I just wanted to get that out of the way. Holy shit it feels good to be done! This is my very last assignment for this semester (that is, unless Melissa emails me and says I need to re-do in order to get a passing grade)--ha!
A crazy thing happened this semester--I fell in love with the writing center (and the emdash). When class first started and Melissa was balls-the-wall about how cool the writing center is, I was oh-so skeptical! I had seen it as an opportunity to get credit for something I enjoy anyway, but soon became pleasantly surprised that Melissa had been right all along. I really feel like the writing center has become a second home for me (unlike Phil who has made it his first home). The people are great, the work is rewarding, and I'm magnetically drawn to it whenever I am on campus.
The writing center has taught me some things about life, writing, academia, etc.
1- Writing truly is a process. I am never done--even when I want to be done soooo bad!
2- There are lit people, MFA people, and rhet. comp. people--I'm a rhet. comp. and that's pretty cool.
3- When you teach someone something valuable they will appreciate it, but most likely forget it. That's ok--this is why we have lots of teachers in this world.
4- If I want to, I can actually make a difference in the way things happen.
5- Unlike literature, not everything has been tackled in writing. There is still lots to explore and invent.
6- Helping another student write is all about negotiation.
7- It's ok if a student pisses me off. I just need to excuse myself, get some water, and come back fresh.
8- It's really all about the student. No matter how much I enjoy my writing center time, its focus should be entirely on helping students become better writers.
9- Melissa is in love with Steven Seagal--weird, but kinda fitting.
10- It's ok to not get Kolln right now. It should seep in eventually.
I know this is not a super amazing list to anyone who is casually reading, but it's the important stuff to me. Without the writing center I would have drowned this semester. I can't wait to get back next semester and I really am going to feel a little lost over the break :(
-Ryan
