Final Reflection

I felt uncertain or wobbly about picking a topic to write for my literacy narrative. I did not want to choose something that I knew would be hard to write about, but at the same time I wanted it to be meaningful to me in some way. It was struggling to compensate for the two topics, but in the end I found a happy medium between the two. Now thinking back on it, I wish I didn't choose something as meaningful to me because when we had to share a part of them in class I was nervous because I didn't want anyone feel sad or upset after I read it. I was unaware of the read around in the beginning, but if I did know I probably would have chose to write about soccer because that was a huge part of my life and would have been fun to write about. The topic I did chose to write was a very touchy subject and a little difficult to write about. When I had to reflect on all the moments I spent with my friend who passed away it did bring up some memories we had together. While I was writing it was hard to focus because I would stop and reminisce each time I thought of an event. So writing my narrative it did push some limits that I thought I couldn't have written about. So writing my paper was an enormous wobble, because it did push me to write through my insecurities and uncertainties and helped me become a better writer. Even though I was not suppose to have a resolution from accomplishing my literacy narrative, I do. It has helped me filter some emotions that I thought I could never get passed, but it had helped tremendously.

Literacy Narrative Reflection

I felt uncertain about picking a topic to write about for my literacy narrative. I did not want to chose something that I know was going to be hard, but at the same time I wanted it to be meaningful to me. So it was confusing at first, but once I got my ideas done on paper it was really easy after that.

I had to edit or revise my work before it wasn't something that is new to me. In my first draft I started out talking about my relationship with death, then I led into my relationship with my friend Phi who passed away, and finally concluded on how his life has dramatically changed mine. It was boring and stuffy at first but then Lacy suggested if I started from the end of my story and then work my way back to the beginning and it makes the audience want to keep reading.

After I tried this I had two other drafts trying out different writing styles of my first paragraph. I really liked the first one I did because I used a metaphor or a boat at sea and that described good and bad situations. I kept that metaphor going throughout my whole paper and it really seemed to work out well. I really liked this version better than the first because I felt like I was connecting with my reader more and they can really understand my emotions during the time periods.

The goals I wanted to achieve in this literacy narrative was to get across the fact that you should not take anyone for granted at any time because you don't know what the future brings or takes away. And also that situations may be really low at one point in your life but time really does heal pain.

Ethnography Reflection

At first thinking about the ethnography project, I chose signs and meanings of what I found around campus. From that I really like the idea of writing about quotes and messages because they influence the way I think and feel about certain situations. Especially bible verses, I connect with them the most because God is what I believe in most. Once my group and I did our field work of finding quotes on posters, around campus, and bible verses we tried to do a slide show. Finding out the slide show was not getting out point across as much as we wanted it too, we thought of a better idea; a power point. Our revision into the power point made a lot of things easier because then we could also write what we each thought about each picture and how if affected us individually. I loved working with a group because once all of our ideas came together for each picture it made me realize that our interpretations are different but at the same time similar. I really enjoyed the aspect of putting a power point together rather than actually writing a paper because it helped me get the points across easier and more effectively. I feel as if I had to write a paper about quotes and messages, it wouldn't have came together as it did. I don't think we could have expressed ourselves in depth as we did through power point. I really liked this assignment because it made us think outside the box, rather than the traditional written paper thinking. I liked how we had to do field work and collaborate further than just talking about the pictures, we also had to come together and discuss what we thought the meanings of the pictures meant in our own ways. Overall I really liked how we connected with the different topics we found.

MLA

For my citing I chose to interview two people who I knew are in Greek Life.  Citations are in the end to follow:

Ivey Lee Interview

11/4/12

1.     What is your sorority called?

a.     Zeta Tau Alpha

2.     Why did you choose this sorority?

a.     Because it was the one that I related to the most people

3.     What do you like best about this sorority?

a.     Because I will make friends for a life time

4.     What are some rules of this sorority?

a.     You have to keep the rituals a secret, and maintain a certain GPA

5.     Do you agree with the stereotypes of being a “Sorority Girl”? (i.e. preppy, high maintenance, party girl, etc.)

a.     Not all of them, because I’m not preppy but I do like to go to parties and have a social life.

Sebastian Harms

11/4/12

1.     What is your fraternity called?

a.     Zeta Beta Tau

2.     Why did you choose this fraternity?

a.     Because they were laid back, and they weren’t too fratty, and because of their volunteer program.

3.     What do you like best about this fraternity?

a.     I like being able to just chill with my brothers and hang out and relax.

4.     What are some rules of this fraternity?

a.     Meet the minimum volunteer hours, attend social events, and you have to have above a 2.7 GPA.

5.     Do you agree with the stereotypes of being a “Frat Guy”? (i.e. douche bag, womanizer, partier)

a.     Yes and no, some fraternity some of the guys do match that stereo type because those are the type of guys they try to recruit, where as frats like mine are the exact opposite except for the partying part, we aren’t womanizers

 I took this picture driving on my way home and I thought the sunset was incredible

Works Cited:

1. Lee, Ivey. Personal Interview. 4 Nov. 2012. I wanted to find out more about being in an organization of any kind. I knew my roommate was in a sorority so I decided to interview her about some rules and regulations her sorority upholds. Also I wanted to break the barrier between the stereotype people give "sorority girls" and find out what she personally thinks it means to be one and what her opinions on the stereotype are.

2. Harms, Sebastian. Personal Interview. 4 Nov. 2012.  I wanted to see the different aspects of fraternity life coming from someone inside the system. Finding the differences between being in fraternity life and seeing what its like to maintain a position in that organization is what I thought was most interesting in this small interview.

3. Sunset driving home from UNCC. 24 Oct. 2012. Personal photograph by Nicole Pacitti. JPEG fil. This picture was taken on a road to get to my house from the college. The sunset was turning colors and I really wanted to capture the moment.   

Ethnography Project

Quotes and Messages

Sitting in my common room area I'm looking at different posters that are relaying various types of messages to me. I am also with my friends who are studying for a big exam together, and this also brings a message to mind. Looking at our study room window there must have been a bible study taking place, because a big bible verse is written on the poster and this is the piece of literacy that is really sticking out to me. The verse is...

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ. -Romans 6:23" 

Below this verse is an illustration showing the relationship of God and us, and how we can become better christians in his eyes. 

Quotes can help us think and when a quote hits home, like this one does to me, it makes it that much  more important. Quotes and messages are everywhere around us, and they help influence and shape us each day. 

Literacy Map

 When we had to find a place to think of mapping, I knew I wanted to go to someplace where I knew that there would be people interacting.  So I thought of my building, Sanford. There are always a lot of people sitting on our couches and studying or talking, so I thought it would be a great place to find hidden literacy. This is the map I drew, its from an areal perspective, and it's small so it is very hard to see...

The one hidden literacy I found very interesting that usually is not classified as literacy were the room numbers on the door. They say so much more than that.  There are four doors to different hallways, and those numbers help guide us.  If we did not have those numbers at first it would have been very confusing on the first day of college looking for my dorm. They also tell us where we will be living for the next two semesters. Each dorm is different; different view, set up inside, and decorations. Those numbers on each door lead us to what is going to be our future in some way. I spend a lot of time in my dorm, and I will be for the next semester or two, and those numbers are what lead me here.

Midterm Group Project!

The way we came up with Dr. Suess was in class when you brought up the assignment I already knew that a Dr. Suess book would work out with all of our stories, but we weren't sure of which one yet. 

After we looked online to see where we could find the Dr. Suess' books we figured out that they were on the 5th floor in isle LU PZ8.3 G276 Iae 1978. Once we found all the Dr. Suess books, we grabbed most of the ones we saw and brought them back to our table. 

From Cat in the Hat, to One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish, we looked through all of those and discussed which one fit all of our stories the best. We finally chose... 

I Can Read with My Eyes Shut! This book describes all the major topics of all our papers. It covered street signs for Michael, grammar and language for Rabee, culture for Gabi, and finally experiences for  me. The pages below are what I thought that fit my reflection best. 

                                         This is what I wrote in my day book as my reflection:

"You can learn about sad and Glad...and MAD". This page shows emotion, as does in my paper. I talk about different types of emotions I went through during my tragic experience with my friend.  You learn a lot through different situations that your life brings you to encounter. Throughout all the different experiences I went through I learned so many different lessons coming out of them. So when it says on the second page that is turned sideways, "There are so many things you can learn about BUT....you'll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut!' This is so true! You will miss so many new things when you face the world head on. New experiences happen each day no matter how important it is, its something new, and its always something to learn from. 

 

After we were done with our group writing, we went our separate ways because we realized we could do the rest of our project on our own, I loved working with them, and I feel like our Dr. Suess choice was perfect for all of us.

Family Tree

      I'm just going to summarize what I wrote in my daybook because it is very hard to read.  I pretty much said that this poem is telling us about the little significances of where he's from.  He describes how his family is unique, and that played a big role in who he is.  I also said how I liked the use of his last metaphor saying how a leaf was falling from the family tree when he was born. 
      I can really relate to him and his story.  Families are huge influences and mentors to young children and to even teenagers.  I myself still look up to my older brothers for important advice to ask if I should switch my major, to very stupid advice like fashion...kinda... but the point is, no matter who you are around, they will impact your life in some way.
      This author, George Ella Lyon, also writes about how he's from the "know-it-alls and the pass-it-ons, from the Perk up! and Pipe down!"  Every family has their own nicknames, or special relatives that has that one weirdness to them, but everyone loves.  We all have our own saying, and all of these different characteristics is what makes us all different and unique. And this brings me to my favorite part about him being his own leaf falling from the family tree.  Everyone is different, they bring their own personality and spark to the table, they're their own leaf, but all together we make a tree that no one else can resemble.

We had to do an assignment that made us think of what literacy artifacts really are.  I chose to focus on my wall posters.  I had a my Chi O poster because now that I think of it, it is starting to mean what my future can become.  I now have so many new friends and new experiences in my life. I also had a Pittsburgh poster, that I mostly just wanted to remind me of home.  My list goes on, and each poster made me really think of why I have each of them.  I thought about who got me them, when they got me them and why. Each one has its own significance because each poster has its own story behind it.  I love coming into my room and looking at what was my past (Pittsburgh), my present, and my future (Chi Omega).  I can not wait for the new experiences, and I will never forget the old.

Writing Timeline

 My first time being creative and writing outside the lines was when I was very little and wrote on my driveway with sidewalk chalk!

A small part of writing was in middle school and I loved passing notes and not getting caught!

One of the most important writing experiences for me was when I had to write many college essays.  It was the only time the college could really see the individual side of me, and I did not want to get the wrong impression.

12.5.10.

Something you love could disappear so quickly

A blink of an eye can lead to so much misery

A chilly winter night can bring so much fright

The ice was so hard and cold

The tires couldn’t seem to keep a hold

As you see, Blaze crushed that pole

Its like God came and took control

Every tear we shed and all the pain we bear

He’d want us to be happy and not living in despair

My best friend died in 2010 from a car accident, and I wrote this poem in his honor for my senior project.  It was a struggle to write and the hardest piece I ever had to do.

I was Vice President of my grade, so I was granted to speak at graduation in front of all the parents, school board, and students! It was the scariest yet most fun I had in a long time!

It was a little hard thinking of the different types of writing I did as a child all the way through life.  Thinking back now on different assignments I did, I feel as if I am getting better putting my actual emotions and personality on the page.  Before it was very hard for me to open up in my writing, but it is getting a lot easier now because I like to do it and it helps me get my feelings out without having to confide in someone.  Especially when my one friend passed, it was extremely hard to open up in any way, and when I finally got the nerve to write that poem about him, I finally realized that things will get better in my life.  It let me opened up to so many people, and I feel dumb for not doing so earlier.  Because talking it out with someone there really helps and can give better advice than just a pen and paper. 

 

First day in class Lacy gave us a poem and told us to pick apart a stanza and elaborate on it. The author was from Ralph Fletcher, and it was called Breathing In Breathing Out: Keeping a Writers Notebook. I chose "Strings to short to be saved" yet too important to throw away: the writerly instinct is to hang on to them. When I first read this piece I first thought of something more than just string.  I knew that the author wanted us to connect with something different and the first thing that popped in my head were people. There are certain people in our lives that we care deeply about and couldn't image ourselves living without them.  Whether it be your parents, siblings, boyfriend/girlfriend, or your best friends it doesn't matter because they are what surrounds us, what make us happy and we do not want to lose that in our lives. They would be the shorter strings that we would keep, that are too important in our lives to throw away. But the other strings that are "too short to be saved" are the people around us that give off negative energy. If they are no good in your life; pitch them, meaning get rid of them and their negativity.  In a writers perspective the negative thoughts are what holds them back from publishing a book or not going with a certain idea. Ultimately it is your decision if you think they are too short to be saved, or thrown away.