The Years Ups and Downs

This year has felt like a long track and I am finally seeing the finish line. It has been a transformative year in many ways. I have accomplished things in english I never thought I would do. If I was to tell past me that I am able to write a decent essay in only 35-45 minutes I would call my self crazy. Writing these silly blog posts may have felt like just homework at times, but the have had a beneficial reflective impact on me, allowing myself to think about who I am and what I've done. Mr. Thomas has been a sneaky, relatable, anecdotal, interestingly different, AP Lang teacher and I probably will not forget him.

If my grades are anything that reflect how well my essays are written the I am painfully average on all of them. However, if they are put to the side and their literacy was judged by just my opinion then they would have a clear definition of which was the easiest to write, and which one the hardest. The synthesis in my opinion is the easiest of the three types of essays that we covered in class. I have no idea why because it is one of the essays that I stress the most out for, but I always seem to be able to tie it all together with some whimsical interpretations that come out of nowhere. The Argumentative essay would have to be the most difficult of the three. The part I had the most trouble with is preparing the data, but after that part is done then the rest seems to flow logically and easily. The most important thing that I have taken out of from writing all three of these types of essays is how important it is to be prepared.

I enjoy books and I enjoy reading them even more. Well, to be precise, I enjoy reading books that I choose to read. Whenever I am forced to read a book I always enjoy it less then I would if I choose it randomly off a shelf, or a friend recommended it out. The book that I have liked the least this year that we were forced to read would have to be In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote. It was just a creepy boring book, that I hope to never read again. Although I am glad I read it because it is part of american culture and, I have noticed it is referenced quite a bit after I read it. The book I have enjoyed the most would have to be The Things The Carried by Tim O'Brien. It Is probably the most modern of the books that we have read in class and might be the reason why I liked it the most. It has given me a different point of view of the Vietnam War, and a new appreciation for war novels.

I would like to thank you Mr. Thomas for the engaging year of AP Lang that you have given to your class. Even though I was in your class for the first 3 days, the first time I walked in I did not exact to have the kind of year I have had in you class (in a good way).