MyLitClass

Leaving the first class of Literature in the 21^st Century of this semester, I didn’t know what to think. To be honest I was little afraid, and was debating on whether or not I would stay in for the remainder of the semester, being that this would be my 6^th class. I was told that six to nine classes were a breeze and usually only two hours long, man do I know how to pick them. The professor wasted no time, and assigned reading on the first class. Not just a few pages, but a whole book ! This was probably the most intimidatingof the three hours of this first class, which is generally only 15 minutes long.

Moving into the weekend, the only time in which I had to myself, I found reading after getting back from a track meet. For those of you who haven’t competed in sports, primarily track and field, I can safely say there is nothing more exerting than racing. Not just once but racing twice in one day is more than exhausting. I came home to an un-open book on a Saturday night, which is usually not even used to go out in my teenage life, but instead to sit back, relax, pig out and watch TV. This semester changed that four year tradition, and instead forced me to sit back, read, read, and read. Little did I know that latter assignments were to be much longer, taking not hours but days to get through. Not to mention updating my new blog, three times per week. I never took part in blogging before, and just thought it was another way to waste time on the computer like facebook, or myspace. I didn’t know how to approach this new “21^st Century” way of putting my word out there, and looking back, had done some things that I may have changed now, however I think I did a pretty good job for a first timer.

I was never big on picking up a book for recreational use; in fact I never really read assignments given in high school; however this class was a little different. Starting off the semester on a good note, I decided to read the first book, but didn’t expect to see myself reading many of the pieces assigned later on. After getting through the second class, and grasping a feel for what the class was all about, I realized I was in trouble. Almost every minute of those three hours were devoted to the dissection of this book; had I not read it I probably would have had no idea to what it was about. See these weren’t just regular books; they were mangled beyond recognition through depth and confusion.

Getting further into blogging I realized how beneficial they became, in reading my classmates blogs and having a feel for what they thought these books were hiding between the lines. I also saw my own writings becoming more in depth in these books, and also in a personal perspective noticed some change. I started adding in pictures and links to my blogs, and on occasion would write about myself. If there was one thing I may have changed from the beginning of the semester it would be writing a little more personally. At first, when I heard that we were to update these blogs three times a week I just figured it was another way to give more attention to this once a week class, because the endless amounts of hours of reading given per week just weren’t enough. I soon realized that this was more than that, and took me most of the semester to realize it. This virtual classroom was a way to get more out of your own readings and see what we as a group would find to be significant, and meaningful; besides twenty heads are better
than one right.