Last Blog Post

            So here it goes. The last blog post. I don’t know if I’m happy or sad. I’m happy because it means this school year is coming to a close and I’ll no longer be graded on my writing (although I feel like it wasn’t really graded, just checked to see if it was there). I’m sad because maybe, since I’m not required, I’ll stop writing. But I watched this show called “Mortified,” on Netflix, where people read out their diary from teenage years to the audience. It made me want to start writing in mine again. I’ve had an on-again, off-again relationship with my diary since 2010, when Esther got it for me. It’s so funny to me that I can spend an hour writing in that thing. Literally. My hand will start hurting. But I’m getting off topic. I’m supposed to talk about Mr. Thomas’s class.

            The first day of school, I knew I’d lucked out. Even if I didn’t like the class itself, Mr. Thomas was cool. And then I ended up liking the class because Mr. Thomas was cool. When I got a 9 on the first writing assignment, I was pretty hype. But then I didn’t get anymore. Sad face. That’s okay though. I think I have grown as a student. My ability to write under the pressure of time has definitely improved. I think my writing is better. I also think from now on, I will be putting more value and effort into my writing. I get a major sense of pride when I get a good grade or good feedback on a writing assignment. So I think in the future, I won’t think of it as just an essay, but ‘my work,’ if that makes sense. How has this course prepared me for life? Well, it’s like what Mr. Thomas said the other day. About literature being a way for him to teach life lessons and whatnot. Whenever I’ve read literature for school, I’ve never thought much about the meaning of the book. I only thought about the grade I’d receive for reading it. But Mr. Thomas has taught me to delve deeper. So I guess I’ve learned that textbooks aren’t the only educational books.

            Now to answer the questions provided about the curriculum. I felt the argumentative essay was the most difficult to write. This is mainly because I have a hard time thinking of H.E.L.P. examples right on the spot. The easiest essay for me was rhetorical analysis. The information you’ll need is provided, and it’s not an overwhelming amount like the synthesis. And I think I’m pretty good at analyzing why an author used a specific device. But maybe I’m just regular at it. Either way that was the easiest essay to me. My favorite book was The Things They Carried. I liked the concept of how O’Brien told the stories and how he presented the themes. And, I’m ashamed to say, but the most I knew about the Vietnam War was what I learned from watching “Forrest Gump.”  I’ve never thought about how traumatic and life changing being a soldier is. So I liked that it got me thinking. The novel I enjoy the least has to be The Great Gatsby. I know some people love the book and would gasp if I ever said this aloud. But hey, it is what it is. And it is very slow to me and I feel like there are so many details that I just don’t care about at all. Like the names of all the people who attended Gatsby’s parties that summer. I already understand that there were a lot of people, some who were influential and some who were nobodys, just from the descriptions of the parties. I did not need to know specific names. And it takes me forever to read (this isn’t the first time I’ve read it.) I feel like I’ve been reading for an eternity, and then I’ve only gone through two pages! So yeah, I don’t love The Great Gatsby.

            Something I’d like you to know: I really have enjoyed this class. I like starting my day in English with Mr. Thomas. I feel like I’ve learned a lot and that I was prepared as much as possible for the AP test. More so than my other AP class. On the first day, I didn’t really know anyone that well in the class. But now I’m pretty cool with some pretty cool people. I think that’s due to the easygoing atmosphere that is always present in Mr. Thomas’s room. I always feel welcome in there, and I’ve never felt scared to ask a question. There have been some questionable questions in 1^st period, but I don’t think Mr. Thomas has ever responded inappropriately rudely. Just a little teasing. There was never a day that I walked in Mr. Thomas’s room and didn’t laugh before leaving. I think that’s important as stressful as school can be, especially for a junior. I don’t make a point to like my teachers, just because I feel like they don’t care very much about being liked. But Mr. Thomas has definitely become one of my favorite teachers, and I’m going to miss his class next year. Thank you so much, Mr. Thomas. I hope you’ve had a great year and have a great summer!