During the beginning of the semester, I already had some confidence in my ability to write. I have had lots of essay experience in high school and learned tricks along the way to help speed up and ease the process. However, there was something I did not consider. In high school, I was mostly writing research essays that contained some kind of argument or point to be made, constantly using multiple sources or quotes from a book. I’ve gotten used to this style of writing and learned to resent it. I never really liked doing research papers and that was mostly because I was writing about topics that I didn’t necessarily feel passionate about or had an interest in. I mean seriously, how am I supposed to enjoy writing an eight page paper describing which PH level stops browning in apples the best, or how to calculate the surface area of a vase, or argue about a message in a book I didn’t find interesting? High school somewhat ruined writing for me. It felt very bureaucratic and I always wished I could write and learn about something. 

Though I wasn’t necessarily a fan of English or writing, this semester has brought a new interesting perspective for me. This semester, I was exposed to different types of writing that I didn’t necessarily have experience with. The first project was the interview assignment where I interviewed a peer from my class and got to know them. Then I had to write a narrative piece about their life so far or an important moment in their lives. Firstly, I didn’t really have any experience with interviewing anyone and second, I discovered how fun and enjoyable the process was. Additionally, I had a lot more fun when actually writing the narrative since I was able to write in my own voice and style. 

Another project that exposed me to a new experience was the Harlem art review assignment. This project was also extremely enjoyable to me. I decided to write about Duke Ellington, whom I didn’t know much about. Though I wasn’t familiar with Duke Ellington or his music, I still got to explore a subject that interested me: jazz. I was never knowledgeable about jazz history or music but I always loved listening to my jazz playlist with artists from Europe, Brasil, and Japan. This project really allowed me to explore a topic I had some interest in and I really enjoyed writing about my discoveries as well as my own personal opinion on Duke Ellington’s music. Additionally, I enjoyed being able to write in my own style and experience a different type of writing that I wasn’t familiar with. 

When it came to the conference paper, I wasn’t really looking forward to it since I had to write another research paper. However, I never worked on a writing assignment with a group of people which made the process a little more fun. Furthermore, I was also researching video games which I have a lot of experience and memories with so it was enjoyable researching the history of videogames and how they changed over the years. 

Through these multiple projects I learned that writing is enjoyable, however, you need to have interest in what you’re writing, otherwise, the process will be tedious and your writing won’t be interesting. This course has given me this new perspective on writing. Now as an architecture major, whenever I have to write about my projects, I enjoy the process because I’m writing about something that I’m passionate about and that I care about. Though writing may be a struggle sometimes, there are times where you enjoy it because you’re dealing with topics that you enjoy and care about and that’s when youre writing skills really shine.