Final Reflection

Looking back over the course of this semester, this class has been very beneficial to my writing style. I think that it has very much so opened my mind and perspective up to various types of writing and ideas. One thing I was uncomfortable with, at first, was the improv exercises. I've never liked having the attention on me, but I guess once I realized everybody had to do the same thing, it grew on me. After talking to friends, I think we did a lot of different things in our class than others were required to do in their English 1101's, but overall I think that all the writing into the days, improvs, and group projects helped us grow as thinkers, and thus, as writers.

Final Literacy Narrative Reflection

I had a rough time with this literacy narrative. I'm not used to the type of revision we did in this class. Overall though, I am happy with how my final draft turned out. Lacy had said that the papers didn't necessary have to be good but they had to show change. Honestly, I can not be okay with something I did not being good, so hopefully my paper is changed for the the better.

Here is pictures of my revision and the work I did a long side the project.

Other revisions took place in the google docs themselves.

Heres a link to the final : Final Literacy Narrative

Ethnography Reflection

 
    
     In wasn't hard to figure out what I wanted to show through my blog post. Since our topic was relationships, it was fairly easy to relate. Every time I watch a movie or hear a great song, its more than likely one of the main themes will be associated with love. But how songs and movies portray love is very different from the reality of things some times. Not every relationship is gonna go through a terrible tradegy and fall more madly in love because of it.

Most of the work I had for the project was the set up of scenes and then me just commenting on my research or sharing my thoughts on the topic.

     Revising was not so much changing my work, but adding and subtracting things. Like editing the video consisted of many scenes being cut and then adding others where needed.

     Working in the group with Farrah and Kelsey was very productive. We each had our own ideas and what we wanted our overall project to look like. How we organized the project helped give everyone an equal part and I don't think anyone felt like someone did more than the other. We worked well together.

Reflection: Location

This week, I chose to reflect on a "Writing into the Day" we did on location about two weeks ago. 

I really enjoyed the quote, "Location is a collage of geography, memory, and sentiment, welded together and burnished by art and ideology".

It talks about how culture is inversely directed to location.

I relate because I have a lot of experience moving around when I was younger which also made the cultures around me change as well. I am who I am because all of the experiences and memories I had/created in each place. With the holidays coming up, all I've been thinking about is being home. And then I thought where is my "home"? When people ask me where I'm from, I always answer New Jersey…That is where I was born and raised, but I've lived in North Carolina for almost three years now…so should here be considered my home?

Mini Biblography

For a photo I've taken, the citation will look like this:

     Kids Skateboarding in Courtyard, UNCC, 30 Oct. 2012. Personal Photograph by Stefanie Testa


An interview with fellow students will be cited like this:

     Doe, John. Personal Interview. 1 Nov. 2012


Sound recordings are cited using the artist's name and title of the piece.
Since we plan on recording multiple people, we can condense the recorded material and give it a collaborative title.

     People of the Courtyard. "Relationship sounds". 15 Nov 2012
   

Group Project

For the first part of this group project, our group met in the library to discuss our topic further. We narrowed it done to compare the relationships between people on and off campus.

These photos are from the U-Walk apartments and the courtyard shared between Sanford and Moore.

Today was a bad day to observe the courtyard. It must have been far too cold for the usual skateboards. Everyone was just passing through to get to warmth. In the U-Walk, however, we observed a couple holding hands, and Farrah's roommates cuddled on the couch. There was also some people playing volleyball and guy sitting on the porch listening to music.

Interviews are to come.

Mapping

For this mapping assignment, I chose to observe the activities that go on in the Sandford/Moore Courtyard. I live in Holshouser, but I am a regular visitor of the courtyard and during the times I have been there, I have witnessed many things. Those things include people just passing through, others skateboarding, some just sitting waiting for others or a ride, and many people smoke hookah at night. I'd say its a very interesting place. It's kinda of the center where most of  us freshman's socialize.

Even on not-so-nice days, you can always find someone out here.

Lyrics

I was not in class on Wednesday so I don't have much inspiration to reflect on something. Instead, I think I will analyze.

I need to listen to music when I am studying/doing homework. It is a necessity. Sometimes, I admit, I can caught up in what I'm listening to and have to sing along.

I have two different playlist. One for my happy moods, and another for those depressing rainy days.

But okay, this is the literacy part…I keep reading tweets how "when you are a happy, you enjoy the music, but when you're sad, you listen to the lyrics".  I agree.

The music on my happy playlist are all upbeat, fast songs with catchy, yet, vacant choruses. They make you feel good, but the song it self doesn't have any lyrical value. And that is why I love depressing songs…These "depressing" songs, at least the ones I listen to, have depth and meaning. They tell a story and give me something to relate to. So, whenever I'm feeling lonely or sad, I listen to that playlist, not to make me more "depressed", but because I know someone has been there, done that, and maybe I'm not so alone in how I'm feeling.

Does anyone relate?

Here's my playlist, just in case you were wondering :)

Midterm Reflection

     
   

   For our writing groups' "mission", we met at the Atkins Library at 10 am on Tuesday Morning.
The process began by finding a mentor text to use for the project, something that might help us in our literacy narratives. Other groups told us they searched in magazines and short stories, so our group decided on a different route: Newspapers.

    Next, each of us looked through many of the available papers and Kristen found an article about a Bicycling Culture that we thought we could use and relate to our narratives and the culture we use in our own papers.

   But, first we had to photo copy the said article….which was difficult because we didn't know how to work the machine. Eventually someone helped us and we got it to work though…Luckily.

   Our next step was to read and analyze the article. We each took the time to read it individually and write down our thoughts. "Writing besides the text" wasn't has hard as we thought. I think we all had a lot to comment on from the piece and how it related to our own writing. See we always view culture as a place, where a person is from, but this article proved culture is more about what you do. 

Reflection: Writing My Narrative

      This week, class's main focal point was the writing and revision of our literacy narratives. I wrote my paper in a about an hour and half, relatively a short period of time to write an intensive paper. During the process, it brought up many memories from senior year and I particularly didn't mind writing this paper since such memories were involved. 
      Revising our papers, however, was more interesting. I really enjoyed reading my writing groups' papers. I learned their writing style and their views on similar topics; Kedric wrote his narrative on a topic similar to mine, writing about writing. And honestly, I don't know if I am such a good revisor, but  oddly, I really like revising papers. 
       Sorry this blog post isn't so interesting. I don't have much to say.
       But, I do appreciate the other peoples comments ( from other writing groups) who have complimented my blog saying how creative it was. :)

Wordle

For this week's blog post, I created a Wordle with all the words that can be associate with creating a, uh, blog post. When typing my words, I used the mentor writing style of Lydia Davis who simply explained everything she did in her writing process. I did just that, writing about how I write a blog post, what I'm feeling, and what I saw on the screen.

 

Literacy Dig

Object One - MacBook

My MacBook is in it's usual place on my bed. This is where I do most all my assignments. Actually, I'm typing this blog post in that exact spot now. I always have Spotify playing in the background as I read and write and do anything else. I love my laptop!




Object Two - The Fifty Shades' Series

I have read the first book of the series, Fifty Shades of Grey, and I am in the process of reading the last two. I read the first during the summer, and liked most of its readers, I was hooked. It's been difficult to find time to read these college days but I'm determined to finish the series by the end of this semester.



Object Three - iPod and iHome

My iPod and iHome have been apart of my daily routine for a long time now. It's my alarm clock and also my speakers. I really should update some of the songs on my iPod, but still, it gives my ears something good to listen to.




Object Four - Picture Collage 

This is one of the first things I hung up in my room when I moved in to this lovely dorm. I wanted to bring a lot of pictures,and essentially, memories with me to college. I love all the people on this board. Every time I look at it, I think of great times. There are more stories on there than I can count from graduation to proms to just hanging with friends.


Object Five - iPhone




My iPhone is like my prize possession. I wanted one for so long and then I finally got mine in May for Graduation. It really can do everything. I feel lost without it.

Reflection: Childhood

I wasn't really sure what to write about for this reflection because nothing particular stuck out to me this week in class. But generally, a lot of what we discussed in class had to do with our past experiences, our childhood. Most of the events I had mentioned on my "writing timeline" had to do with school related things, which had me thinking. Honestly, I was so excited for college and all that the "college life" implies, but if I had to admit it, I miss high school. I miss football games, homecoming, prom, senior trip, I miss just knowing people. If I could, I'd be a senior forever.

Reflection: To find or to Be Found

When reading blogs for our earlier assignment, I found Rashid Willams' Fear of Writing blog to be the most interesting and most relevant for me. My favorite post was To Find or to Be Found. I think to many people, the topic of relationships is very intriguing. Everyone wants somebody else. The idea discussed in this particular post talks about how people are constantly searching for that someone else, when really you shouldn't look for love, but let it find you; let yourself be found. Furthermore, Rashid tells his readers that you don't really need to do anything to be found, that at the right time and right place, fate will step in and put two people where they need to be to find each other.

It all sounds really cliche, but I would like to believe it is true.