Whining, Defining, and Refining

So, I have a confession to make. When I was assigned the key word "Freshman Composition" in my Writing and Editing in Print and Online class last month it was probably the last key word I wanted to discuss in my newsletter project. I mean really. Is it even a key word? How can you define... a class? It would have been so much easier to get something like rhetoric or editing, the words some of my fellow students were assigned. They were clear and concise terms. Freshman Composition was just random and, well, BORING! These were my thoughts a few weeks ago. Luckily, along the way I discovered that First-Year Composition wasn't such a bad draw after all.



I am a procrastinator. In fact, I could probably teach a class on effective time wasting techniques. If procrastinating were an art form, I'd be Picasso. Since I was less than enthusiastic about my key term, in classic Sammi fashion, I waited until the last possible minute to complete the project. A few days before it was due, I made my way to FSU's Strozier Library equipped with the nectar of life (aka a Starbucks Venti Pumpkin Spice Latte) to complete my project. Of course I had to go on Facebook first and chat with my friends from home for a while and then my mom called and of course I had to talk to her for a few minutes (read: an hour and a half). But when I finally buckled down and did the work I discovered something miraculous...

Freshman Composition is a topic that many scholars debate about, theorize about and are even passionate about. In my research there was a plethora of information available for me, and as an English major it was information that was actually interesting! I found that First-Year Composition is vital to the Freshman college student and is a class that gives students founding insight into the English language. There are principles that should always be met and requirements that should always be mastered to guarantee a student's success in their college careers and life beyond school. One thing I discovered in my research that I found especially interesting was that most high school students graduate without really even knowing how to form a sentence properly. And while it is certainly not a remedial course, without Freshman Composition these students would have absolutely no hope of being able to write papers in their college classes, or really even to communicate effectively in every day life!


Once I dove into my research the brain juices started flowing and in no time at all I was able to produce a newsletter that I was proud to turn in. I even enjoyed picking out a layout and designing the template. It brought me back to my time as reporter for my county 4-H program (no, I did not show cattle...) and it was fun! I put meticulous care into all of the little finishing touches and I showed the finished product off to my roommates.

 (Speaking as reporter for 4-H. Ahhhh, memories. I always made a monthly newsletter.)

I came away feeling like the project had helped me not only to discover new insight into my key word, but to develop practical skills that I can use in my future (hopeful) career in the writing field. After a little whining, a lot of procrastinating and finally researching and writing I had the newsletter that I turned in on Tuesday. Now all that's left is the grade... Here's hoping it will be as good as I feel about my project! :-)