My "Writers Journey"

I went into my senior year of high school with only one thing on my mind: “I have to pass this research paper.” I knew from the start that I had a 15 page paper that needed to be written, and well, in order to graduate on time. This was a requirement for all the seniors at my high school, and it was honestly a daunting task for me. My whole high school career, I was used to just taking up prompts, sitting in front of my computer for an hour or so and then spitting out whatever I could. About 97% of the time, this was an effective method for me, but I knew that this research paper would be a lot different. Looking back on it now, I have realized that when I am passionate about a topic, I can spend more time on a paper and give a better result.

It is not uncommon that passion can drive a person to think deeper about a topic, therefore causing them to invest more time in it that they would with something else. With me, this is so very true. I chose to write my research paper on minority/immigrant families in the United States and what it means to be an “American.” Because I chose three incredible books to read, and because I was interested in what truly makes an American, I ended up doing more extensive research than I imagined. I learned so much about the lives of minorities and immigrants in America, outside of what I thought I already knew from experience, and I was able to draw better points to prove my thesis. Along with that, my interest and research helped me create a better understanding of my topic.

Knowing what I’m talking about because I understand my topic was also essential to my becoming a better writer through this research paper. I learned that if I actually look into what I’m doing, I can not only write more concisely and efficiently, but also with better prose because I don’t have to waste time pretending I know what I’m supposed to be saying. After doing all my research and preparation, I found that I had a much easier time writing on my topic, and I rarely ever had nothing to say. There was an easier flow to my words and I didn’t have to work hard to prove my point, because the facts were all there. Of course, when you like what you’re doing, most times you do it a lot better. As long as I can prepare and make the most of an essay or assignment, I believe that I can write just as well as I did on my research paper.

When Everyone's Watching

When you post something on the internet, it’s there forever. Writing for something like a blog or any social networking page, I have learned to choose my words very carefully, to explain myself thoroughly, and to assume that what I say will be taken seriously.

Because the human race is so spread out across this planet, everyone is born into different cultures with different ideas, values, expectations, etc., and that combined with the individuality of each person makes it hard to find any one thing that we can all agree on. With that being said, we can reason that regardless of what we say, someone is going to disagree or feel differently. When I was a little younger and less mature, I thought this meant that I could say whatever I wanted, because regardless, there was going to be someone who didn’t like it. However, I was completely wrong. Now, when writing for a public audience, I make sure that I understand the gravity of what I’m saying, even if it isn’t a big deal at all, and I pay more attention to my word choice as to not offend as many people as possible while still getting my point across. This is important to me because I want people from all different backgrounds and cultures to be able to read what I write and connect to it in some way, and I don’t want anyone to feel disrespected or targeted.

Beyond that, I have also learned that it is necessary to explain myself and what I am saying extensively, so that there is less of a chance of my words being twisted into something I didn’t mean. This includes doing my research or just being knowledgeable about the subject matter that I’m writing on. Because I am behind a screen just writing and posting online, I don’t always have time or means to defend or further explain my words. This is where the research and already in depth explanation come in handy, because I can avoid questioning of my work and ideas if everything is laid out in front of the reader.

Going along with that, I understand that, although some things said on the internet are supposed to be taken as a joke and aren’t meant to be offensive, not everyone has the same sense of humor. This means that anything can be taken in a way that you don’t expect. Knowing this, I try to keep a more serious tone in my writing, that way I don’t throw anyone off or make anyone uncomfortable. My overall goal in my public writing is to get my points or thoughts or ideas across and out there without causing distress or discomfort to anyone reading along.

Lady Gaga

In the article Lavish Worlds, and the Headwear to Match, the author, Jon Pareles, reviews the artist Lady Gaga, shedding a very positive light on her performances and persona. In this article, he hopes to attract a younger audience of concert-goers, who seemingly are attracted to the performance style of someone as eccentric and unpredictable as she. Pareles mentions artists such as Madonna and Jason Derulo, honing in on the strong pop influence in Lady Gaga’s work. With pop music being incredibly popular among teens and young adults in this country, much more of the younger generation would be not only open to reading this review, but would understand the comparisons better than a person of an older generation. Along with this, Pareles really accentuates the high energy, originality and the amount of entertainment received from attending Lady Gaga’s concert. He makes it clear that this is something that people who enjoy concerts would really appreciate and adore. 

Examples such as her peculiar wardrobe, her love for her fans and love for performing, are central to helping the author hook a reader and interest them in the work of this particular artist.  All of these things are very important to a concert-goer, and by highlighting them, the author can be confident that he will be able to create some desire in seeing this artist live, as opposed to just reading about her. Pareles writes, “She first appeared behind a scrim showing a computerized grid, with a lighted costume that made her more a collection of white dots than a body: a figure in an electronic universe, like a digitalized pop star.” Through his extensive description, the reader can really tell how serious she is about her wardrobe as relates to the section of the performance. Not only is she serious about her fashion and presentation of her hard work, but she is extremely serious when it comes to her fans. Pareles takes a direct quote from her show that reads, “‘When they ask me why I spent all my money on my show, I tell them, because my fans are sexy.’” It’s very clear that he wants the reader to appreciate her love for her fans as much as he does. The exuding respect and appreciation for this artist and performance are the last things that stand out, helping Pareles to transfer this energy to the readers and attract the audience that the text was meant for.

Bio

My name is Olivia and I'm a freshman at Bridgewater State University. I graduated from an exam school in Boston and I'm planning on studying social work in college. I also want to serve in the Peace Corps and work with at-risk youth in Spanish speaking countries. I love helping people and I can't wait to start my career as a social worker in the future.

Outside of school, I like to play eat, listen to music, play tennis and watch sports. I am on the women's tennis team for Bridgewater this year, and I'm so happy to be able to continue to play competitive tennis into my college years. Eating is definitely one of my other big hobbies. I'll try anything, no matter how gross it sounds, because I believe that, as the saying goes, 'you can't knock it til you try it.' Trying new things is very important in growing as a person, and I always plan to continue my growth.