Moving forward while looking back - A moment of reflection before graduation

by Barbara Olivis

            As the school year is coming to a close, I would like to reflect on some of the notable moments that have made my academic career worth having. The last three years have been filled with lots of learning through trial and error. I came into Tennessee State as a scared, out-of-state student that had no real plan of action. And I’m leaving in the spring, admittedly still lacking a solid plan of action, but with an sense of confidence that I can handle whatever life throws at me.

            Freshman English classes were unforgettable experiences. It was the first time that I learned words like "unsubstainability" and how to make an argument in my writing that advocates for environmental stability. It was a different experience to me because it opened my eyes to the fact that without the earth we live on we have nothing, but so many of us have yet to take environmental abuses seriously. It was the first time that I heard someone advocate for the thing that matters most and the realization of this was exhilarating. It was a lesson that I needed to learn, and I am grateful that I did.

            The literature classes that I have taken were undoubtedly my favorite part of my academic experience. I feel like being drowned in reading assignments is what builds character in an English major. I was exposed to so many different authors such as James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Charles Chestnutt, Alice Walker and many more. The essays that accompanied the readings taught me how to look beyond the words and find meaning and now that is something that I find useful within my day to day life. One of my favorite literature classes was African literature because I found the writing to be culturally enriching and to be filled with meaningful themes.

            The writing classes that I have taken have been extremely helpful even beyond my academic career. I now know how to look beyond what I am trying to achieve creatively, and to be mindful of audience in my Writing for Publication Class. In my Critical Thinking class I learned how to analyze writing and make it fit different theories. This class was probably the most challenging class in my academic career but the knowledge I gained was unforgettable.

            The last class that I want to mention is Technical Report Writing. In that class I was taught so many techniques that could help me with my career. Learning how to write resumes, cover letters, make a Linkedin, and how to correspond with employers through emails has prepared me for life beyond TSU.

            There have been so many classes that have touched me as a person, and have changed me into a person that expects more from myself and from the people around me. The professors and students at TSU have made a permanent impact upon my life and I truly feel like this is the place that I have learned the most about myself.