And that's a wrap

               



              The lectures for this semester will draw to a close in less than a week. Frankly, I still cannot believe that it is actually close to its ending. Although this semester has been very hectic, I think that it has gone by very swiftly amidst the bustle of completing all of the assignments. In a way, it is all's well that ends well. The workload has actually helped me persevere and go through the semester to its end.

              As for the Effective Writing subject, I have gained a lot of knowledge on writing throughout the course. I believe my writing skills have developed considerably through completing the weekly exercises. Thus, I have noticed the overall improvement in my writing ability.The constant writing practices that we have done throughout the semester have eased me up on writing a little. I used to feel writing required a lot of energy in order to generate ideas and phrase the sentences properly to perfection. But now, I have allowed more room for myself to accept imperfection and in turn, this has allowed me to be more expressive and natural in my writing. Though I still think that my writing is a tad rigid than others, I have definitely become better at synchronizing my thoughts with my writing so that it flows with less effort. Dr. Sheena's emphasis on free writing for the blog has really helped me in this regard.

              All in all, the continuous writing exercises have made me more comfortable in penning a composition, either a writing of the academic genre, a persuasive writing or even a narrative essay. I have been able to try my hands on these different writing genres which I had not the guts to venture and attempt on previously. It has really trained me to become a more versatile writer overall. Though my writing is still flawed and needs countless improvements, this class has been a stepping stone for me to become a better writer in the future.
           

And that's a wrap!!

Week 11's reflections

           




            Today's class was on persuasive writing. At first, we read several persuasive writing sample essays given by Dr. Sheena. She provided writing samples on a variety of subjects that were fairly interesting. Then, we had to identify the thesis statements, topic sentences, supporting details, transition words, verbs, words that we didn't know the meanings of and the strategies used by the authors to write the introductions and conclusions of the essays.

           This exercise has  helped me to familiarise myself with the structure and style of persuasive writing. I learned how other writers employ certain strategies such as examples and summaries for the introduction and conclusion sections of their essays, and how one idea is connected fluidly with the next with the use of particular transition words. Thus, through imitating and utilising similar techniques of writing, I reckon I will be able to compose a persuasive writing piece in a more constructive and efficient manner after this beneficial practice.

            Besides that, this exercise significantly improved my reading skills especially in terms of skimming or scanning a document for important ideas and points. I had to exercise my concentration skills to the fullest as we had to identify several principal elements in a text simultaneously. Thus, I think the exercise has helped me become a better, faster and more effective reader overall.

       
 

Week 8 ~ E-Learning Week

                 The university decided to conduct E-Learning on Week 8 for a few faculties, and our faculty was chosen as one of the lucky ones to carry it out. So, we were able to participate in lessons at the comfort of our own homes. Some of us felt as if the holiday was being extended for another week because the E-Learning week was on the week after the mid-semester holiday. Thus, all of us were very excited initially because we were able to stay at home for a week longer.

                 Honestly, I was quite ambivalent about the whole E-Learning setting after experiencing it for a whole week. Although it definitely had its advantages, it was not without some downsides to it. The most obvious advantage was we did not have to physically be in class. So, it provided much flexibility for us while accessing Spectrum online. We could eat while chatting or go to the washroom unreservedly. Some of us could also spend more time at their respective hometowns, as we were not required to be present on campus.

                 Now, moving on to one of the downsides of E-Learning week; I reckon those of whom who had participated in it would share the same opinions as me. The major downside to the whole setting was the technical errors recurrent throughout the course of the week. This happened due to the incapacity of the system in handling the influx of students accessing the online system simultaneously. So, all of us kept on getting disconnected from the system, and it disrupted the flow of lessons that we were having.

                Overall, I personally  prefer physical classes rather than virtual online classes. I think I can engage better in class while listening to lectures in the classroom. I tend to get very distracted while chatting online and could not focus entirely on the lessons. So, when the following week arrived for us to attend classes again, I was quite relieved because online learning has ended and we could continue classes as usual again.

In distress

Dear Abby,                                                                                                                         8th April 19--.


                  I am a 13-year-old girl. I have fallen in love with a young man and we have actually been wed surreptitiously. Our families are lifelong enemies, so our courtship must be kept secret.

                  This is not our only problem. My other half has been exiled for murdering my cousin. He's being transported to another land far away, and I am not able see him anymore. And, to add fuel to the fire, my father is coercing me to wed a man whom he agrees with, whom I don't love, and who is the perpetrator of my romeo's exile.

                   As you can see the situation is very troubling and I'm at my wit's end. What should I do to untangle these problems and be reunited with my love? -- DAMSEL IN DISTRESS

Experiences with online shopping

                       So this week's topic for our blog post is our past experiences with online shopping. I have actually purchased items online occasionally. I think it is very convenient since we can access online shopping sites at any time as long as we have access to the internet. It brings shopping, which conventionally has to be done by visiting the retail outlets themselves, at our fingertips. Even out of boredom, I would browse these sites for new arrivals of merchandises, and sometimes decided on buying them. Personally, I had my share of successes and failures with online shopping. Proportionately, I reckon I had more successes compared to failures based on my personal experiences. 

                    Most of the items I bought online were books and electronics, and sometimes I would also purchase garments and accessories. Books had a 100% success rate, as I had never been disappointed with the books that were shipped to me. Generally, I would buy books from Kinokuniya's online shopping website, since the shipping is awfully affordable. The time they took to freight these goods was also very short. We can also order books from overseas without having to pay the exorbitant shipping rates charged by other websites. Although Kinokuniya is within travelling distance from home, I actually prefer to buy books through their website as I don't have to spend time going there, and this also saves costs such as the expensive parking rates and food. Apart from this site, I have also used Amazon and Bookdepository.com. 

                                       

                         On the other hand, my experiences with electronics were not as great. I purchased two micro SD cards from lazada.com, and they were both defective. I have learned my lesson that we should not buy something just because it is sold cheaper than elsewhere. On the bright side, I had refunded those defective goods and received cash in return. I reckon this is one of the perks of online shopping since most online retailers have a return policy, albeit for a very brief time period. Besides that, I also bought an audio speaker online. There was a specific brand and model that I wanted and I thought buying it online would prove to be cheaper. Indeed, I got it at a much cheaper price compared to the retail price, but there was a slight difference in the functions they were equipped with. Nonetheless, the difference was minimal and could be overlooked with.

                           Moving on to my experiences with garments and accessories. The dress I purchased  online was not up to my initial expectations. When I received it, I was very disappointed by the quality and style of the dress. But considering the extremely inexpensive price I paid for it, I thought I might not as well complain. Nevertheless, I wore the dress on multiple occasions as it was not unpresentable. Apart from this, I had also bought a watch, which I cherished for a long time, online. That was one of the good experiences with online shopping.

                         Overall, though I have done quite a number of online shopping transactions, I actually still prefer to shop in the traditional way. This is because going to shopping malls and browsing each of the items displayed give me a sense of enjoyment and pleasure. But I will still continue shopping online for the convenience and cheaper deals it offers you.

Ciao.

Book Review - Kafka's Metamorphosis

                 

                       This week's assignment is a book review, so I picked out Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis to read and pen a review on because frankly it's relatively short. This book has been lying idly on my shelves for years without being read. It has been pushed down on my reading list time and again as I buy new books that further caught my attention. Upon hearing of this assignment, I instantly thought of this book to read.

                  A brief background on this book: It was written by Franz Kafka, one of the most acclaimed novelists of the 20th century. This book was originally written in German, so I am reading an English translation of his work. He is renowned for writing works with bizarre and surreal elements infused into them. Metamorphosis itself is ingrained with these elements as in essence, it tells a story of a man who metamorphosized, or in other words, transformed into a giant insect overnight. The story unfolds further with his plight in losing his job and his family's alienation and poor treatment of him due to his grotesque transformation. 

                 Honestly, I was utterly engrossed while reading this book as it evoked a myriad of emotions within me. Although it may sound like a philosophically-driven, complex story (which was how I initally perceived it to be, and made me defer from reading it at first), it is actually straightforward and simple with intricate layers of emotion being conveyed to the readers. The main focus of the story, essentially, is his isolation and alienation from his loved ones and the world at large, which anguished him throughout, and led to his heartbreaking demise. The writer paints the pictures of the scenes with clarity and fluidity that absorbs the reader into believing and engaging in this unrealistic setting. The style of writing adopted by the writer is also simplistic which enables smooth, continuous and effortless reading. Overall, a thoroughly compelling read that, maybe, I should have visited sooner. 

             Till next time,

Ways to improve my writing

                 I think the best way to improve my writing is by consistently writing itself. Maybe I can start by composing short passages and eventually move on to longer, more complex compositions. I should also study up on more vocabularies especially verbs so that I can express actions animatedly and realistically. Besides verbs, I think familiarising myself with more adjectives is also crucial. Knowing a vast expanse of adjectives may help me picture the scenes livelier and vividly.

               Apart from that, I shall read more to expose myself to a wide variety of genres, literary devices such as metaphors and analogies and writing styles. As I gain more of these knowledge, I think it will help in making my writing more interesting. I believe that we shouldn't only read literary works but also other types of writing such as magazines and journal articles. Writing is not only confined to fictional or persuasive writing but also other types of writing.

              I have read in a website that we should keep notes on the conversations we overheard, characteristics of the people we encounter and simply just to write down our inspirations and ideas when they come to us. I think that this is something I should really put to practise. Last but not least,  I usually write in the morning or afternoon or whenever I'm free or inspired. 

These are some of the links of websites that I have found useful in improving my writing skills:
https://www.enchantingmarketing.com/how-to-improve-writing-skills/
https://www.enchantingmarketing.com/how-to-write-a-good-sentence/
https://www.enchantingmarketing.com/how-to-use-metaphors/

                 
 

Reflections on the second day of writing class

             Come Tuesday, and it is another day of creative writing class. Today, we learned how to apply pre-writing strategies in the process of writing. Dr. Sheena instructed us to choose one of the strategies that we learned in class, and we did an exercise on it afterwards.

             I teamed up with Zainatul and Athirah who happened to be conveniently seated on my either sides. We decided on 'The First Day of College' as our essay topic, and proceeded to draw a mind map for it. It was fun brainstorming and reminiscing about our common experiences of the first day of college which happened to be orientation week. It's quite amusing how though we're different, we felt the same way about many things that had happened during that week.

             I think implementing a pre-writing strategy is useful since it helps us organise our ideas and provides a clearer, fuller picture on the elements that we should be writing on. It can also serve as a guideline for us to follow in case we lose track of or forget some of our ideas.

              I am used to immerse myself in writing without brainstorming beforehand. I reckon that is the reason why I always hesitate when writing as I often struggle to grasp for ideas to write. Now that I've learned this invaluable skill, I am going to apply it whenever I am set for a writing task.

Till next time,

The kinds of writing I like to do

            I like to write short contemporary poems rather than conventional poetries. I have written several verses involving my life experiences and how I felt in certain stimulating circumstances. Nonetheless, I wasn't consistent in my pursuit of writing. For me, writing takes up too much of my energy and sometimes the inspiration to write doesn't come naturally to me in the course of writing something. I also find it difficult to organise my ideas as they appear at random and not in sequence. And, when these thoughts and ideas appear, quite often I do not know how to turn them into words. So, usually I end up giving up on writing altogether. 

                    I have also realised that I enjoy writing non-fiction factual or maybe academical works. I think my style of writing is more suited for these kinds of works as I think it comes across as too rigid and formal for fictional writing. I discovered this passion while I was doing my assignment in the previous semester. 

First day of writing class - reflections on me as a writer

                   As a writer, my strength lies in my ability in writing with relatively correct grammar and in detecting the grammatical errors that I may have made during the proofreading process. One of my weaknesses in writing is the incapability of constantly churning out ideas to write for various subject matters. I also find it difficult sometimes to recall suitable words to be used in specific contexts. Writing for me requires a lot of time as I can't express my feelings or thoughts directly from mind to paper. I am also lacking in experience in writing as I have never written for my own pleasure or leisure. Most of the writings I have composed so far have mostly been academic obligations. 

                  Presently, I would read more books in order to expand my vocabulary and familiarize myself with various writing styles.