Andrew Hurd

Reading and Writing Experience

Reading and writing are quintessential in developing a coherent understanding of the
English language, which is why it is so prevalent in our education system and daily lives.
Children begin learning to read and write at astonishing young ages, which eventually leads to a
comfortable fluency in the language, and hopefully, enjoyment.
Individually, my first extended encounter with reading and writing (that I can remember)
began at the age of four with a computer program named Hooked on Phonics. I have a feeling
that I am not alone on this experience because it is a fairly popular program even today. Recently,
I researched the program again out of curiosity and was pleased to see that it had advanced out of
the early 2000s by extending its service via apps and other current software. With that said, I
remembered it as a simple computer game with multiple CDs that I would advance through as I
gained proficiency in English, however accurate my four year old memory is. I was always a
math kid. Even at a young age, my parents would drill me with multiplication exercises before
the majority of children began learning addition or subtraction. So it was a bit strange for me to
actually like doing this program, completing supposed endless levels that became a routine. I
guess you could say that every child enjoys reading and writing for the first time, but I believe
this was an anomaly. It would be nine oclock at night, far beyond when the usual four year falls
asleep, and I would be finishing up one of my levels on the program. When it reached the time to
get off, I would cry and scream, begging my mother to allow just a little bit more time. This
could go on for hours, probably to the point that my mother regretted getting me the program to
begin with! Nevertheless, Hooked on Phonics was the first time I really enjoyed learning,
especially with English, and the fact that I can read and write at all can be credited back to that
program.

Andrew Hurd
After I finished the discs (actually I dont even remember if I finished them) I attended
school like most other children my age and my love for math was reinvigorated. Solving math
problems and equations was where I found my enjoyment in learning instead of Hooked on
Phonics and the repetitive exercises trying to perfect my handwriting filled the void of writing
education, albeit not well. Advancing through elementary school, I continued to do my math
problems with ease and dreaded the class time where we had to drill cursive in our notepads.
However, in fourth grade, we had our writing notebooks where we could freely write, and I
honestly believe this was my favorite activity in school at the time. Fueled by my excessive love
for cartoons, I wrote creative stories of secret agents battling monsters and trying to infiltrate the
enemys base. These pieces became such a pivotal aspect of school that almost every recess
would be solely dedicated to brainstorming ideas with my friends about the release of our novels.
The idea of having the ability to create my own world was so fascinating to me that I was
convinced my future job would involve writing these stories for everyones enjoyment. Although
that may not be the case, I still smile when given the opportunity to write a creative writing piece
for an assignment.
As I entered middle school the following year, writing transformed into an obstacle of
sorts, standing in the way of me and a grade, which I despised. While I believe structure is
important in developing a clear essay, teachers would make us follow formulas on how to
structure a sentence or paragraph and if we stepped outside those boundaries, the work was
immediately disregarded. Formulas should be reserved to mathematics, where they belong. The
occasional creative writing assignment lightened the gravity from the monotonous formulaic
essay writing, but the majority of my time spent in English class was not pleasant. The books we
read in middle school did not appeal to me either, but that may be accredited to my declining

Andrew Hurd
love of literature in general. I regret not participating in English clubs or extracurricular activities
at the time because they could have sparked the lost inspiration I had previously, but I associated
myself with math and science while literature was pushed aside. Unfortunately, this continued up
until my third year in high school, where I finally found that lost spark I unknowingly needed.
The Great Gatsby. Its a novel every high school student is familiar with because of its
prevalence in most curricula. Looking back at my junior year, I can honestly say that was the
first year I enjoyed English class in a long time. While reading The Great Gatsby and the books
that followed, I found myself participating frequently and understanding the symbols and the
hidden meanings behind the text. It was as if I was in fourth grade again, ecstatic to share my
ideas with others. Something clicked two years ago while reading that novel and I couldnt be
happier that it did. As I advanced in honors and AP classes in mathematics and science, literature
became a safe haven from all of the excessive testing and formulas. No longer were there any
boundaries in English class because every idea had its value, which I found solace in. Not only
did The Great Gatsby refuel my love for literature, it also helped me rediscover the enjoyment I
get from writing. With the SATs and college applications looming around the corner, I was able
to stay sane by taking pride in my essays and other literary pieces. They were no longer a chore
or an obstacle in front of a grade, but a way of expressing myself academically.
Currently, as I advance into the next chapter of my life in college, I highly value literature
and hope to further advance my own abilities. Although I dont believe I have extraordinary
experience with reading and writing, looking introspectively in the past few years has allowed
me to understand that enjoying literature and the English language as a whole is key to confident
writing. I am truly looking forward to this course because I believe that it will assist me in
gaining that fluency and confidence for the future.