Not much has changed in terms of my learning process, but rather it is the application of my learnings that has changed. I now know to how apply my strengths to compensate my weaknesses where applicable, but in terms my approach to learning a new subject or concept, much has remained the same.
I strongly believe that I can build on the Visual mode as my strongest mode of communication, because this is where I can express my artistic creativity in pictures and drawings instead of just text. I do not believe it would be controversial to claim that it is easier to absorb information from a nice-looking picture than it is from a block of text, and this is where I thrive. My submission for Assignment 5 is prime example of this claim, as it shows my ability to present information in an interesting and attractive way.
My weakest mode of communication is and always has been the oral mode. Whether it is giving a speech or doing a presentation, I still struggle to build the confidence to talk comfortably in front of a crowd. In doing my presentation for Assignment 4, my throat was dry the entire time and my knees felt like they could give out at any time. None of my peers seem to notice in hindsight, but it did feel blatantly obvious that I was a nervous wreck at the time. I believe my weakest rhetorical aspect is substance. I struggle with generating ideas for a paper which is why it usually takes me an unreasonably long time to write anything. I believe this is referred to as ‘Writer’s block’, which describes a condition where a writer loses the ability to produce new content in a piece of writing. This has allowed me to revisit my writing with fresh perspectives after every break, but this has unfortunately hindered the flow of my writings. A lot of my paper, in my opinion, would appear choppy and sloppy. It should go without saying that this is inconvenient.
I acknowledge that these will be big problems in the future if not addressed, and I will continue to improve in these areas by first socializing more to alleviate some innate stress when meeting new people as an introvert. Hopefully, when I get practiced in talking to strangers one-on-one, that a crowd of strangers would appear less intimidating. The way that I overcome my weakness with substance currently, is to write in sessions with multiple breaks in between. Unfortunately, I have found no other way of improving in this area other than unrelenting practice, and I supposed I will just have to do that, albeit begrudgingly. That said, considering who I was at the beginning of the semester, I believe growth has happened.
Speaking of improvements, much could still be made to push me towards the person that I want to be. With better time management, I believe I could spend more time on my papers to achieve better products. Now with experience, I understand the importance of allocating time towards writing instead of cramming to finish everything the night before. This understanding comes with its requirement for discipline understandably, which I am also working to improve upon. Besides that, my papers could undoubtedly improve with feedback from peers or even my instructor moving forward. I have done this very minimally for all five assignments, and I believe it has suffered because I was clouded from judgment without some constructive criticism.
Growth is not only imminent, but it is also necessary to improve oneself in all aspect of their life. It does come with its caveat of desire and effort however, and this rings true to my continuous growth as a writer.