Reaching Full Potential In College

Have you ever put off doing something you knew had to be done out of sheer fear of facing the demon? Have you asked yourself gnawing questions like can I do it or worse, can I get a passing grade?  Are my writing skills good enough?  

So far I have been holding my own.  I have passed Expository Writing with a resounding A, I have written papers for Professor Nevins and my Media is the Message course which I have passed successfully without fear-based effort.  Writing skills at Granite State College are a top priority.  Writing papers for the courses are an integral part of the assessment process.  Good writing communicates what you have learned from books and conversations to the next level.

My most challenging writing struggle has been the Compare/Contrast component integrated with courses such as Multicultural Literature and Short Fiction.  
         
                  COMPARE/CONTRAST ESSAY WRITING




My Independent Learning Contract with Barbara Benham has been a significant challenge for me.  However, Barbara is a dedicated Instructor who has been wonderfully communicative.  She has informed me of my writing strengths and weaknesses as they pertain to Compare/Contrast pieces.

As for her literary choices, I absolutely loved reading the Short Story by James Baldwin called Sonny's Blues just as much as I enjoyed reading The Conscience of the Court by Zora Neal Hurston.

Peeling away at literary layers is much like peeling an onion.  The more layers you peel off the deeper the story affects you. 

When you are fortunate enough not only to have an Instructor who knows good literature and how to teach it, but is also willing to be certain you understand the particular components expected in writing papers, then you have probably met your instructor at Granite State College. 

It has taken me a while to grasp this kind of writing so it is not an impossible feat. Contrast writing is special because it requires skills I do not use in everyday writing.  I am more used to opining than I care to admit.  I am also used to emoting feelings into my writing that are inappropriate for scholarly essays.

Since I am more than half way through the semester with one paper left to write in my Short Fiction  Summer  credited course, I think I have finally succeeded in my dedicated effort to grasp Compare/Contrast papers, even though I put it off for as long as I possibly could. Some college courses are more prickly than others but they are doable if you stay focused on the prize!