Author: feliksaaaps

Procrastinating, Passion and Inspiration

Gia Falcicchio-Wall (’24) writes about the intersections between procrastination and passion. “Writing is a place where I feel I lay right in between the mindsets of procrastination and passion. It can take me a very long time to get started on a writing project, but once I’ve started the words will just spill out of my brain, into my fingers, which then type, type and type some more.”

Procrastination. Something everyone struggles with from time to time. Writing is definitely a major place where people fall victim to procrastination the most often. I know that as I slowly work on this blog post, I too am guilty of putting it off until the very last possible minute. 

There isn’t much rhyme or reason behind procrastinating. Sometimes I just don’t want to take the time to sit down and write; so I put it off. Maybe I am just lazy. Maybe I just need to be in a special mood to actually get work done, use my time wisely or even just be productive. 

As anyone who procrastinates does, I turn to Google. A quick and easy way to figure out answers to all of life’s burning questions; the same questions that I couldn’t be bothered to waste more than 10 minutes researching. So I open a new tab, hover over the search bar and I type “Why do I procrastinate so much”. With no question mark. That takes too much effort. I click enter and see all of the different words fill the page. 

All that I see are things that are “wrong” with you if you procrastinate. Oh you procrastinate? You must be depressed, anxious all the time, you don’t believe in yourself enough and your study habits must be awful. We can all agree that procrastinating isn’t a great habit and for sure has to do with your mental health, but there is so much more to it than that. 

Passion. Something everyone needs to have for something at some point in your life. Having a certain level of passion for what you are working on is what makes you want to be productive in finishing the assignment. If you have absolutely no passion or interest all together why even bother wasting valuable time towards it. 

Writing is a place where I feel I lay right in between the mindsets of procrastination and passion. It can take me a very long time to get started on a writing project, but once I’ve started the words will just spill out of my brain, into my fingers, which then type, type and type some more. But I get it, not everyone has the inspiration to pull out a pen and some paper and to start writing out of the blue. But what if you did? 

Inspiration. Something that is everywhere as long as you look for it. Look around the room you are sitting in right now. There has got to be something that you could stare at endlessly out of interest (or boredom). Pick up a pen and write about thoughts or feelings that need to be addressed. Even if you have an essay due at 11:59, when inspiration hits you, it hits you hard. If there’s something you want to write about, just do it! Don’t let deadlines or boring people get you down. 

Writing is a safe place for everyone to use to share passion and joy. Writing is a safe place for everyone to use to share struggles. As long as people keep writing, and enjoy doing so, passion for writing will never go away.

Reflecting on Set Standards in English Classes

Dylan Schueler (’23) advocates for a different approach to grading in the English classroom. “…it’s more important to grade students based on where they started on the scale compared to where they ended. Growth mindset isn’t just about opening yourself up to new ideas, but it’s also about growth of the mind over a period of time.”

How often do you come across a student or peer who doesn’t speak the same way as you? How many people do you know with different cultural backgrounds? Whether your answer is one or many, the fact that everyone isn’t the same is important. 

English classes often have set standards or grading scales when it comes to writing papers or analyzing writing. Some may argue that it’s important to have a set scale where students are graded based on where they stand on that scale. However, I would argue that it’s more important to grade students based on where they started on the scale compared to where they ended. Growth mindset isn’t just about opening yourself up to new ideas, but it’s also about growth of the mind over a period of time.

Many students with different backgrounds, starting at different levels of writing or as some say, “intelligence” levels. It’s important that we take these unique backgrounds into consideration when using a grading system. Everyone has different levels of intelligence, which is shown in multiple different ways and not in just one subject or on one assignment. Personally, I believe that English class assignments should be graded based on improvement rather than on a set scale or standard. Though a student may learn to understand their material, they may not receive a good overall grade. For example, if a student were to get a poor grade on their essay about a particular topic, that grade would stay in the gradebook permanently. But what if that student continues to learn in that class and improves drastically on the same topic later on? Well, though they now understand the material, they are punished by the first grade they received. People may argue that this could be said for many other classes. However, English classes are primarily subjective whereas math, science, and other courses are often objective. 

Referring to past tutor, Gigi Shipp’s “Changing the Definition of Writing: Moving Away from the White Standard,” it’s important to acknowledge that a good majority of English classes try to teach a “white standard” form of writing to students, ignoring the importance of different backgrounds and ways of speaking. Going back to the set standard idea, it’s important to note that different backgrounds allow for different levels of knowledge and a “set scale” or standard doesn’t reflect that knowledge. How can we alter the grading scale to fit the needs of different backgrounds, cultures, and the idea of improvement based grading? How can we do so fairly in a way that teachers would agree with? There are many questions to be answered, but the importance of reducing “set standards” needs to first be embraced through the students.

Introversion and Leadership

Jasmine Chou (’23) explores the particular and often undervalued strengths introverts have as leaders. “…introverts are good listeners and tend to be better at observing everything that goes on around them. Because of this, they will be willing to hear everyone out and then later be able to take all input from what they see and hear and make a decision based more on everyone’s ideas, rather than just their own opinion.”

In most cases when people think of what it means to be a leader, they will link their definition of leadership with words that are synonymous with being an extrovert: outgoing, outspoken, social, full of energy and life, loud, always talking to people and making connections with everyone. But while this stereotype is commonly true, as the extroverts tend to quickly take initiative more easily than the introverts, it does not mean that introverts are unable to lead. According to an article from CNBC quoting bestselling author and popular TED speaker Susan Cain, there are three qualities introverts possess that make them great leaders. These three traits are: being more conservative about risk taking, more creative, and better at problem solving. 

Although risk-taking is a great thing to see in a leader, as people love seeing a leader who takes action, being conservative in making decisions can be a better approach. Introverts will think more about the pros and cons of a decision rather than jumping to a conclusion so quickly. In this way, the decisions they make are more thoroughly thought out, more sensible and reasonable, and potentially may cause less harmful effects to themselves or those affected by the decision. A good leader does not need to make such hasty decisions to gain the respect of their followers. Rather, making a slow but smart decision may fare better for everyone in the long run. Another point to make is that introverts are good listeners and tend to be better at observing everything that goes on around them. Because of this, they will be willing to hear everyone out and then later be able to take all input from what they see and hear and make a decision based more on everyone’s ideas, rather than just their own opinion. 

Having high levels of creativity is another trait of introverted people. Since introverts prefer to be alone rather than in crowds, they have a lot of time to themselves to think and nurture their creative side. Solitude, Cain says, can be a “real catalyst to creativity.” Being alone can help introverts access their creativity without distraction or influence from the others’ ideas.  Thus, the ideas and solutions that introverts come up with may be better overall because they are distinct, well-planned, and may give a different perspective that many do not think of at first. 

The reserved decision-making style and creativity also tie in to introverts being more effective problem solvers. It is often difficult for introverts to process information quickly, so they are able to take time to reflect more and gain more insight on the problem at hand. When given a problem, introverts like to weigh each of the pros and cons and consider all solutions to guarantee that they are making the right decision with the best possible outcome. 

Many of these traits are not often thought to be strengths in leadership. They are more often associated with followers, being able to carry out procedures and actions rather than initiate them. There are many famous introverts who went on to do great things. Believe it or not, billionaire Bill Gates, who co-founded Microsoft, is an introvert. But, he is regarded as a transformational leader in the eyes of society. From his invention of an easy operating system to his donations to charities, he has made a huge impact on American society. But, all weaknesses may be turned into strengths and anyone can do anything they put their mind to. If you have a vision, go for it and do not shy away from it, as it could very well be a turning point in history. 

Are Classics Always the Answer? 

Alicia Dyer (’25) discusses the implications of lack of representation in the literature we read. “In school, the general assumption is that you learn about significant things and people. So, if you don’t learn about something in school, it must not be as relevant.”

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on an English class where my assignment was to analyze some of Edgar Allan Poe’s poems. The first one wasn’t bad, but the more often I read them the more tired of them I became. His writing wasn’t bad, in truth, it was pretty good. It was the point of view that was tiring. Each time, without fail, the main character was a white man, and if there were a secondary character, they would also be a white man. Identical identities and struggles were represented each time. There was nothing new to learn and I couldn’t connect with any part of the writing. Reading all of these stories felt completely pointless. While there are so many beautiful identities that they can’t all possibly be represented in a single poem, it’s not fair to anyone to only chose to consistently show one when there are so many others out there.

Don’t get me wrong, classics can be beneficial — showing different types of writing styles and conflicts. But one thing that they don’t have is different identities. Throughout school, people learn important skills. No, I’m not just talking about math and science. I’m talking about empathy and kindness. How are you supposed to show empathy for a group of people that you never learn about? In school, the general assumption is that you learn about significant things and people. So, if you don’t learn about something in school, it must not be as relevant. The issue with that mindset and with our current curriculum is that not everything important is included. So many people’s stories aren’t told. Education is power, and the more we know about people the more understanding we can be toward them.

It’s time to stop emphasizing classics and start emphasizing diverse books. It feels like the majority of the books I read are all dominated by white men and the struggles they go through. An article from The Stanford Daily says that in one student’s case,” …even on the rare occasions BIPOC authors were included in the curriculum, they were confined to the summer reading and only a couple days would be spent analyzing and discussing them. On the other hand, weeks and months would be spent reading and analyzing ‘the same old, tired ‘classics’ that don’t represent the people, time or experience of its audience.’” Let’s diversify our lessons and make everyone feel represented. You’d be surprised at the difference seeing yourself in something you’re passionate about can make. 

I read a really interesting article by Tricia Ebarvia called How Inclusive is Your Literacy Classroom Really?  In the article, she talks about assimilation and not seeing herself in the stories she learned about. One thing that stood out to me was the eight questions she left at the end to help teachers understand whether or not they’re being inclusive. These questions are:

  • How inclusive is the media you consume, personally and professionally?
  • How inclusive is your curriculum?
  • How inclusive is your classroom library?
  • How inclusive are your mentor texts for writing?
  • How often do you use gendered versus non-gendered language?
  • How equitable are your student discussions? In what ways do you ensure all student voices are heard?
  • How often do you show (think aloud) inclusive thinking when discussing your decisions and responses to texts?
  • In what ways—and how often—do you and your colleagues reflect on your practices to ensure all voices are recognized and respected?

In the article, she also has more questions to go further in-depth into each of these topics. While I’m not a teacher and I can’t answer all of these questions exactly as they were meant to be received, I can think about the impact of these questions on the lessons I’m learning. Teachers aren’t doing badly with most of these, but there’s still a lot of work to be done. And I’m not saying it’s easy, because it’s definitely not, but there are steps we can take to make things better. 

In The Chicago Tribune, they made a helpful suggestion about something we can do. 

“For example, a discussion of To Kill a Mockingbird opened with questions about why the book is widely taught: ‘For what reasons might teachers include this text in their curriculum? What is the value in teaching this text? Do you have to teach this text — why?’” Simply by asking questions like these and getting comfortable with being uncomfortable, we can begin to make things right.

Yes, the classics have been taught for ages. Yes, they can be great books. Yes, they can be helpful to read and analyze. But who are we leaving out? Are there other books that teach the same things but showcase different identities? I guarantee you there are. 

To end this blog post, I don’t want to leave anyone feeling hopeless or like they don’t know where to start. So, here are some resources to look into alternatives to classics:

Good luck and know that I, along with the rest of the Writing Center, believe in you. 

The Math Behind Writing

Will Pace (’24) invites us to think creatively about structure in writing. “…my “structure” was my thought directly to the page. I could have never written this post with a graphic organizer.”

Now, I know what you’re thinking. “Oh my gosh Will no shut up I hate math please don’t write about math please!!!” And to that I’d say, don’t worry, because I hate it too. And don’t get too worked up, because math doesn’t REALLY exist behind every single piece we write (or maybe that’s what I want you to think). Ok fine, but for real, whether you think it’s true or not, I most certainly think it is.

You are most likely still confused, so let me explain a little more in depth. Everything you do in life seems to have a “process”, or a certain way it functions. Not just that, but there is really a type of math behind everything. If something has dimensions, it’s made up of math. The angle at which you would throw a ball to get it to a certain spot works mathematically. Heck, the price of a gallon of milk at the store is numbers. But how does this relate to writing?

I can guarantee that writing has been taught to you as a process. We’ve all heard of and written an essay in English class that has an introduction, 3 body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Super fun right? Actually, it’s the opposite. I am certainly not a fan of this style of writing, but that’s okay, because you don’t need a specific structure to start writing. Sometimes the structure comes from the writing, and not the traditional other way around. 

I often dive into pieces of mine with no structure, and just type and keep going until It’s finished (LIKE I AM RIGHT NOW!!!!) Obviously I’m gonna go through and revise it afterwards, but my “structure” was my thought directly to the page. I could have never written this post with a graphic organizer. What I’m saying is I can’t write effectively with that structure we were taught, which is honestly why I hated writing for so long.

NOW. I bet you are probably wondering, “Will! How does THAT relate to math?!?” Well, what I’ll say is that with math comes structure, and with structure comes math. You can’t have one without the other. We are taught structure in everything we do, and that is the same with writing. But the more and more you write, you begin to see that structure maybe isn’t always as important as it’s made out to be. So maybe I’m saying that the math behind writing is that there isn’t math behind writing. Or at least there doesn’t have to be.