As a reader and a writer, I have struggled most of my life against a so-called learning disability. Being diagnosed with ADHD brought a lot of understanding to the reasons behind my learning style and my tendencies as a student. I’ve never understood the hyperactivity element because I am far from hyperactive, but apparently it doesn’t always manifest as acting out. For the most part, I slipped through the cracks when I was younger. I don’t know if it that had to with being in a learning environment conducive to my needs or if I made up for it in other ways. Being an introverted person, rather than act out when I was “off task,” I think I tended to daydream. I’ve had to develop new ways of reading and comprehending to overcome this roadblock. I don’t like to look at it as something that’s wrong with me, but an area where there is room for improvement. I have always had a hard time staying focused while I’m reading and could read the same sentence ten times and not know what it said. It’s hard to relate a lack of comprehension to a lack of understanding because I could be told that sentence out loud and grasp it perfectly. But sitting and listening to a lecture for an hour isn’t always the best way for me to learn either; I get bored, and my attention tends to wander. My learning style has always tended to be more visual and hands on. A professor who actively engages me is more likely to keep my attention. So while I do not like having to speak up in class, having a class discussion has proven to be a good environment for me to learn in. In writing it’s always been hard for me to tie all of my ideas together into a cohesive argument. That’s why I’ve always preferred creative writing; there are less rules and boundaries to have to adhere to. In relation to this course, I am very excited about the opportunity to learn in an environment that, in many ways, speaks to my learning style, and in other ways, challenges me to do things differently than I’m used to. The 8pm deadline for discussion board entries is definitely helping me with time management. Having in class discussions where I am required to participate is definitely going to force me to come out of my shell, if only even a little bit. Preparedness is not my strong suit, but has always been something I’d hoped to become better at. As I think about school and learning in terms of my personality, I feel that it is going to help me have a better understanding of myself and the people around me. I hope that it will give me a better understanding of my sense of place. I know that it will shed light on my strengths and weaknesses and hopefully help me to overcome my weaknesses and cultivate my strengths. Having a deeper understanding of anything is the best way to really improve upon it. It’s interesting to look back at the courses that I have taken and relate my success or failure to the professor’s teaching style in relation to my learning style. I feel that the way this class is structured and the themes and goals that we are undertaking will lend themselves to really addressing my own strengths and weaknesses and finding new ways to creatively utilize them for my own excellence in learning. As I continue to make discoveries in my learning style and make progress towards working around such difficulties as having ADHD, I feel confidant that I can do anything I set my mind to.

Word Count: 620