Reflection paper
Thoughts on English
Walking into English 110 at the start of the semester felt overwhelming, like I was stepping into place where I wasn’t sure I belonged. I carried every writing fear at once worrying that my words wouldn’t be “Good Enough,” that the way I speak would be judged, and that sharing anything personal would make me look weak. For years I believed that English was about rules, red pen marks, and trying to sound “correct” enough to be taken seriously. But this class didn’t force me to shrink myself or hide where I came from. Instead it pushed me to write honestly about identity, memory and feelings I usually keep to myself. Through feedback and discussions about language I started seeing writing as something deeper than grammar or “proper english.” It became a place where my voice could exist without apology.
One of my biggest changes in my writing came from learning how to accept feedback and actually using it to improve my story. Before ENG.110 I thought revising only meant fixing my grammar to sound more “correct.” But feedback helped me understand how to make my writing clearer and more emotional, especially in my LLN. During a peer review one of my classmates wrote “I do not understand the spanish that is written, maybe you can make it so english speakers and readers could understand it.” (Ted 2025) At first I did not want to change anything because the Spanish was part of who I am. But Ted’s comment helped me realize that writing doesn’t just express experience it also has to communicate it. So instead of removing the Spanish I revised the moment kepping my mothers words “Levantate rapido antes que te coja tarde.” and adding a footnote transtaing it as “Get up quickly before you end up running late.”Using a footnote allowed me to stay true to my identity while helping the reader feel the moment. Feedback did not erase my voice it strenthenged it. Even after learning to use feedback, I still struggled to believe my natural voice belonged on the page. For a long time, I felt like I had to sound a certain way to be taken seriously and I worried that my writing wasn’t “academic enough.” I didn’t fully believe in my voice until I met with my professor one on one. In her written feedback, Professor Micaela told me “Wow. This story blew me away. You are an incredibly strong writer. I really encourage you to try and get this published somewhere.” Hearing that from someone who reads so many student’s papers changed how I saw myself. Instead of trying to imitate what I thought “proper English” was supposed to sound like, I started writing more honestly because someone believed my voice was already strong.
Furthermore, growing up, I was taught that”professionalism”writing had to sound formal and far away from the way I actually speak. It made English was a performance instead of expression. In “Should Writers Use Their Own English?” Verhawn Ashanti Young argues that the problem is not people’s language but the ways others judge it. He explains that “Black English don’t make it own-self oppressed. It be negative views about other people using their own language like what Fish expresses in his NYT blog, that make it so.” This helped me understand that my Spanish or my natural way of speaking is not wrong. It only feels that way because of how it judged. That pressure used to make me want to erase parts of myself on the page. Instead, I kept the spanish In my LLN and used footnotes to help readers understand without erasing my voice. Writing became a place where my culture belongs not something I have to hide to sound more “proper.”Writing this semester also taught me that writing can be emotional, not just an assignment to complete. When I wrote my LLN I wasn’t just describing a memory I was feeling it again.. Turning that same story into a poem called “The Land of promises” felt even more expressive like I was shaping the same experience creativly instead of only explaining it. The poem was shorter but it was more meaningful because I focused on rhythm, and emotion. Receiving positive feedback on both pieces helped me realize that writing isn’t only about structure or clarity. It can express what we usually keep quiet. These lessons didint just change how I write they changed how I see myself as a writer moving forward.
I never expected writing to feel personal but this class showed me that it can be a space where I’m honest with myself. Through essays and creative pieces like “The Land of Promises.” I learned that expressing real experiences is just as important as structure or grammar. Writing became a way to feel and understand the moments I usually keep quiet instead of trying to fit into what “proper English “ is supposed to sound like. I also learned how to use feedback to strengthen my work without changing who I am on the page. As I continue writing in college and beyond I will carry this with me. My voice and language don’t need permission to be here. They belong in my writing and I can choose to write with confidence, clarity and honesty.
Works Cited:
Betances, Mariamyi. Language and lituarcy Nariyyive 11 November 2025.
CLOSED DOORS LLN FINAL DRAFT – Google Docs
Betances, Mariamyi. Translation 1 25 August 2025.
Koumpoulas, Theodoors. Personal interview. 15 September 2025.
Vershawn Ashanti Young “ Should writers use they own English?”
Young (2011) Should Writers Use They Own English – Google Docs
