The Final Chapter
The first project of this semester I did not know what to expect. I was accustomed to writing traditional papers on an assigned topic. When I began the project that is exactly what I did. I wrote about the famous John F. Kennedy speech that made him one of the most popular presidents in United States history. The problem with this paper was that it was too broad, and was not a paper that seemed like it affected me personally. That became very clear when I first met with Mat for conference week. He gave me a few corrections, but warned me of the typical topic. I found it tough to assimilate into the new way of writing, and thinking as I went through high school taught to write in a boring, and straightforward way. Once I got my grade back I realised I did not write the paper correctly. This made me come to the conclusion I really needed to focus more on understanding texts, and genres, and that I would not let the same mistake happen for project 2.
The second project originally seemed scary. I was nervous because it was referred to as a research paper, but Mat made it clear in class that it was not. This made me confused at first because I had never written a research paper that was basically a report on a topic. At first I wrote about major texts within the United States Air Force officers community. One of the major texts I used was the basic doctrine of the Air Force. I wrote a substantial amount, but I felt that it was headed in the wrong path just like the first project. That became very clear when I met with Mat during conference week. He immediately let me know the many issues with my paper, and we ended up agreeing that it had to be rewritten. I was saddened at first, but realised it made sense. My paper was not answering the answers that needed to be answered, nor was it unique. Mat gave me the idea of writing about planning for the dining out formal for Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps. I was confused at first because I did not know how I can write three thousand words on that topic. Despite that mentality, I began writing. After starting the new version of my project, I started to enjoy it. It was the first time I realised writing about something more personal is actually very interesting. It was actually very enjoyable. When I finished my paper I felt complete with my work for the first time.
The final project has been my favorite project by far. It was one that was all about creativity. I like project where you try to sell something, or try to advertise for something. Although at first I did not think it was going to be so simple. I was overthinking it until I went to Mat’s office hours. He made it clear that it was not supposed to be a project where I should be stressing. That it should be a project where I enjoy doing it. After that, I felt a lot better about the project, and I made a piktochart, flyer, and an instagram post. My project was centered around recruiting people for the Reserve Officer Training Corps. It was very fun not just making it, but also presenting it to the class.
Overall, I enjoyed Mat’s class a great amount. I always found English to be an interesting class, and his class was probably one of my favorite classes. It gave me a new perspective into the what English is. I love how it was about things that are important to us, and what we find interesting. He pushed for more creativity when it came to student’s work, and I am glad to have taken his class. The new insight in constructing projects will be a great aid to future classes in my college career.