ways I can apply the things I learned here to other classes are
endless. Ive persuaded my math professor to allow me to present the class a power
point a week earlier than anyone. In my theater class I had to write a character
analysis from scratch, so I had to give my teacher a clear idea of where my
character came from. I made the story detail by detail, from where the character
was born to where studied, who his friends were, and where he currently lived. I
used some of the things I learned from the second and third progression. What I
have learned about myself through writing was actually very impactful in my life
as a student and member of mu church. Through the years for whatever reason I
have struggled to make friends, and through writing I remembered that I am from
another country. While I have been here for years now, everything is different from
back home. I learned that my ways of interaction are different than those here so to
some people I may come off as mean, my train of taught is still in process, but If it
wasnt for writing that train I wouldnt have obtained a road.
As a student I have learned a lot but overall I learned that time is gold. Not
just in my writing but for everything. While writing endless essays in this class I
noticed the ones that had higher grades weather it was by an entire essay or a few

points were always the ones I had spent more time on. And it was the same in
other classes, but it isnt just about getting a higher grade in an assignment but
about actually putting to work the things the Professor taught us on class.
One thing I have to definitely work on is on revising my work. Often in my
essays both students and the professor informed me to work on them because of
whatever reason. Every time when I read the things they pointed out would have
been clear to me if I had originally revised it. It is because often when I get an idea
on my head I just type it down, without really reading it, and my revising would
generally just be about fixing misspelled words.
In conclusion my first semester was a wonderful experience. My professors
along with staff made it a much smoother transition from college to High School
than I expected. I learned a lot about myself through academic achievements. Now
I acknowledge that with more time invested in my homework and assignments I
have more to thoroughly revise my work weather is from English to Geography. I
came to this country to make something great out of my self and this is just the
beginning.