English 113 Welcome to college

December 19, 2016

Dear Springfield college's students,

I hope that this letter helps you to better understand the struggle it has been to become who I am today. I am enlightened! Yes, look up that word if you don’t know what it means. Young Mohammed, you will travel a path that includes peaks and valleys however, trust me on this one, you will fare better if you just continue.

Writing 113 will lead you along that road and as you travel you will gather information to better prepare you for the future past today. Think about this. Remember whenever someone would ask you a question about how you feel or how something was and your response was usually ‘good’? Guess what is going to happen. You will learn about synonyms and antonyms that will provide you with an improved understanding of the English language. Your vocabulary will improve as will the way you write and your understanding on having a writing focus.

Writing will no longer just be putting words on paper. You will focus on your audience, your purpose for writing, and your topic, just to name a few. In this class, you will also have the opportunity to work with your peers learning how to edit and give and receive constructive criticism. It’s amazing. Just imagine, you write something with a set focus, your peer reads it, you take into consideration what they think, make revisions then hand in a paper. Right now you probably have no idea what I am talking about. Believe me, you will learn and you will appreciate it. Revisions can seem wasteful (at first) but once you do it a couple of times, you will understand why it is necessary. So don’t cheat yourself, try your best and you will see the results that I have experienced.

You will find out that writing is not a hard feat (notice that new word) but something that can be successfully accomplished given the right instructions and support. Everything in writing comes down to a plan – What do you want to say? What stand do you want to take? Who are the readers? What is the topic or purpose of the writing? What format does it need to be? Answering these questions can only help you to become greater so don’t fret if you have to revise. At first it may seem frustrating but after you see the results and how it improves your writing you will be glad you did. Like I said before, working in groups and working with your peers is one of the best ways that you can get instant feedback and understanding on how to improve your writing. This was one of my favorite activities. Also having topics that appeal to you will be easier to write about. My favorite essay will be the should college athletes be paid. You will enjoy this because it your international problem.

The hardest part will be understanding the language and all the words that can mean something different depending on how you use it. You know that there is a language barrier and you will at first feel reluctant to participate in class or to even attempt writing. These are some questions that may run through your mind: Why am I taking this class? What happens if I am not successful? Yes, you will have some fear of failure but my advice is to continue. You will soon find out that Professor Casey Hayman is willing to work with you. He will ask you regularly if you understand or if you need any help. Open up to him and he will be there to guide you. He will not ridicule you in any way. This class will make a difference in your life – not just in academics but also when you are communicating with your family and relatives. I can guarantee you that they will recognize a difference in your writing as well. Well, Mohammed, I hope that my advice has not fallen on deaf ears. Keep an open mind and you will be as successful as I have become.

Mohammed.