Reflection

Over this last school year, and even more so this last quarter, I have thought a lot about myself and my identity. I am a caucasian female eighteen years of age working on a degree in business administration and accounting. I was raised along with my brother by my mom and grandma, who always taught me to work hard and be strong. “Don’t rely on a man,” my grandma would often say, “Make sure you can be self supporting first.” That has been something that stuck with me over the years. I’ve held a steady employment since I was fifteen while doing decent in school. I moved out at the age of seventeen during the beginning of my much-awaited senior year. I’ve always liked school, I love to learn new things and always keep an open mind to new ideas and topics. I really looked forward to furthering my education at college and still do. On too many occasions though, I find it hard to balance my time with hours of homework, full time employment, and trying to maintain what little bit of social life I have kept in my clutch. I have learned that though I like the freedom of online classes they may not be the right choice for me. As for my personality, I’m generally a pretty quiet person; I enjoy just sitting back and thinking whenever the chance comes by. My friends depend on me as the reasonable one, I always question whether or one of their ingenious ideas will go as planned. My generation is America’s future and I want to make positive that it is a bright one.

As for the topics discussed over the course, identity, community, and tradition, I can definitely say that what was covered has increased my knowledge and ways of thinking. I have always been open minded but many of these readings and discussion boards made me think more in a different perspective. Identity was the first topic we covered. The readings like High School’s Secret Life by Emily White and Dude Looks Like a Lady by Kathy Wilson caused me to step back and look at how I view and respond to another’s identity. Never would I tell someone “Take your boy–lookin’ ass on somewhere!” as Wilson experienced but I do find myself holding some of the same stereotypes, like “redneck man”. When I read this I found it to be a bit hypocritical, because though she was angered at the fact that she was being stereotyped, she herself was doing it. Since then I have tried to stop labeling people and catch myself more often when it slips into my head.

Community was the next subject that opened my eyes. I realized just how much communities, especially to myself, are an important aspect of life. There are so many communities individuals can be involved in like being a student, a parent, a worker, part of an Internet group, or a sports team. I feel support from these communities and I know I in turn give the same favor to those in my communities. Community is also the culture in which you are surrounded. In “Blaxicans” and Other Reinvented Americans, Rodriguez talks about how living in a certain parts of the city mainly inhabited by Chinese made him think of home when he saw certain house colors in books or magazines. He says “Culture is fluid. Culture is smoke. You breathe it. You eat it.” Along with some communities it is constantly changing.

The most recent topic we discussed was tradition. It has been tradition every year in my family to bake dozen of gingerbread cookies every Christmas. It’s sad to say though that this was one of the few things that we did together besides watch TV, we ate dinner together most nights but it was a rarity that we ever really spoke more then a few sentences before finishing and disappearing off to our own adventures. Thoroughly Modern Dining by Richard Pillsbury discusses the fact that our once home baked, thoroughly fussed over, but made with love; family meals and celebrations are no longer being spent in the home but restaurants. Well that makes it easy one would think, not having to spend the day in the kitchen. What happens though, to the bonds the family builds when helping each other cook or decorate or even clean up? As our surrounding culture is becoming more and more fast paced we are beginning to lose a sense of family. Let us not rely on others to do the work.

Over the quarter we have done various discussion boards, timed writes, and papers. I have chosen four pieces that represent, audience awareness, critical thinking, revision skills, and a writers choice that I hope you will enjoy.