What I've Learned

This semester certainly has been a long one, filled with early mornings on Tuesdays and Thursdays. But, nonetheless, I most definitely have learned much from taking this course. To start, I learned how to get up in the morning when you really don't want to. The trick, for me at least, is to start with a shower and a small breakfast. Nothing gets you going quite like hot water and a bacon, egg, and cheese bagel when your body doesn't want to move. On a more serious note, one of the things academically that I have learned is how to be a better writer. I have never written papers on the topics that we've covered in the past months. The advertisement analysis paper is an example of something that I had never done, and probably never would have if it were not for taking English 15. In addition to that, the memoir section was another focus that I had not had the opportunity to do outside of my periodical journaling. Getting to write, and especially receive personal feedback on the issue and the structure therein was something that definitely improved my writing skill as well as my style. A further example in the realm of writing that I have learned about is that of ethos, pathos, and logos. I had heard of these elements in writing, but have never taken the time in high school to explore them further on my own, simply because our teachers didn't cover that material. But learning of them and moreover learning how to use them properly and effectively helped tremendously in the writing and other papers that we had to do for the semester. Overall, the range of topics that we covered in our writing throughout the semester was what gave me the most experience and what I felt improved me the most as a writer.

To continue with this, I know that I have learned a lot about Penn State as a campus as well. I doubt that I would have ever made my way into the Palmer Art Museum if I hadn't had to go there in order to write a blog response on it. Furthermore I know for a fact that I would have never gone to see Kiss Me Kate, let alone any musical performance on campus, if I hadn't had to go to write a blog response on this as well. To add to that, even when we were required to meet at the Arboretum and the Library, the two places of which I had already visited several times, I still learned a great many things on both trips. The how-to-research lesson that was given to us at the library a few short weeks ago was probably one of the best hours that I could have spent anywhere else on campus this semester. All together, this class made me learn more about Penn State itself and the campus more so than all others that I've taken this semester combined.

As a final thought, taking English 15 has made me think about art in a very different way. I used to think about art to only be paintings that were done by Leonardo Di Vinci and sculptures done by Michelangelo. Now, I see art as most anything and everything. Music, literature, architecture, an even food preparation; all things that I would without a doubt the highest of artistic works. Going off of that, I have learned a new appreciation for the people that create these works of art. Going to the Palmer Art Museum as well as the Arboretum were two places that most taught that to me. I'm thankful everyday for being able to take this course and embrace all that I have learned, and all that has been taught to me.