Learning to Find Joy in English

While I have no other college English classes to compare my English 1101 class to, this class was unlike any other English class I had ever taken. I am taking this class during my first-semester study abroad program (FYSA) in Oxford, a very different environment from the Atlanta campus. The setting of the Oxford program has been woven into the class theme, "Travel and the Personal Essay." All of our artifacts have related in one way or another to our study abroad experience. Our assignments have forced us to leave our dorms, go out, and explore. We don't just write about our experience in Oxford, but many of our assignments have required deep reflection into our past and focused on our takeaways from this experience. I have also benefited from the small class size, being in a class of just 18 people. 

(photos from an assignment to sit in front of a window and reflect)

When I learned about WOVEN communication on one of the first days of my English 1101 class, all five modes of communication were areas that I felt weak in. Perhaps it was communicating effectively in general that I was struggling with. My challenge with formal communication in general, is why English has always been my least favorite subject. In high school, I signed up for some of the "easier" English classes because I wanted to focus all my time and energy on my favorite subjects: math and science. Maybe as a consequence of this choice, many classes I've taken in high school have focused on formal/formulaic writing, and I have often found myself writing "dishonestly" in an attempt to write what I thought my English teacher wanted to read. My mom, who also never really liked English, always advised me to just "figure out the teacher". I've had great English teachers and have chosen classes on topics that sounded interesting on paper, but an English class always boils down to writing (lots of it), reading, and often presenting. Writing has always been frustrating as I can't figure out how to turn all the thoughts in my head into easy-to-digest, eloquent, and meaningful pieces. Reading used to be a favorite pastime of mine, but as I got older and there were more books required for classes, it became hard to balance my "academic" reads with books that I read for my enjoyment or learning. I need more confidence to present in front of large groups, even if I feel proud of the work I want to present. No matter how interesting an English class seems, it requires me to work on all of my weaknesses, which I know deep down is good but is sometimes too challenging to make enjoyable. 

Starting this class, I didn't have high expectations in terms of liking the class overall, but I decided to go into the class with an open mind. Even though my goal on paper for this class was to work on my oral communication skills (as I stated in Artifact 0 Links to an external site.), my real goal was much more significant. I knew I would be miserable if I continued to view English classes as a means to an end. I still wanted to do well in class, but more importantly, I tried to find enjoyment.

(the making of Artifact 0)

Artifact 1 Links to an external site.

Links to an external site.My first baby step in exploring my voice as a writer was to write about things that I don't like. I recently discovered that writing about something I don't enjoy is much more fun than simply analyzing. In Artifact 1, part of our assignment was to visit the Pitt Rivers Museum and write about anything we felt would make sense to include in our Zuihitsu essay. Instead of focusing on the objects that piqued my interest, I started by writing a fragment about the items I felt didn't belong in the museum. I also included a conversation between a mother and her crying daughter, Abigail, who seemed to be overwhelmed by the contents of the museum. By being bold in my opinion, I was able to write more authentically. On the opposite side, I also found moments of comfort in my Zuihitsu essay. I wrote about my favorite cafe, the first place I felt at home in Oxford. I also wrote about my past experiences, family, and traditions. Finding comfort in a place thousands of miles from home and writing about it was a cathartic experience. Also, I now have documentation of my time here, which I know I will cherish in the years to come. While it was not my favorite of the three artifacts, Artifact 1 was where I started developing new writing techniques, experimented with multimodal communication, and found things to write about that interested me. By writing about my experiences, I practiced finding my authentic voice.

(contrasting segments from Artifact 1)

Artifact 2 Links to an external site.

In Artifact 2, I continued to work on "honest" writing and multimodal communication, but I also got to write about something I was genuinely passionate about. Our assignment was to create a secret class for ourselves, which required carving out time for something important to us. I decided to plan longer morning walks and document my walks through journal entries, photos, and videos. Writing about my walks was entertaining. I described the sights, the joys, the challenges, and what I learned from completing my secret class for three days straight. Having fun with what I was writing about made my writing more joyful. For this artifact, I was voted runner-up for the "People's Choice Award", which is decided by the votes every class member casts for their two favorite pieces. This was quite a shock for someone who has never been good at English, but I'm glad my piece may have resonated with others in my class.

(documenting my walks for Artifact 2) 

Artifact 3 Links to an external site.

Taking inspiration from what worked with Artifact 1 and 2, I chose another topic that consumed much of my time: routine. Our Artifact 3 assignment was open-ended, just like many of our other projects (which is still something I am getting used to), but it had to be a photo essay. At first, I thought I would write about coffee because I have pictures of almost every coffee I have purchased in Oxford. After creating a collage of all my photos, I realized that coffee didn't tell a story. I also realized that it wasn't the drink itself that I loved but the routine and tranquility of going to cafes. Writing about routine felt easy. Routine isn't necessarily a source of joy, but I am deeply invested in it. Through writing, I learned my routine is what drives me, and without it, I often feel lost. Since I was invested in what I wrote, I didn't feel as nervous as I usually do when I presented my writing for the class.  

(presenting Artifact 3)

Just as important as the artifacts is the English that has manifested itself in my day-to-day life. For the first time in a long time, I read a book for my own enjoyment. The last time I did this was before I started high school. I also write recaps of my days for my friends from back home. This writing is short-form and not academic, but it's writing for fun. I also include lots of photos, which is its own form of multimodal communication. By practicing English skills in fun ways, I hope that when I have writing assignments that could be more exciting, at least I will have the competencies to make the assignments easier. Throughout my study abroad program and English class, I learned that writing can be a part of my life and not just something I do for a class.

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