Elexus Olson

1321 East 5th

Stillwater, OK 74075

Tammy Davis
615 N. Monroe
Stillwater, OK 74075

Dear Mrs. Davis,

I have put together pieces of writing I have written from composition one, composition two, and
my freshman orientation class. The writing pieces I have selected show how my writing has
hopefully improved over time. They are also pieces that hold value to me. These pieces of
writing are about experiences I have been through and express how passionate I have become
towards the degree I am seeking.

My first piece of writing is from my composition one class, “Tattoos Are Not A Problem in
Today’s World”. I chose this piece of writing because it was more than an assignment to me. I
chose this topic to write about because it does and will affect my career in the future. I have a
full sleeve of tattoos and a half sleeve. I’m an assistant teacher right now and I get looks from
certain parents if they don’t recognize me at the school. This was also one of my first research
papers. Therefore, it allowed me to learn the proper way to use in-text citations and statistics.

My second writing sample, “The Importance of Empathy”, is my first piece of writing from my
composition two class during my fall semester at NOC. I chose this piece because I was able to
take what I learned from my composition one class and apply it to my first writing assignment
for composition two class. This piece allowed me to continue to work on mistakes I still
struggled with going into the class. I learned how to better make sense of the points I was trying
to get across. It always allowed me to learn how to better organize my thoughts on paper so that
it made more sense to the reader.

For my third writing sample I chose, “Community Service Project”, an essay I wrote for my
freshman orientation class. In writing this piece I was able to write about my experience during
my volunteer work. This was an important piece for me to write. I was able to express myself
and write about the work I learned about during my experience. This piece of writing taught me
how to put my papers into a point of view that others would understand. During my volunteer
work I had to sign a confidentiality agreement, so it made it a little more difficult to write about
my experience. This piece of writing taught me how to write about my experience in a different
way than I normally would be able to.

My final choice of writing is, “Having a Big Heart”, the essay I wrote for my final exam for my
composition two class. This piece of writing is so important to me because it is about my
personal life. I would never allow people to know such intimate details about my life, but I
wanted to express why I am the way I am. It was important for me to explain why I believe it is
important to always have a big heart. I went out of my comfort zone when I included this piece
in my portfolio. I was terrified to include it because of the details about my life, but it was
important to me that I include it. It allowed me to open up as a writer and allow my readers in.

This class has taught me how to think more critically and put more thought into my writing. It
has taught me how to slow down and take the time to read my papers more thoroughly so that I
am able to catch small mistakes. My time throughout this class has also helped me better express
myself. I struggled with writing and thinking it wasn’t good enough. I have learned that everyone
expresses themselves differently and everyone has different perspectives, which is not only okay,
but an awesome way to learn.

You took the time to complement me on one of my very first papers and I will always remember
that. You told me that my writing was great, but I struggled with a few errors, which was normal.
From that moment on I had more confidence in my writing, but I still over thought my mistakes I
made. I let those mistakes outweigh the overall paper, but you taught me to not allow myself to
think that way. You have taught to me that it’s okay to make mistakes, as long as you ask
questions and improve those mistakes. I will always keep the comments you made on my papers
to help me with future papers.

When I started composition two, I knew I still had a lot to learn, and I feel like I learned a lot. A
bad habit I struggled with and needed to fix was better organizing the way I wrote my papers. I
feel like I learned how to do that, which helped me a lot. I learned that almost as soon as I started
composition one, but it was still a struggle to me. I had a bad habit of writing what first came to
my mind, instead of in the order events happened. I feel like during this class I was able to fix it
more and I was more aware of it. I have greatly improved my critical thinking when responding
to discussion boards. I have learned to dive deeper into my mind, which produced better writing
pieces and better responses. My writing may not ever be perfect, but I know I can and will
continue to grow. My writing will continue to improve as I continue my education.

In completing this class, I have grown as a writer and as a person in general. I have allowed
myself to open up and to open up my mind. I never knew how important it was to have good
writing skills. I honestly always thought it was just something I need for classes in school, but I
have learned otherwise. It is important in any situation in life. I should know how to write
properly in any situation. I am currently an assistant teacher, so these skills are important when I
need to email my boss or a parent for any reason. Since I am so young, and some parents may
judge me for my tattoos or nose piercings it’s important that I can write a professional email to
them. It’s important when writing letters to someone. To me, it’s made a difference even in
writing in my journal. I see myself using the skills I have learned throughout this class and in the
future as I am wanting to become a registered nurse. I may have to write emails to doctors, which
is when these skills will be very helpful. I appreciate all the insight and help you have provided
throughout this semester.

Sincerely,

Elexus Olson