Looking back on this class, I have realized just how much my writing has improved since the beginning of the quarter and that first assignment. I went from being a writer that was not confident in his work and over-thought everything into someone who found his own writing style, and can quickly and effectively write an essay (of course revising it as well). This portfolio was made so that I can show off what I have learned from this class, and show off just how much I have improved as a writer. The work that I selected show that I have made incredible progress this term. In the beginning of the quarter there were many things that I had to revise in my essays, and they took me twice as long to write as well. However, by the end of the quarter writing, although not quite second nature to me, has become much simpler and my writing in general has become much stronger as well.

There are many things that I have learned about myself this quarter. I have learned that if I do not over-think my papers while I am writing them, and stop trying to make them perfect (until the end), writing becomes much easier for me. This portfolio not only shows everyone how I have progressed as a writer, but it also shows what I have learned about myself as a writer. It contains not only my best works, but also my mistakes, and through the work in here I am able to see the mistakes that I commonly make while writing such as over-generalizing things and writing about something before I completely understand it myself. However there are also things that I realized woks well for me in my writing. Unlike what I thought in the beginning of the quarter, I write much better when I make a general outline and write out the paper without correcting myself as I go. In this English 131 course I have learned many things about myself as a writer and have finally found a way of writing that works best for me.