Final Reflection
Completing my first project this semester was a daunting task that I am glad to have overcome. It was my first major project at Florida State, and I wanted nothing more than to be successful, while still challenging myself to become a better writer. However, it was also an opportunity to reflect upon my senior year internship, which I have come to realize has impacted both my personal and career goals. In completing this project, I was able communicate effectively to my audience, and even family, just how special my internship was, and how influential the letter of recommendation I received from Judge Berlin was in my coming to Florida State. I remember in the beginning of this semester, I felt lost and as if all of my other classmates were able to convey with ease a specific message about the community they just left, and had clear ideas what they would work on for the rest of the semester. Fortunately, as I began to cross tasks off my to-do list every week or so, the steps I needed to create these projects and convey messages about texts within my community became clear. In my first conference with Mat, he gave me generally positive feedback and said that my project needed little revision as it stood, which was so exciting to hear.
The second project, for me, was the most challenging of this semester, but also the most rewarding. The first few mini assignments, including the interviews, bibliography, and rough drafts, were all to be completed during the most hectic weeks of my life as I began the process of pledging Delta Nu Zeta. The process of formulating my second project was not nearly as straightforward as that of project one, but Mat gave me helpful criticism and suggestions about my work and helped guide me towards what would most effectively convey my message. In doing so, my project evolved from a research paper about what I thought was a simple sorority into a complex piece that analyzed the differences between DNZ and other sororities, and how the mission statement of DNZ is applied to emphasize the uniqueness of the organization and provide all women with a sense of sisterhood. As I write this reflection, I’m sitting in the Starbucks at Dirac library next to one of my sisters, and could not be more thankful for the opportunities this organization has granted me in finding the best friends I could ask for, something I did not think was possible. In looking back on how far my second project has evolved, and how much more academic the writing is, I am proud of how my writing skills have evolved and transformed. The first day of class, Mat gave us note cards that read “is there anything else you’d like me to know about you for this course?” I remember writing “I am not the best writer, but I try my best.” I think this statement still holds true, but fortunately I can now say that I am a better writer than I was just a few months ago. The second project, in my opinion, emphasized that while writing essays are not the only way to convey messages, it is certainly one of the most relied on strategies, and as such, should be given just as much importance as other genres.
The third project was by far my favorite. I wrote about the same community as my second project, which is one of extreme importance to me as I become more involved within my sorority. However, rather than being research-based, the third project was a way for me to create three genres that circulate a more personal message about Delta Nu Zeta. Through this, I was able to create a photo essay, website, and flyer that share my personal experience and growth through becoming a sister of DNZ and encourage other women to consider rushing if they feel the same way. This project also sparked some new interest in graphic design, as I thoroughly enjoyed creating the flyer and website, and customizing it in a way that would be both visually appealing and effective in communication. I am proud of how my website turned out, and think that it is easy to navigate, and places emphasis on the other two genres I created for project three.
Overall, this course has taught me a lot, most of which extends far beyond improving my writing skills. The blog posts, class discussions, and mini presentations have emphasized that every piece has a message associated with it, and said message has carefully been crafted by the author after taking a myriad of factors into consideration. Aside from that, this course has encouraged that I analyze every genre more critically, and consider the rhetorical situation from which it arose. This course has helped foster both improved writing skills and a more critical thinking process, which I have, and will continue to, apply to my future endeavors.
