You, Me, Us

Coming into this class, I did not know what to expect. When I was registering for summer classes, I was hoping that there was an Advanced Writing course specifically geared towards business students, simply because I heard that it was much easier and less demanding. Unfortunately, that class was not provided, so I decided to go forth with taking the regular Advanced Writing course. I came in this class thinking that it was only going to be a challenge and a burden to my summer, but it has showed me a lot about myself as a writer, and the areas that I still need to work on and conquer as well as areas that are already my strengths.
Coming from a co-op that did not require me to write extensively long reviews, papers, or anything of that nature, I was nervous to interact with writing again. Even during the semesters when I was not on co-op, I did not have to thin-slice, close-read, or analyze readings because of the nature of the business courses that I took. But after the past few weeks of taking this course, it has introduced me to different methods and styles of reading and writing, and essentially increased my knowledge in this area of study.
I think the most interesting aspect of this course is having to take it with students who come from various different backgrounds and majors. When peer-reviewing and watching presentations, I find it relatively easy to engage with the students because I am exposed to something new each time; not only to the information that is presented but also in the way that it is presented. Our engineering and science students display their strength in presenting their writing in the most clear and concise manner, whereas our literature and more aesthetic students present their writing in a more eloquent and creative manner. The way that our respective disciplines seep into not only our interests but also in, essentially, our everyday lives, humbles me and allows me to see that every individual is different and carries an element of surprise that we truly cannot uncover or even begin to predict.
The different assignments and genres of writing that we covered are ones that I did not expect to encounter. For one, I did not realize that there were terms such as ‘thin-slicing’ that were directly related to the natural tendency individuals think, act, and express themselves. I also did not anticipate having to present in front of the class or working with somebody outside of my immediate discipline. From my personal interdisciplinary assignment, I did not expect to work with a student who was studying Italian. At first I did not think we would have anything in common, but seeing how much Italy influences Marketing, especially the industry I want to enter into post-college, it opened my eyes to see that every person and their respective discipline plays a significant role in society and somehow reflects your area of study, whether directly or indirectly.
Though I have gained a better understanding of our students and the society that we are placed in and how our different areas of study and writing manifest, I believe that I have also sharpened and gained different writing and analytical skills because of this course. Whether it be writing my arguments with more evidence and confidence, or presenting my analysis in a way that is understandable to the reader, I have and will continue to sharpen these skills to not only further my writing in this course but also the writing in my other courses.