In this reflection essay, I explore my growth as a writer throughout the semester and how each major assignment allowed me to connect personally to my writing. I highlight the importance of making my essays feel meaningful, authentic, and personal. When writing about topics like immigration, cultural identity, and political issues, I was able to reflect on challenges I personally faced—such as procrastination and life struggles—and how they may have impacted my writing process. I discuss my favorite assignments, including the op-ed on immigration and my conference paper about Bad Bunny’s political messages in his music, which helped me realize that my true passion lies in politics and culture. Through the class readings, especially Eight Bites and Inventory, I found myself emotionally connected, even to the point of crying, because themes like body image and self-reflection hit close to home. Despite moments of stress and doubt, I learned that writing can be powerful—both personally and educationally. This reflection helped me see that writing isn’t just an assignment; it’s something I can use to express myself and maybe even consider pursuing more seriously in the future.
Reflection Essay: What I’ve Learned in English 21000
Sometimes in life, we experience events that completely change who we are and force us to reflect deeply on our choices. For me, attending college has been one of those experiences. It has made me question my decisions and wonder whether this path is truly right for me. As a freshman soon to become a sophomore, I’ve often asked myself, “Is this really worth it?” I know I’m not alone—many of us go through this kind of doubt. This feeling is part of what we call reflection, and in my case, that reflection has extended to every part of my life, especially school and the courses I’ve taken.
Among those courses, English 21000 stands out. This class has not only taught me academic skills, but it has also helped me learn more about myself. I had the opportunity to connect personally to many of the assignments and explore topics I truly cared about. That’s why I chose to write this essay as a reflection of everything I’ve learned—and even some things I feel I didn’t fully grasp—in this course. (And yes, you’ll probably see the word reflect a lot, so get ready!)
The first assignment I remember clearly was our community essay. We were asked to define what community meant to us. This was hard for me because I tend to overthink everything—this assignment was no exception. I struggled with how to define the community I came from. At first, I looked at my background and my identity. Two things stood out: music and my immigration journey.
Music, especially Latin urban music, has always been a big part of my life. I considered writing about that community because I know everything about artists like Bad Bunny, including the meanings behind his lyrics. But ultimately, I chose to write about my experience as an immigrant. Moving to the U.S. at a young age shaped much of who I am today. I’ve faced challenges like language barriers, which I still experience sometimes. That sense of struggle and transition felt like a more personal and meaningful topic.
Looking back on that essay, I realize now that while the introduction was strong and personal, the body paragraphs didn’t carry that same emotional depth. They lacked the personal connection .In this essay, I wanted the reader to feel something—especially me. I’ve always liked when my essays have a personal connection. I feel like if they don’t, then what’s the point of writing them? It just becomes annoying. Compared to my later essays in this class, one of my early ones felt the least personal. If I had the chance to rewrite it, I would dig deeper into my feelings and experiences, making sure every part of the essay reflected who I am.
The second major assignment was our op-ed essay. If you don’t know what an op-ed is, it’s basically an opinion piece about a controversial topic. And let’s be honest—this whole society is built around controversial ideas. In my opinion, this was one of the best essays I wrote all semester. The process of writing it was easy for me, but I tend to procrastinate, so sitting down and focusing on one specific topic was a bit hard at first. I had moments of doubt, unsure of what to write about, but the topic of immigration really stood out to me.
In a previous English class, I had written about Democrats versus Republicans, comparing their beliefs and values. Writing about politics was one of the most entertaining things I’ve done because I’m a political science major. When it came to this op-ed, I wondered if I should really talk about immigration—what if my classmates didn’t agree with my view? But in the end, I’m glad I did. I loved writing about what goes beyond being an immigrant and talking about my community. Coincidentally, we had just finished an essay about “community,” and it felt like everything lined up perfectly.
In this essay, I wrote about how immigrants come here for a better life—not to do harm—and how we contribute to the economy and culture of the U.S. On a personal level, I really enjoyed writing this one. What I didn’t do in my community essay, I did in the immigration essay. I even conducted interviews with two of my immigrant friends from Ecuador, and hearing their stories helped me realize that no matter where we come from, we all share the same dream. That realization meant a lot to me. I learned something important: every time you walk down the street and see a stranger, you don’t know their story. This essay reminded me of that.
Next came our in-class essay. Let me tell you, I was a nervous wreck. That week was full of stress, and when my professor announced the in-class essay, my heart dropped. But once I heard we could use our laptops and drafts, I calmed down. The essay was based on two stories from Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado—a book I truly enjoyed. As someone who doesn’t usually like reading and has some personal trauma tied to it, this was a book I connected with deeply.
I chose to write about “Inventory” and “Eight Bites.” I related more to “Eight Bites,” a story about a woman struggling with body image and self-esteem. It felt so real to me. I cried while reading it because I’ve battled with my own self-image and had an eating disorder when I was younger. “Inventory” was also meaningful—it was about looking back on your past, including past lovers and mistakes. Sometimes I find myself doing the same. Both stories made me reflect, and writing about them felt personal. I wish more college courses used stories like these—they’re easier to relate to and make writing essays more natural.
The only problem with the in-class essay was time. I feel like I didn’t have enough of it to go back, revise, or make the sentences sound the way I wanted. I also wish I had added a better outline or listed moments from each story to analyze more clearly. If I could go back and rewrite it, I would definitely do that. I wanted it to feel more personal, but I focused more on answering the prompt than connecting it to myself.
After that came our conference paper. At first, I wasn’t sure what that meant, but my professor explained it. It had to be about art and something personal. I originally wanted to write about my city, Cuenca, Ecuador, and its religious values. I had even done a speech on it in a previous class. But I was worried I wouldn’t have the right sources or enough to support my claims. So I went with something else that felt true to me: Bad Bunny.
Music has always been a huge part of my life, especially Latin urban music. Writing about Bad Bunny and how he uses his music for political statements in Puerto Rico felt perfect. It was hard to find the right sources at first, but with my professor’s feedback, I found my path. I learned so much about Puerto Rico through this essay—more than I expected. Still, I was going through family problems during the writing process, and I know it affected my work. I wish I had added more lyrics, analyzed them more deeply, and stayed more focused on what I was trying to argue.
If I could go back, I’d rewrite a few body paragraphs and add more clear evidence. But in the end, my conference presentation based on that paper went well. I did what I set out to do: connect Bad Bunny’s lyrics to real-world problems like colonialism, corruption, and cultural identity. I’m proud of that.
Now that the semester is over, I’m writing this reflection and thinking about everything I’ve done in this class. Honestly, it was an honor to have my professor guiding me. I wrote essays I’m proud of—essays that I can use in the future to educate others. I became a better writer, even if English isn’t my major. It might not be my field, but writing has become a hobby I really enjoy.
Most of my essays leaned into political topics, which makes sense since I’m a political science major. I love writing about controversial or meaningful subjects, especially when they relate to my identity. If I’ve learned anything this semester, it’s this: stop procrastinating! Lock in, stay focused, and I’ll write even better essays in the future. Thank you for reflecting with me.
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