The Beginning
The start of this course was anything but normal. Tensions were already high due to coming back after quarantine. Everyone in the FSW Composition I class with Dr. Ortolono thought we would be walking into a classroom at the start of the semester. However, we had to turn an in-person class, online for who knew how long. At that time I was extremely nervous. I was a naive 16-year-old girl going to college for the first time. I had no idea what the professors would be like, some would say they are strict, that they do not care about you, how they will not accept any late work. People made it look like the professors were monsters waiting to eat me alive.
I was never really confident in my writing and I still am not. I do not think I have that large of a vocabulary and that I always make grammar mistakes. However, from this class, Dr. Ortolano has really made me look at my writing from a different view. Since I am attending a college class I would have to make an effort to write better.
With the various tips and writing tools he shared, I felt like my wrting had improved. I used them to make my papers more structured. It was a big improvement from my high school essays. It looked better, my paragraphs flow smoother, my topics were organized, and there were less grammer issues.
When we were assigned our first essay I was very nervous. I had no idea what to write about though, after attending the online office hours I not only knew what I was going to write about, I also had an outline. I had no idea that professors were actually nice and that they would take time to help you outside of class.
As I went on to continue writing the essay I realized I enjoyed it and sharing my experience. It did not feel entirely like a chore which was refreshing. Once the class was back to normal after the whole online situation, I went into Dr. Ortolano's office hours on campus for the first time. I was quite nervous and did not know what to expect. The office was at the back of a long maze like building. It was tiny and oddly shaped though there was a warm feeling to it. The large window in the back allowed for light to flow and made the small room feel less stuffy. The right wall was covered in plaques and awards showcasing of the achievements of Dr. Ortolano.
I was pleasantly surprised at how nice he was and how he not only provided constructive criticism but also shared positive feedback. He sat at his desk with a bright smile on his face ready to help any student who entered.
His critiques were much different from my high school experince. Normally all students hear is fix this it is wrong, no that's not right either, and we went over this you should not be making these mistakes. Dr. Ortolano made sure to share what parts were good and give compliments. It was nice to hear that parts of my writing were good. It let me know which aspects of writing I am excellent at and which aspects I need to work on. It also allowed me to feel more confident in my writing. Many made it seam like professors were out to get you but in reality some are much nicer than you would expect.
Class Presentations
When I first stepped into the class I had no idea what college classes would be like. I thought that the teacher would lecture on and on with a boring presentation full of words. I was very surprised when I saw memes, images, and gifs all over the presentations. They would be from movies, tv shows, video games and many other media sources. It showed the importance of having different type of media in any project.
The presentatios were always fun and made many students laugh. They kept me engaged and focused on the information shown. I am the kind of student that spaces out often and nothing seems to hold my attention. However, the presentations and examples used to share writing tips were interesting. They made me enjoy the class and even look forward to it.
Reading and Journal Assignemnts
The readings were also nothing like I expected. I thought I would be reading pages after pages of boring old books. In actuality it was articles titled “What It’s Really Like To Be A Disney Princess” and “Why Belle Should Have Chosen Gaston.”
Not only were the readings interesting they also helped me write most of my essays. After reading the “What It’s Really Like To Be A Disney Princess”, it showed me how I was going to write my first essay in a topical format. Since it was a new format for me to wrin in, it gave a great example of what a topical paper looked like. I was able to see what my paper should look like and how the topics should flow together.
Journals were something I did not expect. The journals were informal assignments that would help us write our essays. They would give us small steps to help form the outline for our paper. The journals where we had to submit introductions for some of our essays were very beneficial to me. Personally I struggle with the introductions more than anything. I never know if what I am saying is correct. These journals allowed me to get feedback which in return let me know what was good and what needed to be fixed.
Essays and Research Paper
For the first essay the one I went to Dr. Ortolanos office for advice and feedback was my favortie essay. I got to share about a personal experience many do not get. It allowed me to reflect on my experience and the lessons i learned. With a lot of the essays we wrote I felt this way. For our Google Earth Project I got to remenesience in a time when I gained more individualism in my life and how that affected me. I also got to look back on fond memories I had with those that I love.
By writing about things I enjoyed doing it made writing more bearable. I wanted to write in detail so I could share my experience and have my reader feel as though they were there. That made my writing better and more interesting to read.
End of Year Thoughts
This course was one of my favorites. It was a class where writing became fun and interesting again. Assignments were not as hard as I expected and were actually enjoyable. Dr. Ortolano is truly my favorite professors. I will never forget how kind and generous he is. He is willing to help any student no matter what and is quick to reply.
The assignments were all extremely beneficial. They allowed me to recieve feedback and fix common errors I make in my writing, like commas. I had no idea that there were rules to follow when using commas besides using them for lists.
My writing has truly gotten better with his help. The feed back he gives is not mean or harsh. The compliments he gives on the writing makes you feel like your writing is not half bad. He instills a confidence in his students and is truly an incredible professor. I could not have been more happy to attend this class and will truly miss it.