Cover letter

Dear Reader,

English 1 is the last English class that I needed to take to transfer to Cal State University of Long Beach. I had taken this class once before, but I had to drop it because the professor that I got was horrible and he grades hard on the essays. Every time I got my essay back, I either got a “C” or “D.” But I wasn’t the only one; half of the class was getting the exact same thing. Probably one or two people got a “B.” Ever since then, I didn’t take English again because first of all I’m not a good writer. But this class just made me feel like I’m a horrible writer and I felt like I wouldn’t be able to pass English if I would ever taken it again. However, one of my friends had convinced me to take English again because she said since it’s our last class, let’s just take it and gets it over with. Honestly I was a bit hesitatant because I didn’t want to go through it again. At the beginning of the semester, I felt like my writing was going to be terrible because I had always disliked writing essays due to my horrible grammar. I tended to write how I speak. So when I was told to bring my first draft of my essay to class and there was going to be peer editing, my mouth literally dropped and the whole time I was like “oh no” because normally the only person that reads my essays are the professor, me and sometimes my friend. During that moment I was so scared and nervous because I didn’t know what the outcome would be once they read it. After I got my essay back, it turned out to be okay because I got to see what I did wrong and it helped me a lot. I felt that my weakness was my grammar and not putting enough supporting details. What I hoped to gain from the class was to improve my writing skills, write more formal, and to improve my grammar.

What I learned in this class is that everyone starts out with a “shitty drafts.” In this case there was one of the articles that I had read called, “Shitty First Draft,” by Anne Lamott say even authors starts off with shitty draft and that no one writes a perfect essay. I also learned about the three persuasive when authors sometime put them in their essay; ethos (credibility), logos (logic) and pathos (emotional). I learned that free writing is a way to just takes 10 to 15 minutes and just write nonstop about anything that comes in your head because doing this can give you a head start on what you are going to write about I learned how to write and see the different when I’m writing to an author, the president or friends.  I found that very interesting to see how differently each came out. Part of the writing that has improved in this class was that I had put more, supporting details to back up my claim and a bit lesser grammar errors. The exercises that helped me get better in this area are the peer editing and the fact that there is a first draft and final draft because it helps me to see what I need help on. By editing my classmates essays I learn how I should do mine and what I did wrong. What I had learned about the writing process is that going over your work and doing peer editing can improve your writing better. I had noticed that my process had changed over this course of semester. There were a couple obstacles that I had face, but it has improved a lot better than before. I overcome my struggles by saying don’t give up and keep trying. Between a report and an essay, I think I’ll do better with an essay because I’m not familiar with writing a report. Throughout my life, I have been writing essays since middle school until college so I have more experience. The areas I still need to work on is to stop writing like how I speaks and when giving supporting details make sure it fit and make sense. I’m going to use what I had learned in this class to help me improve in my writing skills for my other classes and for the next English course if I’m planning to take it.

Everything that I learned in this class is going to make me a better student in the future because I can use all of these techniques that I had learned and apply them to all of my classes. I will use these things I have learned for other classes. For example, outlining, it is good to use it as a study guide because I’m currently taking a few nursing classes and I think outlining is going to be very helpful to identified  the sub heading, heading, minor and major details throughout the chapters.  I think writing is important because most of the things you do are involve with writing. For example, job applications, texting, Facebook and chatting. But I think the most important thing about writing is that everyone should know the differentness between formal and informal writing. Also, you don’t have to be a perfect writer, but as long you know how to write enough to get you somewhere in life and in the future. I have to say I like to writes more now than I did in the beginning because this semester I’m always writing for all of my classes, so kind of got used to it.

Sincerely,

Vandeth Dy

The New Me

Why do students decide to transform their identity from high school to college? Many students fear their reputation they had received in high school will follow them their whole life. I believe that most students have their reasons why they want to forget the past and start fresh. However, there are ways to accomplish a change in one’s reputation. I will use example of my experience when I was in high school when I looked like a boy and how I transformed myself to becoming a grown woman in college.

When I was in high school, I didn’t like to dress up. I didn’t really care about how I looked or what I wore to school every day. I just wanted to feel comfortable and relaxed. What I used to wear to school every day is a t-shirt and jeans. Sometimes on my lazy days I would just throw on sweat pants with a t-shirt. I also dressed like this to go out. Like to restaurants or to the mall. I liked to wear sweatshirts and tie up my hair so that I could cover it with my hoodie. In this case, it’s because I didn’t know how to style my hair. I didn’t wear makeup to school because I didn’t own any makeup, nor did I know how to apply it to my face. So, when there are events at school or special occasions, my sister-in-law would always do my makeup and hair. For example, I remember there was a special event called Hawaii day, which means students can dress up like Hawaiians. I would wake up my sister- in-law at 6 a.m. in the morning just to have her do my hair and makeup before school.

My personality in high school between my friends and I were totally the opposite. I am very shy and quiet. As for my friends, they are more talkative and outgoing. I remember when my friends and I went out, some girls tried to start a problem with us. I was the first one to chicken out, thinking my friends would handle the situation. Besides, my friends didn’t want me to get involved and always told me to back out. They would handle the whole thing. However, when it came to presentations in class, which is the one thing that I hate because I get so nervous and have butterflies in my stomach I also tended to blackout. For example, in my Spanish class, we had a presentation and we had to speak it in Spanish, which was the hardest part. Once I got up there and started speaking, everyone started to laugh in a funny way and told me to speak up. But I was too nervous to even speak any louder because every time I would talk, I would stutter and mumble.

 In contrast, my attitude toward my parents, I was very calm and always listened to whatever my parents told me. For example, I had always wanted to dyed my hair with blonde high light, but my parents are too strict and very traditional because in my culture, if you were to dye your hair light or any other color beside black, older folks look at you in a different way and thinking you were a bad person. Therefore, I would obey my parent’s rules and not dye it.

As years passed by, I started to learn how to dress up better and put on makeup. The real transformation began during my college years. When I started college, I wore nicer clothes and I bought pretty blouses and more girly t-shirts that were tight to my body instead of loose. Also, I stopped wearing a sweater and I didn’t cover my head anymore. The reason why I decided to change my appearance because my family likes to make fun of me the way I looked. Also, seeing the way my friends and girls at school just motivate me to wanting to look like them. However, the worst part was I became so professional in doing hair and applying makeup, that when there were special occasions, I had to do everyone’s hair and makeup, which meant I was the last person to get ready all the time. Also, I would go crazy and buy so much makeup from the drugstore or even from the mall. My sister-in-law and I became the opposite too because she doesn’t know how to put on makeup like she used to before; instead I’m the one that is applying it on her.

My attitude in college has changed a lot ever since I started working and going to school at the same time. I started getting really tired and lazy. Besides, as an adult I have things, to handle and lots of responsibilities. However, I have become more talkative and more open-minded about things I like and don’t like. For example, when my friends say things or do thing that brother me, I would honestly let them know how I feel instead of leaving it alone and not saying anything at all. Also, I started to have a mean attitude toward my parents because they like to assume or say nonsense things that get me very mad like, you shouldn’t being hanging out with your friends because they has tattoo and piercing. Also, they always compare me to kids that are from their hometown which in Cambodia. I also disobey some of my parents rule. For example; I go out with my friends or family members to a club and bar, knowing that my parents don’t like it. I also dye my hair different colors instead of black.

In conclusion, I transformed my appearance of looking like a tomboy to a woman during time and my attitude that I had towards my families and friends. College helped me mature mentally and physically. It has changed me in many ways from thinking inside the box to growing out of the box. It had made me this person that I never thought I’d be and clearly showed me that there are more things to life. Change is not always a bad thing, especially as people grow as they get older and wiser. Also, it’s not just to change the way they look but the way they feel and grow as a person as years that pass by so quickly.

The Life of Technology

  

Is technology taking over society? To what extent are people becoming addicted to technology? Today, technology has been very popular and is becoming more universal. More and more people are becoming dependent on technology compared to the last couple of centuries where there were no electronics. Nowadays, everything involves the use of technology. Although technology can be addicting and have few disadvantages, I do believe technology has made life a lot easier due to the convenience that bring to society.

For decades, watching TV was a regular routine on a daily basis. In the article, “Gin, Television, and Social Surplus,” written by Clay Shirky, he states, “For the first time, society forced onto an enormous number of its citizens the requirement to manage something they had never had to manage before--free time. And what did we do with that free time? Well, mostly we spent it watching TV” (237). But technology was not as popular in the past as it is now. There many television series to watch, but people now don’t just sit and watch TV like they used to. Instead, of waiting for the episode to watch on TV, today technology allows people to watch it online through websites like YouTube, Netflix, and Hulu, whenever they want. For instance, through my own experiences, when I am at work, I often miss one of my favorite TV shows called The X Factor, when I come home from work; I am not as worried about not having the chance to see the episode. With today’s technology I can go on my laptop and search for the episode that I missed on a website called “YouTube” and just watch it on my free time. In this case, this is a good thing because it’s a faster way to access the episode instead of waiting for the show to replay on TV.

It is true that now students are very into the new technology era. In the textbook, A Meeting of Minds, there is an article titled A Conversation “Is Being "Plugged In" Changing Campus Life?” by Liz Williams, Ethan Kolek and Meg Kluge. Ethan states, “Although critics allege that students are less engaged in their campus communities today than in the past, the connections enabled by the World Wide Web, email, chat rooms, and instant messaging allow students to interact with a new, larger community.” (496) For example, teachers in the past gave out assignment sheets for what was going to be done in class on a daily basis. With technology we have now everything is emailed or on a website that can be easily accessed through the internet. Students can also email each other and chat online for free and not have to worry about overpriced phone bills or going over their contract minutes limits with their cell providers.

With all of these technologies that are coming out, most people have become less social on real life, due to social networking. In the article, “Media Overload” written by Stephen Collinson, he says “There has been plenty of speculation on the impact on daily life of fast expanding media. One theory for instance that as people become more and more connected electronically; they are becoming less and less connected personally”(498). Honestly, I actually agree with what Collinson is saying in this quote. Most people in this decade are so used to chatting online to meet new people compared to walking in the streets and meeting or connecting with people at a personal level. For example, there are a couple of web sites where people go to chat and webcam each other like Facebook, Skype, Oovoo, Yahoo Messenger and Meebo. For example, I would meet old high school friends on Facebook. I don’t really know them well enough to hang out or to meet in person, but I still stop by on their page to say “Hi.” No harm is done and we can stay in contact. It’s almost like a high school reunion, without seeing each other in person, you still knows what’s new in and out of their lives as they post comments and picture for friends to view. In this case technologies give us the benefit to still keep in touch with old friends and our safeties.

Although ease and flexibility is what technology has provided to society for school, business, medical science or leisure based on activity, there are a couple of advantages with technology which can help us with globalization. This means that we can share information quickly and efficiently. Countries separated by distance can see and share information all around the world.  Besides that, there are many websites where you can still keep in contact with your relatives who are staying overseas. It’s cheaper because you don’t have to keep buying phone cards all the time. On the other hand, the advantage of technology is that it can be safer for people to chat. For example, if you’re talking to a stranger online, you don’t have to worry about them creeping on you and knowing where you live. Through my own experiences, one of my close friends has moved to Providence, Rhode Island seven years ago. I had lost contact with her. Thanks to Facebook, for the past couple of years, we had finally got in contacted again and had been keeping in contact ever since. This website allows me to write and video chat with her. Therefore, all you have to do is sign up because it’s free, fast, easy, and no cost.

Some of the disadvantages of technology is that it can be very addicting and it can lead to overuse without noticing the changes in a daily routine. Lack of communications and laziness are part of the disadvantages. It’s sad that no one is willing to go out and actually meet or communicate in person anymore. It can also cause students to not focus on their education due to networking and media. It causes people to be lazy and less interactive with the outside world. With all of these technologies that we are experiencing turns into a habit and it’s very hard to cut it off when everything and everyone around us revolves around it. Technology is a new trend and people are going to see and realize that there won’t be face- to- face communication anymore due to the fact that everything will be done chatting online or webcam. But in this case, technology comes in handy because it’s a faster way to communicate with your friends and family and a quicker way to find things.

In conclusion, Technologies are producing changes in our society. Technology has the ability to create shortcuts in the working environment; it makes tasks a lot easier. Today, the advance of technology is convenience. It’s fast and easy. Still, there are a few disadvantages of technology, but the benefit with all of this technology just basically makes our lives better to live.