Letters / English 101- Letter on your attitude toward writing, literacy, and language. [3]

I have to write a letter that I will read aloud to my class on my attitude toward writing, literacy, and language. I am not sure if I responded to the promp correctly.

English, never really my strongest subject, but I have come to appreciate writing. It is a way for me to express feelings and emotions that I wouldn't normally express orally in an informal setting. Whenever I have an issue or need to inform someone of something important, it's always best for me to write it down first in order to get my thoughts together, and then let them know. With family even, if something is troubling me, I find myself constantly jotting down my problem.

As for academic writing, having an assignment used to be such a daunting task although now I admire it somewhat. I'm usually not as comfortable sharing my work, but I appreciate the feedback I'm given and it can only help not hinder me. I perform much better when I'm not bound to short deadlines as to have time to ponder various ideas. Also, I can't just sit for hours writing, I usually think about my topic a few days before I begin to actually put it in on paper and I must take many breaks in between. When I'm in the middle of a project, I may be performing other tasks, but I'm continually thinking of what words I could add to my paper or how I could modify it for improvement. Creative writing pieces are a little more challenging for me; therefore I prefer essays on different topics.

I enjoy reading a little more than I do writing. Reason being is I'm able to stimulate my imagination. Whenever I read, it's mandatory for me to visualize what the writer is saying and see myself there. Over the years, I have observed the fact that my writing has improved drastically, I attribute that to me reading more; not just books, but also others writing pieces. From reading I'm able to learn new words and expand my vocabulary, as well as become inspired for future writing projects. In the past, only a very intriguing book could interest me, yet now no matter what book or writing piece, I can usually find some way to enjoy it or gain something from it. While reading, concentration is important, going over paragraphs multiple times, and analyzing are necessary for me to really understand what the author is attempting to express.

My goal is to become more comfortable with writing and sharing my pieces, as well as reading more outside the classroom.

Undergraduate / MY DREAM TO BECOME A BALLERINA AND OVERCOME BEING SHY UCLA PROMPT 2 [4]

UCLA PROMPT 2
Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are?

I have always been mesmerized by the art of dance. How a dancer can execute such precise movements and bring people to tears is just fascinating to me. My dream was always to become a ballerina, to wear the crystal white tutu, laced pink pointe shoes, and be at the center or stage. There was just one problem; I had an extreme case of being shy. I wasn't just nervous about presenting in front of a crowd, which was normal; I panicked when I entered a store by myself or asked a person for directions, anything that involved interacting with others basically made me quiver. Never did I think this nervousness would end until there was a trip I wanted so badly to experience.

I had already turned down two trips but this time I really wanted to go. I would finally be able to experience something other than Viva Las Vegas, yet I had my doubts of course. What if my bag is too big, what if something went wrong in airport security, what if no one talks to me and all of those thoughts came to mind. I spent nights thinking over and over again the negative and never the positive until I finally just stopped myself. I said nothing will go wrong; I will get there safely and have a great time. These positive thoughts finally worked and I decided to go and it was the best trip I had ever had. From then on, I stopped worrying about silly things and decided I would never turn down anything and I finally signed up for that ballet class. I am still working on becoming that beautiful ballerina and am almost there, but most importantly I am so proud of myself. From that one experience, I was able to change so much and I wouldn't be here today without it.

Undergraduate / "I plan to excel in the field of nursing" - My response to the UCLA prompt 1 [14]

UCLA prompt- Describe the world you come from - for example, your family, community or school - and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.

This is a rough draft! PLEASE HELP!

Where I come from has shaped who I am and why I am an ambitious, caring, and joyful person. I was raised in a single family home; my dad was present in my life just not in my house. Because of that, it was imperative for my mother to be strong and independent. She was and is a hard worker, always wanting the best for me. She echoed every day the same statement of all parents, "Go to school to get your education so you can go to college". My mother always stressed how important it was to have some type of higher education seeing as she herself didn't have a degree. I can recall numerous occasions of our struggle to find our next meal, or shivering in our home because of a lack of heat. Even in those miserable times, she never gave up or showed any form of weakness. Enduring those rough times definitely motivates me to want more for myself.

As for her career, my mom has been working at Kaiser Hospital for over 18 years. Starting off as a receptionist in the emergency room, she climbed the corporate ladder and is currently a systems administrator. I can recall spending many days at the hospital with her, I grew fond of being around the doctors. Watching the orthopedic technicians administer casts, conversing with nurses, viewing x-rays (as if I understood them), and witnessing the satisfied patients. From those experiences I definitely knew my career would involve medicine. I was recently employed as an In-Home Health Care Worker; assisting a woman with everyday tasks. My greatest joy is helping someone in need, even with simple things such as helping them get dressed or administering medicine. I also work with a ministry, assisting by sending food to and feeding the homeless. We also visit shelters and host events that give profits to and Working with this woman, I truly learned the smallest actions can have such a large impact and that patience is key. If I didn't know before, I definitely knew after that experience nursing was the perfect field for me.

The elementary and middle school I attended also played a large roll role in my life. I attended a small charter school, View Park Preparatory, with the most qualified teachers; and I received one on one help that all children need. The parents were required to volunteer and be very active in their child's school work. Thanks to the school, math became one of my strongest subjects and I really enjoyed reading at a very young age. At View Park we were taught at an advanced level, completing work that most kids our age hadn't. There was a generous amount of homework which at the time was frustrating, but now I appreciate it. I currently have no trouble handing a heavy workload or staying up for hours to complete an assignment. So when I ventured off to high school; I already had a strong foundation which allowed me to take advanced courses with now trouble.

Obstacles I encountered assisted in my dream of working in the medical field. My mother instilled in me determination, diligence, and patience. My school taught me good work ethic and persistence. I plan to excel in nursing and even continue to become a doctor.

WRITE AND ENDING THAT SUMMARIZES

Undergraduate / My first two paragraphs for my UC prompt [5]

I have always been a timid and ambitious person, but for these past few years, I have wanted to break out of my shell and start to enjoy life. I am ready to attend college and be successful. Although, I know getting there will not be easy. I come from a single parent home, and no one in my family has ever attained more than a high school diploma.

The community I come from is good, I have always had a nice home and attended a good school. When I was young, because of my extreme shyness, I missed out on a lot of things, never joined any groups or made many friends. The one thing I could always count on was school. For my elementary and middle school years I attended a one of the best schools. It was very small, which probably contributed to why I was so shy. I loved going to school and learning new things, always feeling I was smart and could do whatever I desired. Until I entered high school, I didn't know how hard it would be to get accepted into college.