Throughout this semester, I have gained more knowledge about our society as a whole and about my ability to write in different forms. The assignments I found most entertaining were the major papers. I really felt like they challenged me to think differently and opened my mind up to many other thoughts and ideas. I also enjoyed the free-writes because it was a way for me to journal and find a creative space in writing. So far, at Chapman, this was one of my favorite classes because it was so different than all my other ones. I really enjoyed learning more about rhetoric from a college standpoint. In grade school through high school, we are taught rhetoric, however, in college it just felt different. I definitely have a better understanding of rhetoric and I this class has made me more aware of the way I speak, the way my family, peers on zoom, professors, and media speak. Rhetoric essential, like the businesses during COVID. Rhetoric exists everywhere and thats the beauty of each language. We can attach meaning through writing, visual representation, reading, speech, and more through our delivery and a situation.
To be completely honest, I am not sure if my writing has improved or not. I don’t really notice drastic changes in my writing because I am not too sure how to self-critique my own writing style. I have learned that I like to ramble. I try my best to avoid run-on sentences, but my brain has the tendency to just go, go, go, when I write. One assignment that I loved was the visual essay. Through this assignment, I discovered that visual representations are just as impactful as writing to me. As an individual, I think pictures hold such a powerful meaning to each and every person. This was eye-opening to me because I didn’t know that I would run with creativity as much as I did. Overall, I really enjoyed this class because of the way it challenged me to think about our society. We are literally, quite literally, living in a dystopia. Taking this class and simultaneously experiencing a moment in history will be something that I remember forever. As I self-reflect on this class and my time in quarantine, I realize how much I think about our society, our leader, human behavior, and how life will be in the near future. Are we heading into a new normal, or will we be returning back to a jam-packed 405 freeway and a work-oriented society? I would hope that after COVID-19 and this dystopian vibe, we look at life and consider the little things that are making us happy right now.
Thank you for such an enlightening class and semester! I am going to miss your creativity and humor, but more importantly, all the knowledge that you shared with me.
Page's Blog Paige 