To be honest, I was very afraid to take this course. Freshman and sophomore year, I was a very shy student, not eager to stand up in front of my peers and give my opinion, to show that I understand what we were being taught, and to participate in discussion. This shyness ultimately led to me signing up for classes that did not challenge me at all, even though challenge is what I yearn for in school. But fast forward to now, and I've become a completely new person. Growing up made me realize that to succeed in life, you need to be able to be comfortable with yourself, inside and out, and trust that what you're doing is helping you learn and progress in life. I've finally sucked up in all the shame and fear that I had of my teachers and classmates and have begun participating, speaking in public, and trying hard to overcome obstacles and challenges teachers throw at me.
AP English Lit is perhaps the biggest challenge that I have come to accept. Dr. Preston has introduced to me a teaching style that is totally different from any teacher I've ever come in contact with, and the course is just a preview of what college is going to be like. I expect to be challenged in new ways, using technology more than ever in a learning environment. I also expect to use my classmate's opinions and constructive criticisms to help improve my own work, and I hope to achieve an open and accepting mind when it comes to this. I am still a little scared of what others will think and say of my work, but by the end of the year I hope to overcome it. I'm so eager for the fresh new things to be learned in this class, for I believe they will have great influence on my own style of learning. My goal is to keep focused and stay on track, and the inevitable reward will be my success of a fresh mind, prepared for the future.
