My Growth as a Writer

This semester, I learned a lot about myself as a writer. At the beginning of the class, I often struggled with making my writing clear and using feedback in a way that helped me improve. Over time, I started to understand that writing is not just about finishing the assignments, but about revising, reflecting, and putting more care into my work. The visual essay was the assignment I am most proud of because I took my time and gave it my full effort. Looking back, I can see that this class helped me become more aware of my strengths, my struggles, and the kind of writer I want to be.

I realized that I need to pay more attention to my own writing weaknesses instead of avoiding them. At first, I felt overwhelmed by how much writing this class required, and I even thought about dropping the class because I thought it would be too much for me. I did not fully realize then that writing was exactly what I needed to keep practicing. Over time, I started to see that my writing was getting weaker in some ways, especially when I was being too vague and not taking enough time to be clear. My grades were dropping from A’s to B’s. That made the class harder for me, but it also showed me where I needed to grow. This semester taught me that becoming a better writer is not just about finishing assignments. It is about being honest with yourself, noticing what is not working, and continuing to improve even when it feels frustrating. I also used to feel overwhelmed by my own work. Sometimes I looked at an assignment and thought it was too much before I even started. That made writing harder because I would stress myself out instead of breaking the work into smaller parts. Over time, I started to understand that I do not have to do everything at once. I can take my time, focus on one part, and keep going step by step. One piece of evidence that shows my growth is the feedback on one of my drafts. My professor pointed out places where my writing was vague and where I used run-on sentences. That feedback helped me see that my ideas were there, but they needed to be clearer and more direct. It showed me that revision is not just about fixing my grammar. It is also about making my ideas easier for the reader to understand. Because sometimes I write like the reader already knows my ideas. 

One assignment I am really proud of is my visual essay. I took my time with it and tried to put a lot of myself into the project. What made it special for me was that it was not just about writing. It let me express my creativity through images, video, and design. I feel like I worked harder on this assignment because I cared about it and wanted it to come out well. It also showed me that I can do strong work when I stop rushing and really focus. The visual essay showed me that I am capable of making something thoughtful and creative when I give myself enough time. One piece of evidence that shows my growth is the feedback I got on my visual essay and the changes I made after that. My professor said, “The project was a strong start and that my clips and music worked well, but she also pointed out that the video felt a little choppy and that the ideas did not always connect clearly”. I did not finish the translation work, so some parts of the video felt a little choppy. Because of that, I realized that editing is not just about putting clips together, but also about making the whole project flow better. My first version of the video was too long, so I had to shorten it and turn it into a 1:50 video. That helped me understand that sometimes making a project stronger means taking things out, not adding more. It also showed me that I can listen to feedback, revise my work, and make it clearer and more effective. Since it was my first time using CapCut, I struggled a lot at first, but I kept working on it and slowly got more comfortable with making the video.

During my Essay #2 Ethnography Proposal assignment, I felt overwhelmed by the instructions given by the professor. One thing that helped me during this project is brainstorming, because it showed me how to take a broad idea and turn it into a focused argument. At first, my ideas felt messy and too open-ended, but writing them down helped me see patterns and figure out what mattered most. Brainstorming made it easier for me to organize my thoughts and choose the strongest points to build around. It also helped me understand that good writing starts before the first draft. When I took time to plan my ideas, the essay became clearer and easier to write. This showed me that brainstorming is not just a starting step, but an important part of creating a stronger final paper. But I still feel like I could have done a little more if I had managed my time properly.

Even with all the ups and downs, this class helped me grow as a writer in ways I did not expect. I learned that writing is not just about getting assignments done, but about revising, planning, and paying attention to my weaknesses. Through the drafts, the visual essay, and the brainstorming process, I became more aware of how I write and what I need to improve. I also learned that when I slow down and put real effort into my work, I can make something stronger and more meaningful. Even though I struggled at times, this class helped me become more confident in my ability to grow as a writer.