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    It is a course I think I really learn something. When I first come into the class, I was unconfident and nervous- I will never choose writing and reading seminar myself. I just want to stay in my science comfort zone- how can I manage these readings and papers well, which are even unfamiliar with local students? However, reflecting my experience in playing in the city, I’m impressed by how much I have changed. Really, I am not afraid to write anymore, even I think I am still not a great writer, but I would like to try and improve. I like the feeling that I can truly learn something I have never encountered and even think about before.

    I made my first mosaic; it is the first time to visit a petitionary and first time respect an art thoroughly for me. In writing, I learned to use a lens and reflect a new terrain. At first, the “lens” is so vague for me that I stuck in the paper about “NW”. Even now, I can’t clearly analyze her work, but I think it would be better if I re-read her work again. I think I can apply this “lens” to some of my work later and it brings me a sense of achievement when I can organize my thoughts clearly and even find something I never thought about. This is what I have learned in critical play in writing. I can develop new perspectives through writing. It is just like a magic journey that brings me to a breathtakingly beautiful land I never heard about. Serendipity. Today, I am exited about writing cause I will never know what I may get after all.

    This course certainly prepares me to the college writing- at least a sense of how does it work. Because I find it may still be a challenge if I am asked to write a long paper- ten-pages paper is normal in college. Also, sometimes, I can’t elaborate my thoughts efficiently in my paper. I think this is what I need to work on- to write like a true local speaker. However, I truly learn a lot in writing- to play critically, write deeply and structure my paper by following my thoughts. Writing is more like creation to me now, not the description any more. It can always give me more.

Also, I like the reading in the course a lot. I can always find the author illustrates the thought that I may have before in a clear way- I couldn’t express them in my writing before. Every time when I read, I just thought “this is what I want to say!” reading really helps a lot in my writing.

    Also, readings can still provides me with new ideas, which I never pay attention to and thought about. For example, I never thought about how interpretation prevents people from seeing the true art. Because it seems to me that an art is great because of the way we interpreted. I thought I can “understand” the art by interpreting. I’m so believed in what I subjectively thought the art should work. Now, I learn how to just expose myself to an art with rationality.   

I like reading and playing in the city, but more importantly, I enjoy the critical play in writing especially, because writing is not only a process of creating, but also a process of digging out the potential of myself. For instance, when I write the second paper about the Barnes, I follow my idea and come up with the thoughts I never had before writing.

    I enjoy group discussion in class; however, I like listening to the experience of my American classmates more because I take more scientific class before. When Taylor talks about her experience in Barnes, I found it very different from mine cause I don’t know much knowledge about the techniques and style of one artist. So it’s interesting to hear a new way to enjoy a same thing. Also, I like the discussion with TFlurry a lot because she helps me to analyze and elaborate a lens with her background knowledge in sociology and psychology. For example, when I question that if the arts in Barnes were infamous with low price, maybe fewer people would visit the Barnes foundation, she told me a phenomenon in psychology that when a thing is cheap even free, people tend to devalue it even it’s great. She helps me a lot in analyzing my argument.

    Thus, I have learned not only the technique in college writing, but also a kind of courage to go out of comfort zone. With the help of this course, I decided to choose a lot of courses involving writing such as philosophy and political science. It’s a priceless attitude and bravery for my future.