Assignment 0: First Blog Entry

• I have chosen to major in English, with a minor in Spanish and possibly European Studies. These fields of study interest me for a variety of reasons. Firstly, I love to read and write, and I actually think it is interesting to analyze and break down literary works. For this reason, I really enjoy taking English classes. I like English because it allows me to be creative in my own writing, read and analyze all sorts of literature and learn from studying the writing of others. As for my Spanish minor, I really enjoyed Spanish throughout high school and I had a teacher that really encouraged me to pursue Spanish. I like learning about the culture and the language. It compliments studying English quite nicely.


• I am from Glenmont, NY, which is a small town just outside of Albany. I really like living there; it's not quite as rural as Canton, but it's definitely not a city. I feel like Glenmont was a great place to grow up. It's a very safe, generally friendly community. It's a nice place to call home.


• I am on the Track and Field team here at St. Lawrence, so obviously I love to run! I also love to be outside; I love waterskiing in the summer, hiking and skiing. I also love dance. In my free time, I love spending time with my family and friends.


• I have had mostly good experiences getting feedback on my work. Most of the criticism I have received in previous English classes was constructive. While it can be frustrating to receive a paper back with some negative comments, I try to use them to improve my paper as much as I possibly can. However, I do think it is best to comment on the good and bad things about a paper. I remember receiving a draft of a paper back in one of my classes with only negative comments on it. I felt very discouraged and upset by the fact that nothing I had done well was acknowledged in the comments.


• I feel like my writing is influenced by a variety of things, not just poets or other writers. I like poetry by Robert Frost and other relatively modern poets. I like the peacefulness of his poetry and the nature imagery he frequently uses. I also like Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. I like the humor and the creativity Chaucer uses. I also find that sometimes song lyrics and music influence my writing, especially when writing poetry.


• What's good about good poetry? I think good poetry is the kind that has meaning for everyone. Not everyone is going to read a poem and get the same message, but a good poem can establish some sort of connection with everyone who reads it. I also think that sometimes good poetry is the kind that is not forced and over-edited. Poetry that seems to be trying too hard to rhyme or that is overly perfected loses a certain element.


• In this class, I hope to learn more about analyzing poetry. I also want to try new poetic styles and be exposed to more poetry and more authors. Finally, I want to learn how to create poems that mean something to me, yet are not so personal that they lack meaning to others who read it.