Blog Post: Reflection on In-Class Essay and Associated Assignments

In-class essays always feel like a game with against time, but preparing ahead helped me feel a little more in control. Since I knew one of the prompts could be about motherhood in Eight Bites that thanks to the profesor I was able to know since a lot of the times the profesor doesn’t tells you want to write. I went back to key parts of the story, especially moments where the narrator reflects on her mother and the complicated way love and body image were tied together in their relationship.

I was going to write about “Discuss what role motherhood plays within the short story. What is motherhood’s importance to the narrative, character, and theme within the short story and the collection as a whole?” I first started jotting down notes during my classmates presention on eight bites. After that the day beofre the essay I made a rough outline so I wouldn’t be scrambling for ideas during the exam which helped me a lot. Having that preparation made me feel less anxious.

When it was time to actually write, I still felt the pressure of the clock one hour was enough but still it was hard. Even though I had a plan, I kept second guessing if I was explaining things well enough. I tried to stick to my outline, but I also had to make quick decisions about what to cut or expand on I trend to went I write to never stop. Went I have an essay to write I trend to write and just on and on I never liked talking 3 days to write an essay.

The hardest part was making sure my analysis was precise without getting lost in unnecessary details. I didn’t finish on time, I didn’t get to finish my conclusion. I wish I had a few more minutes to polish my transitions and make my argument even stronger

One thing I tend to get stuck on is small details, which slows me down. For future in-class essays, I want to practice writing under timed conditions so I can get organizing my thoughts quickly. I take too long to get to my point, and in an exam setting, that’s not ideal.

Talking with my Melanie my classmate beforehand was really helpful. In our discussion before the class we broke down different themes in Eight Bites, She helped me get pages numbers and where to go on pages. Hearing other people’s perspectives made me think more deeply about the story. This experience showed me that preparation is key, but so is trusting myself in the moment. I’ll focus on writing more confidently and not overthinking every sentence. Even though timed essays can be stressful, I feel like I learned a lot about how to manage them better

This essay reminded me that writing isn’t just about getting the perfect words down but about having something meaningful to say even under pressure. I will be honest I will do it again

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