Reflection

Dear Reader,

My name is Nicole Rivera and I am a senior at Manhattan Hunter Science high school. My academic goal for this semester was to get an average of 90 or above. I am proud to say I have met and exceeded that goal and hope to keep it up throughout next semester. This first semester, I’ve faced a number of obstacles and challenges, socially and academically. Because we are at Hunter College living the double life of high school seniors and college freshmen, it is easy to get distracted by the immense amount of free time we have. Although I’m not a master of time-management, I’d say throughout the semester I’ve done a well enough job of keeping on task while being surrounded by distractions. Specifically, in the class of fiction writing, I’ve learned a great deal of what fiction should do to a reader. A great challenge in fiction writing class is to apply all the techniques to our actual short stories. Coming into this class, I had no idea fiction had a structure. I’ve learned that even though the structure is flexible, there still are techniques that need to be incorporated in order to enhance the entertainment and connection to the reader. I’ve also learned how to utilize my emotions in such a way to allow the reader to feel the story happening. One accomplishment I want to reach before the school year is over is applying the skills we’ve acquired, whether it is using credibility, subtext, or direct methods of characterization. Over the break, I plan on recreationally writing short stories to gain practice in using these skills.

I have found one very effective method that allows more than one person to do well. Before this year, I never thought it was necessary to study or commit concepts to memory. Coming into this semester with a fresh mentality and higher goals, I knew that would have to change. My globalization and fiction writing teacher, Mr. Froner and Mrs. DeFeo, gave the entire class the best piece of advice. We needed to work as a community, and part of being included in that community is making sure everyone does well. We decided to do study groups for the first time, staying till 8 pm at times to study for important quizzes or tests. I now know what the teachers meant, preaching about not being selfish. At the same time I was worried and studying to do well on my tests, I was assisting someone else and allowing them the opportunity to do well on their tests too. One thing I need to work on, as I’m sure many do, is time-management. I depend on getting exceptional grades, so sometimes even wait till the last minute to cram studying. This is a bad habit that I am determined to growing out of. This semester has been a struggle for me because of the level of concentration that my personal life allows. For next semester, I will be more focused on further separating the two lives; both academic and social.

For the fall semester I have taken three high school classes- Globalization, Fiction Writing, and Advanced Algebra. The most difficult, personally, of the three was Advanced Algebra. Math has never been my best subject. In the very beginning of the school year, I was summoned in a group back to the high school to discuss my first failing quiz grade in math class and the consequences of such marks. Since then, I have made improvements because of study groups. My notes became more detailed and I started to get higher marks on the quizzes, followed by fluctuation again. I know next semester’s math class will be even more demanding, but I’m willing to use all of the assistance I have access to on campus. This year is the push start to the rest of my college experience and even into my career. In one year, I picture myself at Purchase College studying literature or some type of communications. Most things revolving around writing inspires me. After this first semester, I’m even interested in creative writing as a course. In five years, I expect to still be studying on my path to becoming a successful teacher, like the ones who have pushed me to do my best. I’m still discovering who I am as a writer, but I know that writing always has and always will take a significant part in my life. It’s the most liberating release to have ever been practiced, and I plan to use it in a wild range of things, such as a way to communicate properly to others, to teach its influences, and to document events, emotions, and important lessons that affect my life. I strongly believe that a good writer reflects good leadership. When one takes a hold of their skills, especially in a wide field such as writing, and adapt ways to mold themselves, they are able to analyze and see beyond what others do. A great educator is open to all possibilities, and open to making new interpretations. This is exactly what a writer does in all ways. Whether it’s interpreting a fiction piece, or journaling, a good writer always takes control.

Specifically in fiction writing class, I have learned how to express emotion properly; different ways characters can communicate through dialogue, the ways in which the reader can pass judgment on a character, and a narrative voice. I’ve enjoyed writing our first short story, with the task being to take a traumatizing event that has occurred to us, and turn it into a fictional story. The goal was to transform it to the point where the reader cannot even tell it’s based on a real story. With this, we made the distinction between memoir and fiction. This was the first fiction story I’ve ever written, and since it is an account of something close to my heart, I have a great admiration for it. I did a good job at conveying emotion the reader can connect and relate to. If I could go back and improve on one thing, I’d have to strengthen setting. Another assignment I appreciated was the six-sentence fiction story. We learned the importance of starting a story in conflict (in media res). However, the objective of that particular assignment was to see how well we can write, bound by such a requirement as six-sentences only. We learned the entertainment in sudden fiction comes with how quickly the end or resolution hits the reader. I am proud of this piece because I took an observation of someone I saw on the train, and made it my own. By the end of the year, I hope to continue writing and practicing fiction on my free time using all the techniques we’ve learned in class. I also know I will take this pre-college experience to mature and become responsible, as I’m preparing to be out on my own in college soon. I don’t want to get to college and lose track of my work while getting pulled into the party life, or laziness, or doing work last minute.

As a student and person, I am dedicated. I’ve put effort into this online portfolio because it is mandated as an assignment, and also because it is a collection of my progression in writing. I look forward to expanding my skill in writing to possibly become a great writer in the future. For now, I accept that I’m a writer-in-training, who has much to learn about the process. Writing is a part of my life because of its ability to teach and heal. With that said, I hope you enjoy my online mini-anthology.