As a student and writer, I was required to take Rhet 105 because I needed it as a requirement as a freshman and did not get a high enough score on the ACT Reading Section. I fit perfectly into the classroom community because it included other freshman at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and they have a similar range of reading and writing skills as myself. As students, we share our opinions and thoughts, so we can improve on our own reading and writing skills: peer editing, workshop groups, and volunteering. The relationship I have with the assignments is that they have a personal connection to me and could take my mindset to a deeper meaning. For example, I wrote about the violence in Chicago and trying to find solutions for the issue. I have lived in Chicago all my life, and it has a personal connection to me. The assignments make me a better writer since I get feedback from my professor and peers. It is essential for me to learn from my mistakes and take advantage of all the lessons I learn in class.

I am currently in the Division of General Studies, but I am trying to transfer to the school of Psychology. The assignments are a reflection of my own beliefs and interests since I was able to choose certain topics that were interesting to me or a topic that I wanted to learn more about. I remember when I chose a topic about the Canelos Quichua people and how the women create symbolic figurines. I chose the topic because it was new to me, and I wanted to learn more about their culture. As for the essay on Chicago violence, I wrote that essay because it was personal to me, and I was highly interested in learning more about my city. I have always known about the violence in Chicago; however, I never truly knew the statistics or possible solutions to the violence.

I learned that I could become a better writer if I put the work and effort into practicing. I hate reading and writing, but I know I am not terrible at it. I am very open to learning new content and taking advice from my professor or peer. I learned that a research paper takes a lot of patience and time since I have to do a wide range of research and make sure that everything fits perfectly. I learned that I could get very frustrated when it comes to seeing the requirements or work count on the rubric; however, I also learned that I need to pace myself and not procrastinate. Also, I learned that my writing is always looking for improvement since there are so many errors and details I miss whenever I write my essay. Professor Hays told us that she does not give out any A’s unless they are beyond expectations and amazing; therefore, I have not wow’d Professor Hays since she has only been giving me B’s. I learned that I still have a long way to go when it comes to my reading and writing skills and that I should take writing more seriously and stop procrastinating.

The actions I took to read, write, and research my topics was to find my comfort zone and be able to stay focused on the objective. I visited the library and museums, so I could be able to find the right sources and be able to achieve my arguments. I thought I would never be able to find enough information or have the required materials done on time; however, it just took time and patience in order for me to finish my assignments and make any revisions. I sat down at my computer and read through my essays; therefore, I could try to find any mistakes and revise them to the best of my ability. I wrote some more when I learned something new and could add it effectively to my essay. The revisions on my essays and assignments made me a better writer and made me realized how significant editing and rereading was. The best way for me to write was when there was a reasonable gap to the deadline and when I was in a quiet place. I learned from myself that I am more inspired to become more productive when I see others being lazy or useless. I used to see my roommate play video games all day; therefore, I would try to go to the library and work on my essay. Additionally, I could even work on my essays or assignments when I was at work.

I mostly used pictures and sources on my portfolio. I find that the pictures will help the audience understand the topic more and become more drawn into the portfolio. The pictures help the audience understand the content more, and it gives them an example of the sources I have been using.