Week 10 of ENGL 105 was very busy and productive week as we wrapped up our Unit 2 projects. Outside of class, I think this week was a very routine week which is nice as we embark into the so called “home stretch” of our first semester as Tarheels.
In ENGL 105 specifically, we have just finished Unit 2: Writing in the Social Sciences. Our scripts were due on Wednesday, Oct. 14 and our video presentations were due two days later on Friday, Oct. 16. While a very busy week, I definitely think the quality of work that was put into all of the feeders and drafts is reflected in the final projects. I also am grateful for all of the peer editing that was done in class because having other student’s perspectives really benefited my project. Conducting the video presentation was definitely a different experience for me because I’ve never really had to do anything like that for a project. Setting up a professional background and being able to maintain eye contact, as much as possible, while reading the script was a little more difficult than I expected. As I reflect a little on Unit 2, I can definitely see how my writing ability has improved as a result of this project. Being exposed to different forms of writing has pushed me to be a better writer and given me different lenses that I can use in the future to analyze various literary styles.
On Thursday’s class, we moved on from Unit 2 and began working on our next and final unit, Unit 3: Writing in the Humanities. I honestly don’t know what to expect really from this unit so I’m excited to expand my writing skills and learn more about the humanities. I also think that the style of this unit will probably differ from the previous two which both mimicked each other closely. During class, we had to choose our short story that we will be writing about for our project. I surprised that I knew some of the short stories from high school which made my decision hard because I wasn’t convinced that choosing one that I had already read was the best idea. In the end, I chose A&P by John Updike which is one that I had previously read but I thought it might be interesting to see how my perspective has changed over the past couple years. Our first feeder, Feeder 3.1, is due on Tuesday so the final unit is already getting underway which is kind of crazy in my opinion!
Outside of class, students, for the most part, have completed a lot of their midterms so the relief of being two thirds of the way through the semester is definitely a refreshing feeling. I think not having any breaks for the rest of the semester is taking a toll on many students but as winter break is in sight now, there is extra motivation to finish the semester strong. For me personally, I have definitely developed a good routine that really balances my academic, social, and fitness interests in a stable way that I haven’t had since we got sent home in late August.
One of the lows of this week was definitely UNC’s loss to Florida State in football over the weekend. Hopes were very high as the Tarheel’s were ranked 5th in the AP Poll after their 3-0 start but a very sloppy game crushed the spirits of most fans around the country. UNC plays NC State this weekend which will be a really interesting rivalry game!
I think for the most part many students have regained a routine after all of the chaos that ensued earlier in the semester. ENGL 105 and many other subjects are heading into the final weeks of class so it’s time to stay motivated as finals and winter break loom close.
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