Looking back on this past semester, I feel that I have noticed a lot of growth in myself as a writer. Beforehand, I only really focused on completing the assignments rather than actually taking the time to think about my work and writing. Ever since I have begun this course, I have started to see myself become a lot more aware of how my writing has changed. One thing I have realized in my writing is that I need to change it according to the audience I am writing to and the message I am trying to portray. This has been beneficial to me. Knowing this now has helped me to become a more confident writer because I understand the purpose of certain writing styles and structures.

One area I also have grown in is the ability to organize my ideas efficiently. At the start of this semester, my writing lacked a lot of solid transitions between paragraphs. Even though it is still not perfect, I feel like I have still grown a lot the past few months. Now, I feel a lot more confident in being able to outline the plans for my paper and ensuring every paragraph has a purpose. Overall, this has helped my writing to feel more focused on the topic and easier to comprehend. I also feel a lot more comfortable with revising my writing. I understand now that rewriting is a big part of the process when writing and it often can help to enhance the overall depth and understanding of my writing.

Lastly, one thing I have learned and found important is my understanding that each specific field and discipline has a specific kind of writing. Again, when I first started this course, my writing was honestly the same no matter the subject or the audience. Now, I understand that each academic field requires specific things, such as structure, evidence, and references. A very good example of using this knowledge in other classes would be when I was asked to write a research paper for my criminal justice class. Having spoken about this in class, I was confidently able to write a paper in APA with a title page and a specific references page with the required citations. Being able to understand these differences has helped me feel more prepared when I am asked to write in other college classes.

     Throughout the first sixty-eight pages of graphic novel “Freshman Year” by Sarah Mai, the author shows how the transition between high school and college is a real adjustment for anyone, especially for anyone who’s lived with their parents for so long. This comparison reality resonated with me and my situation because this is something I personally related to.

     In the story, Sarah talks about how she’s going to miss “everything”. Similar to Sarah, I felt like the summer before starting college was a real blend of excitement and anxiousness. There was definitely real anticipation about starting a new life hours away from the place I’ve called home for 18 years. In addition to this “moving away”, her relationship with Finn seemed to crumble. Even though this isn’t my personal relationship, it felt very similar to how I left my friends back home. Although they have their own lives and college journeys now, it definitely felt weird saying goodbye to many people who I have known for my whole life. One other thing I noticed about Sarah’s story is her lack of confidence. Throughout the story, she continues to stress and worry about whether she will fit in with the people around her. She feels this way especially with her new roommate.That consistent pressure to find yourself isn’t something I personally felt but I definitely know how much that can affect you as a person. I was definitely nervous but I knew I would be okay because fortunately I know my current roommates because we were friends from back home. Another thing I noticed was how Sarah felt with her parents. After she was moved in and everyone left, she felt very similar to how I felt. My parents are obviously a huge part of my life and them stepping away was something I’ve felt before. 

     In general, I felt that both my summer and Sarah’s was filled with a crazy amount of change, mystery, and a weird sense of self-reflection. It was really cool to see Sarah going through situations similar to mine, almost comforting. Being a fictional story, it is cool to see how much of this story so far has resonated with me. I’m excited to see if Sarah’s college life is similar to mine.

Ethan Reed