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Jennifer Le
Malcolm Campbell
English 1101
October 13th, 2014
Mid-Term Reflective Letter
Dear Reader,
It is almost halfway through October, meaning that it is basically halfway through the
semester. So far in the semester, I have completed a genre analysis about cosmetic advertising, a
literacy narrative about how I pushed myself to read more challenging books to pursue a goal, a
daybook in which I wrote down all of my thoughts, and a blog where I share some thoughts and
emotions about certain videos.
Throughout the class, I feel like I have become a more focused writer. For example, the
genre analysis assignment has taught me how to research more critical details and how a genre
can really connect to its audience. In the literacy narrative, I have become more of an open
writer. This assignment has allowed me to bring back a memory of mine and I was able to
discuss it in great detail. Other than the literacy narrative, my blog entries have also played a
huge role in me becoming more of an open writer. My blog shows what I think about the videos
that my professor has given me. This blog has allowed me to express all of my thoughts and how
I feel about certain things.
So far, I think that my most important work is my blog. My blog is one of my favorite
things to do in my writing class. I like the fact that I can jot down my thoughts in an online
journal about education or any topic that is assigned to me. This helps me connect with my inner
reader/writer because it makes me feel like I can understand things in a way that many other

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people may have a different perspective on. This is my most important work because there isnt
really a rush to finish the assignments. I can finish all entries in a day if I wanted to, but I feel
that if I did at least one blog entry a week, I can go in deeper detail of the videos that I have to
analyze, and I enjoy to review videos and articles about education.
A weakness that I find in my writing is to think of a conclusion that wraps everything up
together. When I was in high school, I always had trouble on how to conclude everything at the
end of an essay or paper. I would usually just type down choppy sentences that didnt make
sense or just copied and pasted a sentence from each paragraph of the essay. It seems that I am
beginning to improve this problem when I progress by writing papers, or responses, in college
and my blog entries. A strength that I find in my writing is the flow of a story. I usually dont
jump to one part of an essay, or story, to another subject about the essay, or story. For example,
if I type out a story (such as my literacy narrative), I think very hard about every detail that is
told and thought about in a story. This strength seems to constantly stay with me whenever Im
thinking about a situation or if I have to think of a story on the spot.
A weakness that I seem to find in my thinking is planning out details. Most major details
usually just come to me, but it is the small details that I struggle with. For example, today I saw a
girl stare at one of my friends. The only thing I remembered about her was her gender and skin
color. I dont remember her hairstyle, the clothing she had on, her eye color, or if her teeth were
crooked. This problem seems to still affect me, but it doesnt affect me in a major way. A
strength that I seem to have in my thinking is memorizing things. I dont have a photographic
memory, but if I look at something for a good amount of times, I feel as if I am an expert at it. I
also seem to memorize routes when Im traveling. This is a benefit for me, and it does not have a
huge effect on me like my weakness does.

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My progress as a thinker has really increased. In college, I have faced lots of challenges
that seem to affect my wants and needs. Usually, I want to relax and go to sleep after a long
lecture, but my brain is telling me to stay up and a list of assignments pop up in my head all at
once. My progress as a questioner has also increased. In my possibility of having ADD, I seem to
be curious about a lot of things, such as why this assignment is optional, and why am I doing this
assignment in the library at 8:50 PM on the day it was assigned. My progress as a writer has been
mutual. In my AP English Literature class, I had to write a lot of responses every week with an
essay to turn in every month. This was very exhausting for me, but the fact that it hasnt killed
me in college makes me realize that the work in my writing class is about the same as my AP
English class in my senior year of high school.
The work that I have done so far in this semester has made me feel like I have improved
in a lot of areas compared to what I have done in high school. I feel like I can learn more in
college from peers and my professor. I think that I can succeed more in college because Im not
in a rush to get things done like how I did in high school, and I dont feel like someone elses
work is better than mine in college. For the remainder of the semester, I will try harder to
challenge myself to become a better thinker, questioner, and writer.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Le