Learning Record Goals

1. Primarily, I would like to establish a place in my mind for the University of Texas that is independent of my life-long experiences in Austin. The University of Texas was not always my first choice for college, simply because I craved leaving Austin. I firmly believed that the school was located in an urban area submerged in downtown Austin, and to truly discover myself I would need to leave the city. Now that I’m here attending this university, however, I realize that my preconceptions were unfounded. Downtown Austin is several blocks away from campus, and neighborhoods surround the university. Regardless of my acknowledgement of University of Texas’ true location, I still feel that it has too close of a connection with my childhood. I want to experience leaving for college like my friends have by going to a completely different place. In line with the course goal to “expand our sense of university as a place”, I would like to gain a sense of UT as a student, not just as a life-long Austinite (26).

2. I yearn to learn to “read” the rest of the world. In tune with some of my other goals, I’m very in touch with the left side of my brain. I have grown up reading typical novels and literature, never experiencing anything out of the ordinary. I even find poetry difficult, probably because it is unfamiliar to my mind that is grounded in past experiences and lessons. In this course, I am striving to redefine literature by learning to gain knowledge through exploration of all parts of the world.

3. I would also like to find creativity within myself. Too often, I get caught up in lines of reasoning and components of argumentation. I have learned to write simply as the defender of a thesis, instead of as an author trying to uniquely give a new perspective to her reader. I yearn to develop a passion for creative writing, by engaging in writing that comes from my heart, not just from logical reasoning.

4. I am also striving to become a better conversationalist and an improved participant in group discussion. I am shy and introverted, yet I always have issues to discuss. My goal is to learn to voice and support my opinions, while also responding to the views of others in class and informal discussions.