Dear seemingly omniscient voice in the head of Junior,
Today I thought that I would reveal to you some information about my experience in AP English 11 in the years of 2009 and 2010. As a sixteen year old junior in high school, I was naturally quite nervous about this class. Looking back, I feel that your statement to Junior, “never again will you bear so little responsibility for your own survival” truly speaks volumes to the experience of AP English 11 as compared to that of AP English 12 (3). At the time, I felt as though I was truly on my own, struggling in the few graded discussions and writing SOAPSTones on a weekly if not daily basis. But really, we were all being led by Ms. Serensky. Until now, I never realized just how little we truly were on our own. Again your advice to Junior: “For now, all you need to do is grow” correlates with my experience in English (3). In AP English I found my voice as a writer and truly grew as a student. The whole point of the class is to improve as a writer and as a student in some form. The class prepped me for the actual challenge of AP English 12. One last piece of advice you divulged to Junior sticks with me, “you should make an effort, when not cowering…, to enjoy every moment here” (6). AP English, in the years 2009 and 2010, flew by in a blur. Much of the time in the room was wasted in a constant state of squeamish fear induced by graded discussions, writing, and trying to think like a smart person. Looking back, I can see clearly that this fear was truly a wasted emotion. Yes, feeling anxious and stressed is a normal reaction to these activities, but fear takes away from the amazing experience and opportunity presented to me. By this point I know that all of these activities are well within my abilities. I hope you continue to share your wisdom in the years to come.
Sincerely,
Hayden Dougherty
Hayden, I thought your post was very well done and thought provoking. I definitely felt too stressed and anxious during my time in AP English 11. I wish I could have taken the time to enjoy my time in the class because I felt it was a really beneficial experience.
ReplyDeleteHayden, I shared your exact same sentiments about AP English 11. The majority of my time was spent nervously cowering when faced with a challenge I felt was too difficult to accomplish. Of course, AP English 12 still stresses me out, but definitely not as much as junior year. And looking back on it, it is not worth the hassle and distress of constantly worrying and panicking. So, I ultimately agree with you, AP English was definitely a stressor, but it has improved our lives so much.
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