College is a place
where teens grow, learn, and discover as they progress from adolescence to
adulthood. One characteristic in
college that influences students is the classes they take while enrolled,
whether they pertain to their major or not. At the University of Kentucky,
students are required to take “UK core” classes that range from general science
to visual arts to basic English that are used to encourage diversity and to
broaden the knowledge of students. The class Word 110 is part of UK core, so it
is required for every student to take it or a class that is in the same core
category. Since core classes
are made to expand a student’s critical thinking and mental processes, it would
be expected for each student to learn new things and grow as they progress
through the semester. WRD 110 is a great class for college freshman to take
because it emphasizes critical thinking, encourages students to broaden their
thoughts, and urges them to become better citizens. In WRD 110 students are
exposed to many crucial, current events in the world and in the local community.
This is achieved through various assigned readings, class discussion, and
multiple essays, speeches, and podcasts.
As
a student who participated in WRD 110 I can confidently say that this class has
impacted the way I live, think, and write. In each major assignment I was required
to analyze myself, my environment, and my peers through written and verbal
elements. I had to explore myself, thought process, and feelings while focusing
on my audience and how to make my thoughts clear and intelligible. The class
focused on analysis of information and the basic fundamentals of writing,
composition, and rhetoric, which we discussed in class and then had to
demonstrate our knowledge of these subjects in essays, speeches, and podcasts.
One
thing that I improved on in the class was my ability to engage the audience and
make what was important to me in my writing important to them. My writing
overall improved significantly. My work became easier to understand, more
organized, and better composed because of the various skills I learned. Most
importantly, I was able to effectively get the main idea of my paper or speech
across to the audience. By using rhetoric, or the use of language as a form of
communication to persuade, inform, educate, or entertain, I was able to be
aware of my audience, which lead to effective use of communication skills and
word choice in order to effectively communicate to the audience my main idea. Even
in this essay I am utilizing the skills I learned in this class to describe to
you, the reader, how I have progressed into the student I am today.
I
still struggle, however, with my public speaking skills. Even though I was
required to make multiple speeches in the WRD 110 course, I found it difficult
to illustrate my main ideas to my audience. My nervousness and stage freight
got the best of me and I found it much harder to talk about my ideas than if I
were to write my thoughts in an essay. I did not do exceedingly terrible at the
public speaking portion of the class but it was definitely not my strongest
point.
WRD
110 has allowed me to grow as a writer by enhancing my ability to express my
thoughts and feelings as well as my ability to display information in both
written and verbal forms. I can successfully communicate my thoughts, feelings,
and general information to the audience through various rhetorical techniques
that were discussed in class. This class challenged me to step outside of my
comfort zone by requiring me to speak publically about my thoughts and ideas in
front of a class. The class is designed to create well-rounded students by
educating them on various communicative techniques and processes. This class is
successful because not only does it challenge students to communicate in
written form but also through verbal communication. WRD 110 is a class that
will educate, involve, and transform students as well as prepare them for the
rest of their college career.
