My Big 5

 Throughout this year in my SUPA writing class, I have learned a lot. Now, I want to share some of that knowledge to whomever is willing to read and receive. These are my Big 5.

Primarily first, I've learned a lot about the dangers of single stories. This concept is derived from a Ted Talk given by Chimamanda Adachie, a nigerian woman who explains her experiences with racism and the multiple single stories people have held about her based on her ethnicity. A single story simply put is a harmful stereotype, whether they are to be held by one single person or about a group of people. These single stories can be dangerous, they can be the things driving racism and ignorance. The best way to go about combatting these single stories is to approach things with an open mind, and allow others of various cultures or social institutions you may not be familiar with to explain themselves and express themselves. Here is the Ted Talk if you want to watch: https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_ngozi_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story?language=en

Secondly, I learned a lot about college admissions. From reading articles about what colleges look for, to even writing my college essay and having it reviewed by Ms. Schilly and my peers, my perspective on what it is a college looks for in a person really changed from what it was previously. I never knew how to word my essay or what exactly to talk about. Though my college essay was primarily written for the purpose of getting me into college, I feel it is very deep and personal to me, and a good reflection of who I am. I touched on hardship that I have faced and how it has developed my character and me as a person. But I feel upon writing this essay, I really learned a lot more about myself.

Another important thing this class helped me learn, while not a direct lesson, was about the prominence of social issues in our society. Sure, I was aware that society and the world has a lot of problems. But I never cared to get too invested in learning about them, until we began to research Op-Docs, mini documentaries that often touched on social issues. I remember binge watching them because of how interested each one made me feel. But upon educating myself on all of the social issues in our society, like the Narco Zone, or the severity of police brutality and racism, the lessons and information I learned through watching these will stick with me nonetheless.

Before, I never understood or cared to take the time to process the importance of analysis, and analyzing things. Whether it be artifacts or articles I wish to touch on in my article or whatever it is I am writing, or someone or something I am analyzing in my day to day life. I never really realized how crucial analysis is, and how important it is to take the time to do so. It has really helped me with understanding things or situations a lot better, and certainly helps to easier digests concepts, artifacts, or even people or situations.

The last and arguably most important lesson I have learned is to speak from the heart. Whether I was writing an imaginative piece, argumentative essay or analysis piece, speaking from the heart and speaking what I really felt always helped me when I felt I would get writer's block. When you speak authentically and how you really feel, it almost becomes effortless to write, and a 4, 5, maybe even 6 page paper feels more like a 1 or 2 page paper. While this primarily applies to writing, it applies to other aspects of my life like speaking, or even asserting my boundaries. Speaking from the heart, in all regards, is very important.