My transition into college life was a rocky one. I came to Chicago from a small, central Illinois Catholic high school, where I knew everyone at my school — I certainly was a big fish in a small pond. College was so different from the intimate, easily successful high school life that I had previously led, a lesson I quickly learned. As a student-athlete, I experienced first hand the concentration of talented college athletes; I was no longer the superstar of a small town, but rather a mediocre competitor staring into the faces of big-time teammates and opponents. In a similar way, my writing bore the brunt of my new environment.
Reconsidering My Writing
I was the English class guru. My literary analysis was spot on, my proofreading skills impeccable; I could whip up a five page paper in an hour, but the ideas within were not always the most complex or nuanced. While classmates frequently asked me for help with essays, those sessions quickly became simply copy editing. I was great at the act of writing and producing papers, but not so skilled at knowing what to say or how to make sure what I was saying was meaningful. By nature, I did not have a whole lot of quality content, but what I lacked in content I made up for in eloquence.
What I learned when I began my job at DePaul’s writing center was that the way you communicate is not as important as what you communicate. Relearning to write, and redefining “good writing,” was an arduous process. I soon began to struggle writing papers for classes, as I focused more on the quality of my content than the quality of my sentences. I couldn’t write pages upon pages within a couple hours: instead, it took me several days.
As such, I began to rely heavily on sources rather than on my command of the language. In my tutoring, I have found appreciation for a well-rounded argument to trump a vast vocabulary (though, I do still love some occasional flowery language). In doing so, I have found that what I say matters, that developing my ideas to be complex and connected can yield more meaningful discussions and conclusions.
Moving Forward
The transition from high school to college is treacherous, and we see the exploration of a new life in all facets of existence. I happened to see mine in my writing, which has always acted as a mirror for my life. My journey to better writing has shown me that the true content of my character (my passions, what brings me joy, my sincerity) is of the utmost importance.
To write well, we must only have some idea to communicate. We can craft the intriguing execution of that idea later on. I am finally on the path to learning what good writing truly is, and I hope to stay on that path for the rest of my life.