Personal Narrative: My Dual Credit Composition

I am a better student because I have learned effective strategies and pondered over my future goals. I have learned a lot about myself as a reader and a writer. When I first began class, I tried to read the DRP test. I had forgotten everything about college vocabulary that was on the test since I left the university in 2013. I had not read any books in a few months until teacher recommend for me to take fifteen minutes to read

As an English student this semester, I have learned how to develop essays in an appropriate educated way in English 101. I have learned how to find and properly use different sources in my essays as well as improving on MLA format. This class has also improved my writing skills in my work place. I presently work as a secretary for a company, and my job consists of writing letters to people from time to time. The skills that I have learned has dramatically improved those letters, allowing them to appear more professional.

This book report was assigned for me and my 11th grade classmates by our Language Arts teacher, Mr. Samuel Jaja. The title of the book is To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee. The book has approximately 281 pages, and was published by the J. B. Lippincott & Co. in july 11, 1960.This book is translated into more than 40 languages, sold millions copies worldwide due for it realistic structures and content. Mainly, the book receive several recognitions; for example, this book is known for winning a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction after being on the bestseller list for more than 40 weeks, defining at the end this work as classic of modern American literature.

One day I had an English 300 reading response due the next day, and that day I had worked too. However, I got 100% on my reading response. The reading response was on Brian Williams’s essay “Enough about You”. In the essay, he talked about the negative consequences of social media. At work, I did the assigned tasks.

According to the Web site collegeresults.org, only 23.6 % of the students attending Old Dominion University are graduating in four years. This rate of graduation is demoralizing because I have a plan to succeed and graduate from ODU. From these results, I understand that I have to work hard and take my studies very seriously in each subject of every semester. Because a college education offers many benefits, I will be a successful student by obtaining expert advice, by developing effective strategies, and by overcoming my challenges. Psychology Professor Robert S. Feldman explains the benefits of a college education in my ENF textbook (29-31).

In the outline I start by developing a hook following up with an introduction. Then I establish a thesis statement, after that I begin with the first body paragraph topic sentence. Once I write the topic sentence of the first paragraph I then develop three supporting ideas. I continue the same steps until I get to the conclusion where I write the main point of the essay which is almost a similar paragraph that links back to the introduction. This process really helps me organize my ideas and when I was taking English 100, I used it and I would always get a 90% or higher on my papers.

I have always adored reading. So my freshman year of high school and beyond was spent checking out multiple books at there. I heard one day that they needed volunteers to come in during the morning of the school days. So I began volunteering there each day that I was able to. Community service is a big deal at my high school.

As I am near the end of my writing 102 course, I have been reflecting on my experience and studies this semester . while the course was focused on the study of English writing. The lessons that I took were extremely useful. I will demonstrate how did this course helped me improve my self knowledge, writing knowledge, and critical knowledge. The writing 102 course helped me understand many things about the way I think and they way I handle things, it improved my Self knowledge .When I left the writing 101 course and entered the writing 102 course I thought that this course would be very easy since it is similar to 101.

So I took inspiration from all the help I was given and am now a mentor for a new grade 10. On top of meeting my mentor during lunch-time mentorship events, I make the effort to contact my mentee after school and have meaningful conversations with him. He may not have any specific struggles or questions about school, but the simple act of talking with him gives him the confidence that he can talk to me no matter the circumstance. Through this mentoring, I hope I have made my mentee’s transition easier but more importantly, I hope he follows in my steps by taking inspiration and becoming a new mentor next

However, I did learn through my years of schooling that being able to read is key to success in any field of employment. I had a personal drive to be able to understand what I am reading, no matter what it may be such as an article in a magazine, a memo from supervisors or policy and procedures of a company. In my spare time, I would read as much as I could to learn new words. Since I come across words every day that are spoken to me that is not understood, I would research the words to better understand what was being discussed. Still to this day, it has become a habit of mine to read any random piece of writing to ensure my understanding continues to grow.