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02 September 2010

I before E, except after C

 You're probably wondering why I have dug out the age old 'I before E except after C' rule. I decided to write about a recent experience I had while tutoring this past week at the Writing Center on campus. It made me realize that no matter how many bazillions of papers I've written or how many books I've read, there is still so much learning about English and writing in general that I have yet to uncover. This excites me, not only because of all the digging that I will do as long as I do read and write, but also in how much I can learn by teaching others what I have learned in turn.

One of the students I tutored this past week was a foreign speaking student who was fluent in speaking English, but who still had issues writing English fluently. Perhaps I found tutoring him such an exciting experience because I had to approach writing from the most simplest form. This student had never heard of the above rule that you and I have heard a thousand times throughout school. This made me think how much I have taken these things for granted. Likewise, it made me want to share with him the joy of writing. He may not have understood proper word choice or sentence structure, but his words were still just as meaningful. I think about how important writing things are to us, and think back when stories and words were remembered by telling them orally, hoping that somehow they would remain intact in our culture. Look how far we have come with the invention of the alphabet and the formation of sounds and eventually - words.

Some people may question why I chose to major in English and what I can do with it since my goal isn't really to teach. Yes, I will teach my children and if so led, someplace tutoring for small amounts at a time. However, teaching in a high school or college level has never interested me much. I can't exactly say why either. Perhaps I didn't want to become a professor like everyone else I knew who had majored in it. Nevertheless, I admire those who do choose that route, to further educate children the importance and techniques of writing. My only hope is that this never dies in our lifetime. I want to inspire those with the gift I have been given. The gift of writing and expressing through words. There are so many things I could do, I just hope that whatever it is that it's the right thing.

I feel like my weekend has in a way already started, or will tomorrow after work. I have a nice long one since Labor Day is here. It's nice to have a little break from all school and such even though the majority of my weekend will be writing and reading for class. I also plan to perhaps bake and do other enjoyable things, so not all the weekend is lost to essays and manuscripts. In a way In enjoy all the bustle and busyness, while other times I wish I could hurry up and graduate already. Soon!

Goodnight all :D

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