Writing this essay was a little difficult because, in the term “community,” I identified with a lot of communities in my first thought. But then I started to narrow it down, and it looked like maybe I did not identify with the communities I originally thought or have much to say about them. They were either too simple, too short, or just didn’t really connect with me. So I thought about what actually represents me. And out of the blue, the idea came that I identify with my heritage, traditions, and ethnicity. So I thought about the Latino community, but it didn’t feel right, so I chose the immigrant community. This community felt right—I found myself identified with it and knew clearly what I was going to talk about.

Now that I had a topic, it was time to write. When it comes to writing and college work, I’m a procrastinator like most people my age. If you sit me down and tell me to do it, I’m not going to do it until the last minute. So that’s exactly what I did. I wrote my draft in approximately an hour and a half that Wednesday before the workshop on Thursday. But I did not like my draft. I felt like it was missing something. It was a little too political, and for the first time, I actually rewrote my entire essay. I felt like I needed more connection with the audience and a little more of my personal experience because, at the end of the day, it’s my community I’m talking about. So I redid my draft that week, and it felt perfect.

The only bad thing is that I tend not to reread my essays because, again, I overthink them. I start deleting parts, and in the end, I might delete my entire essay. So I turned it in. After that, it was class, and we had a discussion with my friend about an article we were reading. Somehow, the topic of immigration came into play, and I started talking about how, in my essay, I emphasized that immigrants are not only Latinos but also people from different countries outside Latin America. She agreed with that, so I felt proud that I included this in my essay because, to me, it was an important point to make my argument clear about the immigrant community.

But also, when I write, I try to write as if I am talking. Not in a formal, forced way, like I have to write this essay, but in a way that feels natural—like I’m talking to my friends. I want the reader to feel connected, even if they might not relate to the topic I’m discussing, but in some way, they can still feel a connection. That’s what I like about writing these types of essays, and specifically, this one. I do wish we had more time and a more extended word limit because I felt like I had more to say about my community but was limited. However, something I would do differently is maybe not procrastinate and also read over my work. I know that reading over your work is very important because it allows you to judge yourself from a reader’s point of view rather than a writer’s.

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