1. What are your personal, educational, and professional goals?

How have you pursued 

those in ENG 101 & ENG 102? 
 
Goals are something I don’t write and plan and set a specific deadline. Goals are something I 

set as a mindset and work towards as an expectation. Sure there are goals to travel the world or 

skydive but most of the goals I set for myself that are more realistic at this time are school, 

family, or friends related because that is what I surround myself everyday. I also usually have a 

lot of short-term goals to get more done in a long period of time. I do have a few known and 

recognized long term goals for personal, educational, and professional but also small goals to 

help me further achieve my long term goals.  

a. Personal: 
There are a lot of personal goals that I have set for myself, especially in the last few 

years. Whether it be a large goal that I would have to work really hard for, or a goal that 

I could set and achieve in one day. For example, a goal that I set for myself in the 

seventh grade was to get good grades until the day I am done with school. And to this 

day, I am still striving and succeeding in this goal and will continue to work hard to do 

so. In my english classes I luckily have had the opportunity to choose a topic 

surrounding the main idea of the project. Most of the time, I would pick a topic that I 

have a personal opinion or interest of researching and learning more about it. Both 

classes have definitely helped me to understand that I do have a freedom and a voice to 

speak my opinions.  

 
b. Educational: 
I have always been very strict on myself on reaching for the perfect grades through 

middle school, high school, and college. I would lose my mind and shed a few tears if I 
 didn’t do as well as I wanted on either an assignment, quiz, test, or overall grade. This 

strive for exceptional grades as taught me dedication, discipline, and passion. I will 

continue this path while having a full schedule and getting good grades with having 

time for friends, family, and a job. This class has definitely touched on these aspects 

because a project will require passion on a certain topic and dedication on doing well 

on the paper and discipline on doing the assignment and turning it in on time.  

 
c. Professional: 
Professionally, I would like to discover a career I would like to dedicate most of my life 

to. As of my freshman year I was enrolled as an exploratory major with a focus in social 

and behavioral sciences. For the next semester I am hoping to be enrolled in the Walter 

Cronkite School of Journalism with a degree in Sports Journalism. I fell in love with 

sports at a very young age and having the opportunity to pursue it as a career would be 

an honor and it doesn’t hurt to try something new to see if it works out for me in the 

long run. English 101 and 102 has helped me realize this field of interest because of the 

choice of topics we had I mainly focused on sports or a specific athlete and wasn’t 

bothered but more interested in writing that paper.  

 
2. To what extent has writing, reading, and critical thinking in helped you achieve those 
goals already? 
a. Writing:  
Writing has shown me some passion that have in certain topics, more 

specifically sports related topics. Being able to write about something I am 

interested in has shown me that writing a paper isn’t as tedious and cruel as I 

used to think in high school. It really shows me how passionate I am and how I 
 can voice my opinion in words and a professional manner for an actual audience 

rather than a teacher or a professor.  

 
 
b. Reading:  
During the process of reading and researching topics has taught me so much 

about whatever was being researched. Even if it was about a topic I knew a lot 

about and can write a paper with that initial knowledge, I learn so much more 

researching and reading more about. Knowing that, I can inform or persuade any 

audience so much better if I just research. Also looking at different arguments 

written by other people really expand my mind to really look at both sides and 

using that to further help my argument.  

 
c. Critical thinking:  
Critical thinking has always been in use and will always be used. I use critical 

thinking on a daily about a lot of different things. In English 101 and 102 I have 

learned to apply critical thinking into my writing to enhance my writing skills. 

Really thinking about what you are trying to understand at an intelligent level 

really helps get your point across in a professional manner. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3. What is your metaphor for writing? How does this metaphor indicate your strengths 
and/or struggles as writer? 
a. Writing is…  
 
 
b. Strengths: 
 
 
c. Struggles: 
 
 
4. What was the event or catalyst that helped you come to your current goals? Tell me that 
story. 
A catalyst that helped me come to my current goals is my family and friends. My family holds a 

strong value for education and expects all of us to do well. We would be rewarded and held on 

a high stool if you did well and would be mildly punished if didn’t do as expected. Also, my 

friends around me strive for their goals which reflects to me wanting to do the same. 

Recognizing at a young age that my family isn’t the richest, I knew I had to do well in school in 

order to receive scholarships to further my education at a higher education.  

 
 
 
5. What are you currently doing in school, or your social, civic, or professional life to 
achieve your goals? How so? 
a. Education: 
Continuing my education and taking classes that I am interested to help continue my goal of 

picking a major and trying my absolute best to the grades I strive of getting. Going to all my 

classes and turning in all my assignments has lead me to the grades I have right now. 

 
 b. Social:  
My friends have a giant place in my heart and motivate me to be the best me I can be. 

Without them I probably wouldn’t be the person I am today. Being with them almost everyday 

here at school really makes me happy which helps me with the goals I have set for myself. They 

are going through similar things and hearing different views and routes to take or hearing 

advice really benefits me into achieving what I want to. They support me and my decisions and 

will be there if that doesn’t work out and will help find a different path. 

 
c. Civic: 
Going to school twenty minutes away from my home was definitely a key factor into the 
school that I chose to continue my education. I value family too much to not see them 
at least once a month. Knowing my way around and knowing the resources that I need 
is an advantage that not a lot of students might experience. 
 
d. Profession: Again, being an exploratory student trying to test different things is a 
negative aspect into achieving my goals because it really is holding me back on 
fully dedicating my time and effort and to classes, organizations, and volunteer 
centers to help me with the profession would pick. 
 
 
6. Which of your family members, mentors, teachers, or friends have had the greatest 
influence on your future goals? How so? What have you learned from them? 
My sister, Rachelle Wilson, holds the most respect and has the greatest influence on my future 

goals. This coming up May in 2019, my sister will finally be graduating from ASU. She has been 

in school for about seven years because she took a break after having a child. With a handful of 

classes left take, with two jobs, and a single mother she is graduating with an exceptional GPA 

and plans on continuing her education to receive a PH.D. I have learned that no matter the 

challenges, set backs, or negativity from others, being dedicated for what you want and going 
after it is an important aspect of who you are. It shows that she is dedicated, willining, 

sacrificing, and an amazing women.  

 
 
 
7. Which of the habits of mind best prepare you for success as you pursue your goals? 
Habits of mind that best prepare me for success as I pursue my goal is to try and have no 

doubt or negative mindsets. If you ever have doubts or think you can’t do something, you are 

just talking yourself out of the goal you want to succeed. You are thinking about failure and 

that mindset is not going to get you anywhere or just slow you down. Keeping a positive 

outlook is the best thing I can do because then I will try to do what I set out to do. 

 
 
8. What question would you ask your classmates about their experiences in ENG 101 & 
ENG 102? Write that question and answer it. 
 
I would ask, do you think it is worth taking these classes even if it doesn’t apply to your major?

I think taking English 101 and 102 are important to take no matter the major you have. It

teaches you skills that can be used no matter where you go in life and gives you that education

anyone can use. Everyone reads and writes everyday and knowing how to do it efficiently is a

skill you should take rather than complain about it.