Future English Students

Dear English 110 students,

If you are anything like me, you are probably dreading the English 110 course you are about to begin. For me, I am not exactly a fan of writing papers and analyzing various sources, so I was anything but excited when I learned what this course was all about.

In our first day writing assignment I reflected on previous writing courses that I took during my high school years. I wrote about the very structured writing assignments we were required to do for our teacher. Coming into this course, I expected the writing to be somewhat the same as to what I did in high school. However, to my surprise, it turned out to be totally different.

Before taking this course I had not really done any public writing. In fact, it was very intimidating to even think about writing for people my age. During my first writing assignment, I expressed my anxiety about writing for an audience other than my teacher and about writing very structured and somewhat tedious analytical papers. As the year progressed, my initial thoughts about this class totally transformed. This class turned out to be one of the most insightful and informative classes that I have even taken in all my years of schooling. The analytical paper we first wrote was nothing like the type of papers we had to write in high school. Our teacher gave us a lot of guidance on how to write a paper, but for the most part we got to choose and structure our paper as we chose.

Our second larger writing assignment was to do an essay for our peers. In the beginning of the year I would have been very intimidated by this, but as the year went on I learned how to write successful papers, for any type of audience.

Overall, this course was much less painful than I anticipated it to be. I learned many skills that will greatly help me in future college courses. I wish you all good luck!

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Hanna

Changing Views

I was actually in a situation just the other day when several students here were discussing religion at Ohio State. I was sitting in my room relaxing with a couple friends of mine when suddenly my R.A busted into the room and began accusing the boys sitting on the bed of throwing apples against the hallway walls. Of course they were all denying it even though their devious expressions were clearly giving away their guilt. My R.A obviously knew the boys were guilty but she planned on sticking around until one of them would eventually volunteer to clean up the mess. One of the boys, who was actually not involved in the activity spoke up and said that he truly did not throw the apples. He went on about how he was a good Christian boy who went to church every Sunday and never told a lie in his life. My R.A not believing a single word of this story, countered with a whole argument about how every Catholic she knew was deceitful, selfish, and fraudulent. She went on to say how instead of being moral, humble, giving, and selfless individuals, all the Catholics she knew were actually lying, dishonest, hot-headed individuals, who went to church and donated to the poor just to say they did it, but never truly went on and practiced any of the Catholic ideals. It just so happened everyone sitting in the room, including me was Catholic, and immediate took offense to this very bold statement my R.A had just given.

Although, I was offended at what my R.A had just said about my own religion, I couldn’t totally disagree with her. Growing up, I attended Catholic grade school and attended church regularly with my family. I considered us pretty religious and pretty true to the Catholic beliefs and ideals. I never saw this when I was younger, but since I have gotten older I have realized that there are many dishonest, selfish and faithless Catholics in the world. I used to think that just because people attended Church, that automatically meant that they were a good and genuine human being. However, in recent years, and especially the last few weeks since coming to OSU I have observed otherwise. There are a lot a Catholics who go to church and sacrifice their lives for the good of god and are genuinely good people, but there are also people who go to church and do nothing good for themselves or others outside of that.

Since coming to college, I have realized that you don’t have to go to church every week in order to be a good person and be seen as moral in the eyes of God. I truly believe that is what you do outside of that that makes you a good person. It is the little things you do everyday, things as simple as holding the door for someone or even a simple smile that truly makes you a good Catholic and better yet a good person.

Catholics and the Death Penalty

I chose an article titled “Should Catholics oppose the death penalty?” by Noelle Hiester. Hiester received a BA from FUS in 1996 and an MBA in 1997. This article was published in The University Concourse, which is an independent journal of opinion published at Franciscan University, Ave Maria University, and other similar Catholic universities. These Catholic institutions share personal and historical ties as well as commitment to the renewal of Catholic education.

The article begins with Hiester’s own personal stance on the issue of the death penalty, and what specific events or experiences made her take this position. Hiester gives a detailed description as to why she first supported the states right to impose the death penalty. She then gives an example of a specific execution in recent years that caused her to re-evaluate her stance on the issue. Hiester provides quotes from the Catechism and from Pope John Paul II that support her belief that the death penalty should only have been imposed in very extreme circumstances. Due to improved conditions, it is very rare that the death penalty should ever have been used. Not only does Hiester provide quotes from reliable sources, but she also supports each aspect of them with her own opinions and knowledge about the topic. Hiester makes her arguments even stronger by providing statistics that support her stance. I believe this is a reliable source because it is supported by evidence that not only supports Hiester’s case, but also helps to unravel even more questions about the issue.

Toward the end of the article, Hiester returns to the specific execution case that she first addressed in the beginning of the article. She discusses how the death penalty should only be used in extreme circumstances and that otherwise it is offending the dignity of life. The argument is strong and includes many supportive details that make it appear to be very reliable. The specific example of the execution was also a strong example that made this source very convincing and dependable.

The 6th Floor Bathroom

Just five steps away from my box I now call home lays an antiquated chamber that is currently serving as the 6^th floor women’s bathroom in Stradley Hall. Through the dingy, chipped, metal, gray door lays a territory that is truly unique to any other bathroom you have ever experienced before. As you grasp the cold metal handle that protrudes from the front you are immediately greeted by a loud, almost piecing screech that is sure to wake even the most sleep deprived college student. When you first enter the bathroom your eyes are immediately drawn to the row of four porcelain sinks that stand fixed to a wall of sea foam green and pelican gray tiles of various sizes. Above the sinks sit two rectangular mirrors that display various reminders such as “toilets are for puking not sinks” in various colored window paints. After taking a closer look into the sinks, you begin to notice the clumps of hair that adorn the sides of the porcelain bowls.

Turn 180 degrees and you will be facing the lovely set of bathrooms stalls that lay opposite the sinks. You may think that bathroom stalls are nothing to be excited about, but these are unlike any ones I have ever seen. Beautiful artwork done in black sharpie covers the inside walls and doors of every stall as well as reminders and brochures about the latest upcoming events. I don’t know about you, but I have always thought bathrooms could be quite boring, however, after seeing this one my opinion totally changed.

Last, but certainly not least are the showers. Entering the shower area, I am immediately enveloped in the 1960s spa aura that surrounds the area. The brown and tan tiled floor adds warmth to the area and I am instantly drawn to the single, frosted window that remains cracked open on the back wall of the space. Plastic, stark white shower curtains drape from rusted, metal rods and give the area an almost hospital room vibe.

Overall, the area certainly gives me a very unique and incomparable experience every time I enter into it. I become enveloped in its aura and vintage character. After this I am sure you are all just dying to come check this place out, so if you are ever in the area feel free to stop by. It truly is a beyond compare experience.

Writing for the Public

I don't know about you, but public writing is probably one of my least favorite activities to engage in. I think it is intimidating and even slightly embarrassing at times.When I first learned I would have to be writing a blog I almost wanted to drop the class. I am slightly self conscious about others having to read and comment on my work. I think public writing is a very difficult thing to do because it needs to appeal to a wide variety of people. Your work must be engaging, entertaining, and overall "timely". It must be something that people, right now, want to read about and discuss.

In high school I never really did any public writing such as a blog. Most of my work was simply critiqued and graded only by my teacher.

Although I have never done any public writing, I have created and displayed artwork for the public. For me, I find it very easy to express myself and my feelings through art, rather than words. I very much enjoy putting my art work out for the public to critique and comment on. Others opinions and comments tend to push me to create bigger and better things. I get a lot of inspiration for my artwork from the people around me.

With writing, I feel almost exactly opposite. I feel as though when others comment on my work, whether positively or negatively, I am just left feeling either content with what I have produced, or completely discouraged and lost. I don't feel inspired or eager to take my writing or ideas any further. I am confused as to why I feel this way, but I am hoping that writing these blogs will change that and help me become more comfortable with public writing.