Dustin Crossan

D. Watkins
Comp II 10:30
24, April 2015
In high school I did not do much writing at all. My English classes
consisted more of literature and grammar. However, when we did have
to write an essay I struggled with it greatly. My senior year is when I
had to start writing serious essays. We had a research paper and a few
shorter essays over different literature pieces. My English classes
throughout high school were pretty laid back. This affected my writing
abilities and I never learned how to write a decent essay.
My composition 1 class is when I started to learn how to write. I
came to Northern Oklahoma College and enrolled in Comp 1 with
Professor Nordquist. I had to write five essays for her class during that
semester. I did the best that I could and I got a B in her class. I never
thought that I would make that decent of a grade. I realized that
writing is not as hard as I originally thought it was. My writing
knowledge drastically improved after taking her class. I learned how to
construct a proper outline, which helps me get my ideas onto paper,
then I can focus on one idea at a time and write a decent paragraph
over each idea.
I have had to write a several essays outside of my Comp classes.
Last semester in my history class I was assigned several different

topics to write about. These essays were harder for me to write

because my professor did not want the type of paper that I was used to
writing for history. He wanted me to analyze what the writers of
different papers views and opinions were over the same topic. This was
difficult for me; I could not break down what other people had written
to get what their views on the topics were. I tried the opposite of how I
write a paper to break their papers down. I would go through and make
an outline of their paper and then slowly break it down piece by piece.
I would not have been able to do this without learning how to create an
outline in my Composition 1 class.
As a writer I struggle with getting my ideas flowing. I tend to
jump around and go from past to present and then back to the past
events. I normally have to rearrange my essays several times once I
have finished writing them. I also struggle with making a solid thesis
statement. My Composition 2 course at Northern Oklahoma College
with Professor Watkins has helped me tremendously with making a
thesis statement.
I used to absolutely hate writing essays, but now that I have
learned how to correctly construct an outline and make a thesis
statement it is becoming easier for me. If I am very passionate about a
topic or if I have prior knowledge about the topic I can go into depth
with my ideas. My favorite essay that I have written was over my
parents divorce and the emotional stages that I went through. I really

want other people to read it so that they can get an idea of how hard
and frustrating it can be to be a child or teenager that has two different
homes. I never would have been able to write that essay without
taking the Composition courses this past year.