An introduction about why I included these artifacts in my portfolio: 

 

These four pieces of writing, as stated on the Home page of this portfolio, reflect my evolution as a writer, as well as my exploration of different relationships. I chose these four pieces because they compliment one of my project's major themes: the human condition. I will explain each individual piece in greater detail below. These pieces can be read in any order. I suggest reading the Writer's Evolution first, in order to understand my development as a writer, and then move on to the other three pieces. 

 

Writer's Evolution Essay

This piece of writing is an evolutionary twist on the question "Why I Write?" For my Minor in Writing Capstone course, we were tasked with writing an argumentative essay that persuades the reader into believing that we've transformed as writers. However, our argument has to be refutable and we have to provide evidence supporting why our argument is true. My topic revolves around the concept of two types of feedback: substantial and trivial. Throughout this essay, I use feedback that I have received on assignments throughout the past four years as examples of how substantial feedback, although often times more constructive, proves to reflect contradictions in my writing, as well as my personality. I compare the two types of feedback and how the substantial feedback has fostered my growth as a writer. I retrospectively analyze the work I've done, the feedback I've received, and how I've responded to that feedback. This essay relates to one major theme throughout my site, understanding the human condition. 

 

English 325: The Art of the Essay

I wrote the essay The Little Redheaded Girl for my English 325 class. The prompt for the assignment asked me to explore a physical attribute and how I identify with it. Through vignettes and moments of reflection, I explore the meaning of my red hair, question who constructs and who is in control of our identities, and display an internal struggle. I chose to add this essay to the list of artifacts because it is one of my favorite essays I've written in college and it epitomizes the exploration of the human condition. 

 

English 425: Advanced Essay Writing

I wrote this essay, Full of Poison, One Good Vein, for my English 425 class. Over the course of the semester, we had to write one essay about anything we wanted. I wrote about my relationship with my uncle, the development of his cancer, familial relationships due to his circumstance, and the idea of judging favorably. Through deep character analysis, plot development, and introspection, I question my belief in judging favorably and why I cannot judge my uncle favorably. This essay contextualizes a painful experience for my family and questions the human condition on many levels. 

 

Communications 362: Digital Media Foundations

This piece of writing was written as my final assignment for my Upper Level Writing requirement within my Communication Studies major. I had to choose a topic and develop my own theory about the topic. I decided to explore the idea of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) and the effect it has on people using Facebook. This research paper unravels the power individuals have over each other's happiness. It also questions whether social media is making us more lonely and isolated as a result of developing online relationships instead of face-to-face relationships. Although not a narrative non-fiction essay like the other three pieces in this section of my portfolio, this research paper epitomizes the human condition from a scientific perspective and offers deep meaning into peoples' relationships with each other both online and offline.