FYS 183
This is the main category for this course
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Sent Seductively
Of all the letter-writing topics we explored this year, I was most excited about love letters. However, I noticed something. The love shared always aligned with the traditional family values of the times. I read countless love letters from people in heterosexual relationships, traditional families, or love shared by friends. It’s not that homosexual relationships didn’t exist at the time; they just had to be better about hiding it. However, letters provide an intimate way to share private information, so there are homoromantic letters; we just didn’t read any this year. Therefore it’s time to take a deep dive into one of history’s homosexual love affairs, specifically those of famous…
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Written Words and Wishful Thinking
At the beginning of the year, I referred to my writing as “organized chaos.” Although I love showing off my eccentric side, I wanted my writing to sound less chaotic and more academic. However, I have always associated academic writing with being boring. Thankfully the blog format has helped me find duality and has turned me into a creative academic writer. Ironically, in my first weekly writing, I said I was “concerned about the blog format,” given that it has now become one of my favorite parts of this course. I also want to continue blogging after this class ends because it is a great way to practice writing and…
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Bring Back The Bookstores
I love reading! There is nothing better than going to a bookstore and perusing the shelves for a short read or finding exactly what you are looking for with the help of the friendliest sales associates I have ever met. However, finding good bookstores can be a challenge. With so many ways to consume information, technology is growing, and bookstores are dying. Even ones that have had movies and books made about them end up replaced, and in the case of Marks & Co (the adorable English bookshop), it was by a McDonalds. Before becoming nothing more than a plaque and a story, Marks & Co was a hub of…
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Thank-you Redo
I have been looking forward to the thank you letter assignment all year. There are many people that I owe gratitude to because so many people have been a part of my theater journey. From voice teachers to directors to mentors, I have been blessed with people who are willing to teach me and encourage me to continue in the arts. However, no one is more deserving than my middle school music teacher Mr. Diekmann. When I first entered the arts, I was convinced I would be an actress, and I was willing to put in the work. I would sing and dance to my heart’s content, but I always…
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Children: The Backbone of Letter Writing
Although Expistilorary Explorations have been fascinating, the historical letters can be very depressing. Working with the illustrated letters this week was refreshing because it showcased them as an art form. In The Day the Crayons Quit, letters are used as a storytelling device for the crayons to share their opinions on their child’s coloring skills. The story was adorable and a great way to introduce children to letters and their use as a form of peaceful protesting. I used to babysit for my next-store neighbors, and I remember reading the book to him and then getting a fountain of questions thrown at me: Are my crayons going to quit? Are…
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The Circle of Crafting a Thesis
There is nothing more stressful than trying to draft the perfect thesis. It’s crazy that so much pressure is put on just one sentence, and most of the time, I don’t honestly know what my thesis is until I finish a paper. I usually start with a great idea, but it takes me writing the paper to realize what I am trying to prove. Yes, I could hypothetically write the paper first and decide on the thesis after, but so often, teachers ask for the thesis first, and doing things in reverse order will only make things more complicated for me. So I have often questioned: what is the perfect…
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Dear Callie (aka an open letter to my calendar)
Whenever I am confused, Callie is the first thing I turn to. Callie always knows what is next and how to guide me about my day. Callie reminds me when it is time to leave, wake up, and go to sleep. I live based on its command. I spent many hours staring at Callie, looking at it for answers, so I decided to make it pretty. I created a color key to understand Callie without even reading the words I had written down. It worked for a while until I started joining clubs, and then I hit a problem. There weren’t enough colors. I tried placing Callie in different locations:…
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Dual Submission Assignments
This week we completed our letter of note assignments, including a paper and a presentation. This is the second time this semester I have done an assignment like this in one of my classes, so I wanted to give my input on why I think it works brilliantly. However, before I talk about the functionality of dual submission assignments, I would like to preface by saying they must always be due project first, then paper. If the paper is due first, it defeats its entire purpose. The first part of a dual submission assignment is the project component. It usually is a presentation. However, I have seen posters, dioramas, and…
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Takeaways by a Young Writer
This week we read a series of letters written to young authors giving them advice about how to write their books, get published, etc. As a young writer myself, some points stuck with me, and I feel I will utilize in the future should I choose to go further with the book I am currently working on. So here are my top five takeaways from Letters to a Young Writer 5. Reading Time: The best time to read is at the beginning of a project, and then the amount you read should decrease as you reach the climax. This allows you to make sure the conclusion is all your own.…
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Perfecting the P.S.
Olivia dives deep into Ray Bradbury's famous letter "I Am Not Afraid Of Robots" to reconsider the positive uses for these robots that Bradbury is in support of.
