Once Upon a "Bad Writer"

I like to believe that I was destined to take English Literature, Communications & Journalism as a double major in university. I didn't exactly choose to commit to a double major until this year. I completed a year of English Lit. before choosing to add Communications & Journalism. When I finished high school, I decided to take a foundation year for university, mainly because I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life.

I looked at it like this big decision that would control the way the rest of my life would go.

Which is logical, but my parents assured me that as long as I chose something that I could go far in, it didn't really matter what I chose. And that is what motivated me to choose English Literature. Even though I was never really good at writing, and I am hoping to get better over time. I chose English Lit. because I knew that I could overcome any challenge that was thrown my way as long as it didn't concern math.

I wake up thankful every day that I don't have to do math ever again.

I remember one of my middle school English teachers hating me. She gave me horrible grades and never helped me when I asked for extra assistance. And when I asked her for ways I could improve she would say that I didn't have to even though she made me feel like I did. I specifically recall her telling me that I am bad at communication, which is weird because I never really noticed that I chose the exact subjects that she made me feel incompetent in until about a month ago. I am pretty sure that my mind unconsciously took her words as a challenge, and I am only conscious about it now because I overheard my mom ask my older brother about this teacher's well-being. Ever since then, it has been sitting at the back of my mind, and to be honest, it's what's currently pushing forward to getting my degree. I know that it's petty, but I am even considering to pursue a higher education after my bachelors because of her.

"I use my haters as my motivators."

Even though I am pretty sure that she didn't mean for her comments about my homework and school projects to have the effect that they did, I would strongly recommend for any educators to carefully consider the "constructive" criticism that they give a teenager... otherwise you might end up being the unconscious reasons behind certain important life decisions. If she, perchance, ever gets to read this, by the hand of some higher power, I want her to know that I definitely won't thank her for anything (including any possible future successes) because she was a horrible teacher. Even though I do consider her to be a horrible teacher who never taught me anything beyond the capitalization of the letter "I" when referring to myself, I am not sure why her words have had such a big impact on me.

Nevertheless, I am really happy with the choices I made, even though I didn't choose them because I felt like they were my true calling.

And it makes me even more happy to recognize that even though this teacher from my past might have played some unconscious role in me making the decision to double major in these particular fields, when in reality, I am the one who challenged myself to do better.

I decided to actually start writing this, my first blog entry, at a time where I was having a writer's block; trying to write an essay comparing Plato and Aristotle's views on mimesis, and

I got tired of having this idea that I am bad at writing and communicating stuck at the back of my mind.

I know that as of now, I am somewhat of a competent writer. But I would appreciate any comments or real constructive criticism you have concerning my writing, you can either leave me a comment or click the contact button on the homepage to send me a message. Please keep in consideration that I am trilingual and it can be hard to think in three languages but write in only one.

Sincerely,

Ed the bedhead

#University #Positive #Choices