#6: Self Evaluation

1.

I cannot believe my first semester of freshman year of college is coming to an end. After deciding to come to Penn State, people warned me college flies by and boy were they right. I was also warned about how teaching and learning techniques were different compared to what I was used to in high school. Again, they were right. I definitely had to adjust after my first few weeks of classes, but now I feel more acquainted with the academic environment.

Coming into English 15S, I guess I was expecting something similar to my senior year AP English Literature course in high school. AP classes are supposed to be just like college courses, right? Not exactly. The only aspect that was similar when comparing the two is the fact that my high school teacher and my college professor are both published writers and quirky and unique (in a complementary way of course). I certainly had to become accustomed to the amount of freedom given in class and on the assignments. In high school I was given an outline and specific directions for everything and it felt liberating having a little more space to get creative with. Instead of choosing from a specific list of topics to write about, I essentially was able to create my own for assignments like the memoir and Curated Art Exhibit.

As a writer, I feel my skills without a doubt became more mature and refined. I gained tools to condense my writing and make it clear. I found in high school I would use phrases and words to “fluff” up my essays, but now I’ve learned to cut those out. My writing has also become stronger because I now know how to make a compelling argument with the use of ethos, pathos, and logos. Since we spent a good amount of time going over how to make an argument, rhetorical devices, and other writing techniques, I understand these completely.

Aside from obtaining more knowledge on writing, I’ve also learned a lot more on what Penn State has to offer me, other than academics and football. I didn’t even know Penn State had an arboretum until our trip to it. This was one of my favorite activities of the class and I even brought my parents to it when they visited. Seeing the purest form of art, nature, was awesome along with attending the play, In the Red and Brown Water. This not only opened my eyes up to Penn State’s theater program, but to nontraditional forms of theater. I was so used to the “Disney-esque” musicals my high school put on, that I had lost sight of the more serious, intense side of theater. Through this course, I truly did discover that Penn State was not only a football school, but also a school of the arts.

I can confidently say that this course, along with just being away from home has changed me as a person.  English 15S has made me push myself to think and write to the best of my abilities. I had to really learn how to think outside of the box instead of sticking to the safe, old habits. This class and college in general gave me the chance to act like an adult and take matters into my own hands. I learned that I was the sole person responsible for my actions and this definitely made me grow up a little bit. Aside from that, I gained maturity and confidence that I desperately needed. Being away from my small town and close group of friends from home forced me to put myself out there and meet new people. I’m grateful for the friends I’ve made in and outside of class. English 15S not only gave me the necessary tools to write at the college level, but it also gave me the gift of friendship. 

2. Blog Responses

1. http://abbyejackson.blogspot.com/2012/09/spilling-on-blog.html?showComment=1349109144001#c1212346943977606584

2. http://marisacutillo.blogspot.com/2012/09/palmer-museum-blog-post-2.html?showComment=1349109496861#c9055269611817479524

3. http://bblissfullyblogging.blogspot.com/2012/09/walkin-in-floral-wonderland.html?showComment=1349109854498#c4434871291838911368

4. http://kaylaswritten.blogspot.com/2012/09/hour-at-arboretum.html?showComment=1349668449999#c3222382813454401640

5. http://scribblesndsuch.blogspot.com/2012/12/urban-outfitters-not-just-store.html?showComment=1354486254219#c4927979142461295949

6. http://elysamkolvek.blogspot.com/2012/11/carrie-underwood-concert.html

7. http://abbyejackson.blogspot.com/2012/12/spilling-on-one-direction.html?showComment=1355100571080#c2434352554169332534

8.http://showmetheartspa.blogspot.com/2012/09/photos.html?showComment=1355101359093#c481467593535919922

9. http://kristinajoelle.blogspot.com/2012/12/university-choir-fall-concert.html?showComment=1355102746938#c2329810692603105092

10. http://tarasaverageblog.blogspot.com/2012/11/7-peanut-butter-disaster.html?showComment=1355197475435#c7482033003911283046

3. SRTE Evaluations

Hi Ms. S--I completed my SRTEs!!

Classic Rock: Art for the Ears

Music is a big part of my life. Even though I don’t play an instrument, music consumes every minute of every single day for me. I listen to it walking to class, when I’m studying, falling asleep, and everything else in between. I’ll probably have significant hearing loss in the future due to my headphones being constantly in my ears. My iTunes library has a wide a range of genres, my favorite of which would be classic rock.

            

My love for classic rock was passed onto me from my father. As a child, I would never turn down an opportunity to go on a car ride with him because he would quiz me on every song that came on XM Radio’s classic rock station. My love of Led Zeppelin, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Fleetwood Mac, and an abundance of other bands bloomed from this one simple game. To me, this one particular genre alone is an art form. You can argue that any type of music is an art form but to me, classic rock is timeless, it will never fade out. Other genres, especially hip-hop and pop, go through fads and phases. While listening to a hit song from just last year, people already think it’s old and overplayed. Classic rock songs can’t get overplayed; they’re everlasting. 

           

In today’s world you don’t come across truly personal and creative lyrics as often as you did in say the ‘60s or ‘70s.  The lyrics from Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young’s Find the Cost of Freedom is a prime example of meaningful lyrics. “Find the cost of freedom, buried in the ground. Mother earth will swallow you, lay your body down.” In a time of war and confusion, bands like this had a lot to write about and express. You can have a whole history lesson by just listening to a couple of songs. The wide variety of stories classic rock songs contain and people’s interpretations of them make this genre so unique. The lyrics combined with the pure, raw sound of classic rock is what made me fall in love with it in the first place. There’s no auto-tuning or computerized sound. Every one of those groups in the classic rock category had natural talent for songwriting and sound. To me, that is pure art. 

Arts/Cultural Event: Wiz Khalifa

           The weather in the beginning of October is supposed to be mild and pleasant to go out in, right? Wrong (for State College, PA at least). I could not believe my friends managed to convince me to trek over to the Bruce Jordan Center to see Wiz Khalifa on the bitterly cold night of October 12^th. In the end, I was extremely grateful for their persuasive ways.

           I’ve never been the biggest Wiz Khalifa fan. I have a collection of his more popular songs on my iTunes library but that’s about it, so going into the concert I really didn’t know what to expect. I was pretty excited because this was also my first time attending a rap concert. We got there right when Wiz’s opening acts were starting. Out of Chevy Woods, Juicy J, Lola Monroe, Berner and Tuki Carter, Juicy J was the only one I had heard of before arriving at the BJC and I have to say he was by far my favorite. The other opening acts were just shouting lyrics out that I couldn’t even comprehend, whereas Juicy J really sounded clear and lively. Everyone on the floor just bobbed along with the music, waiting for Wiz to come out. Eventually the crowd became antsy and you’d hear random shouts of “where’s Wiz” and “we want Wiz.”

Finally the moment everyone had been waiting for came; Wiz walked to the top center of the stage and started to perform. The first thought that popped into my mind when I saw him was “oh my god he’s like a twig!” Wiz was emaciated. I know, weird first thought, but once I focused on his music I got really into it. Before attending the concert, people had warned me he wasn’t the best live performer, but I got the opposite impression. Wiz was fun to watch and sing along with. Being on the ground floor made the experience even better because my friends and I were jumping up and down with the whole crowd. The most surprising aspect of the whole night however, was the fact that people were openly smoking marijuana in the crowd and it seemed completely ordinary. I guess the huge bong on stage that puffed out smoke was a sign that it was acceptable. Wiz is widely known to be a big “pot head” so I probably shouldn’t have been surprised that he attracted such a large crowd of smokers.

We didn’t stay for the last few songs, but of the songs I did hear, “Work Hard Play Hard” was definitely the best. Deciding to go to the concert was so spur of the moment, making the experience even more exciting for me. I can confidently say my first rap concert was a success and I look forward to attending another one of Wiz Khalifa’s concerts in the future.