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Diego Gonzalez

Professor Pushpa Mirchandani

ENC1101

4/23/2024

Course Reflection: a self-improvement journey

Throughout high school, I used to enjoy writing essays for my different classes, so I

expected my first-year composition course to flow smoothly due to my competent skill base. It

turned out that the course was more than just writing on some topic, as I used to. The course

demanded a mix of deep analysis and planning to fulfill the writing requirements. The driver for

the development and mastering of skills like the aforementioned is the efficiency of the methods

of learning implemented during class. This essay will discuss the impact of the learning process

and the growth I achieved from the course.

The essence of this course lies in its structure. ENC1101 is designed as a progressive

journey through rhetorical composition—a strategic method for persuasion through effective

communication. The evolution of the course was a linear process, starting with the analysis of

rhetoric and culminating with the creation of our own advocacy. I found that as we advanced

through projects, my understanding of concepts increased, resulting in the improvement of skills

being proportional to the “difficulty” of the project. This way, I could identify and apply

concepts like rhetoric, audience, purpose, context, strategies, medium, and arrangement, as well

as proper MLA formatting, and citing sources.

I could not have thrived if I did not make mistakes. One of the key factors that

contributed to my success in this course was the ability to learn and grow from my mistakes

while perfecting my work. This was accomplished with the use of drafts, peer review, and
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personal meetings with the professor. Drafts, along with peer review, helped me reshape my

work before reaching the final version. However, it was not only about receiving feedback and

rebuilding, it was also valuable giving feedback to other classmates. Personally, a great way I

could perfect my work was by looking at what others lacked and had, and then introspecting if

that applied to my work. The professor’s advice was another invaluable asset. I noticed things

that I would not be able to see for myself before the final draft so I could refine my work to

satisfy the professor’s expectations. Additionally, the professor’s feedback on my returned not-

so-good grades helped me realize exactly what I was doing wrong and why I got evaluated that

way.

My advice for newcomers to this course is to think outside the box and focus more on the

process, rather than the product. This is one of the few classes that will benefit you not only for

the entirety of college but also your career. Newcomers have to be open to learning and

detaching from prejudices because this course offers much more than a grade if one is willing to

take an interest in it. In this class, success isn't solely defined by the final grade on your

assignments. It's about embracing the journey of discovery, growth, and skill development that

unravels throughout the semester. This course forces you to employ and develop the “21st-

century skills” that nowadays are in high demand in both academia and the workforce. From

critical thinking and problem-solving to effective communication and collaboration, each

assignment and activity is a pathway to practice a different skill.

In conclusion, my journey through ENC1101 has been a transformative experience of

self-discovery and personal growth. While I initially approached the course with confidence in

my writing abilities, I soon realized that it demanded more than just surface-level skills. Through

a combination of deep analysis, strategic planning (including time management), and a

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willingness to learn from mistakes, I have developed as a more confident and capable writer. The

metacognitive ability gathered in this course has made me a more self-directed learner,

acknowledging my strengths and weaknesses, and building upon them respectively. I am eager to

continue my English composition journey with ENC2135, applying and mastering what I have

learned.