Prior to taking this writing seminar course, I always thought I should write a conclusion or that I should write about the solution for my questions at the end of my articles. I thought I should always be "found" after being "lost." But after taking this course, I learned that I could also be lost, and it was ok to be lost. Asking questions in the last paragraph isn't wrong; instead, these questions make the ending more interesting and make people think. This course challenged my previous understanding of what a standardized should be like and taught me not to follow the standards or general rules of a good essay. This allowed me to become a true writer who only writes what interests him or her and who writes for himself or herself instead of for the teachers or examiners.

I ended my essay using this sentence in my third draft. I knew it was not a very good ending, but I didn't know how to improve. Mr. Z's wondered whether I still had this strong feeling after two months. So I began to think about it and then realized my feeling of being connected to other American students was fading away. I was lost when I noticed that I distinguished Chinese students and Koreans from the Americans, and I was no longer lost after people in the Mac sang the birthday song to Justin. But I was lost again after two months and after the racism events recently in the campus. I think "Do yellow lives matter?" is a very powerful and compelling sentence and it emphasizes my feeling of being lost.

In my previous drafts, I just wrote about the questions following this passage without explaining why. Throughout my essay, Mr. Z noted that I should clarify things. I also noticed this problem: I wrote direct conclusion of my insights. What I have learned from all my essays is to be clear and explain the transitions from sight to insight. So for this paragraph, I first wrote about my observations of Chinese students in McElroy and then wrote what these observations made me think and feel.

I didn't write about the food in my first draft, but the difference between Chinese food and American food could be a reason that I felt lost. I wrote about both the food and my loneliness in this paragraph. I tried to build up my loneliness or to show my increasing sense of isolation in each paragraph. In this way, my feelings can be more powerful.

In my first draft, I described McElroy without adding my insight. This paragraph was just a description, so there's no main idea in it. I learned from class that every paragraph should have a focus and should contribute to the main idea of the essay. So instead of just describing things, I added my insights and my feelings at the end of the paragraph. I also did this to other paragraphs. Throughout this course, I learned how to use a smooth transition to move from the sights to the insights.

In my first draft, I summarized a lot about the content of Carson's essay and wrote little about my insights. But I realized I should include my own perspectives and inquiries in my pieces of writing. So I added two paragraphs in which I expressed my opinions and asked questions. Writing isn't just about responding to questions that your teacher gives you; it's about letting your curiosity lead your writing and asking thoughtful questions.

In my first draft, I used a whole paragraph to summarize the essay. Mr. Z commented that "What does your first paragraph serve?" Before that time, I thought the more I write, the better would the essay be. But I was wrong. Being concise and answering the question is more important than writing a long but wordy article. So I cut the whole paragraph and went straight to answering the question. Concision is also essential when writing each sentence and each paragraph in an article. People don't like to read repetitive ideas and can get bored if you say the same thing over and over again. So I now try to express one unique idea in each paragraph and clarify my thoughts by using uncomplicated and concise sentences.

I used "they" instead of "I" in my first draft. Mr. Z commented that "Can you be clearer about how this passage makes you feel?" I then realized I should describe my feelings and opinions about this passage instead of those of general readers. I didn't want to use "I" because I felt this would make my essay very personal. But what I really learned from taking this course is that "making your essays personal is good." What interest the readers are how "I" feel and how "I" think. At first, I was reluctant to include myself in the essay, but I now feel comfortable and confident to do that.

This piece is a response paper for Rachel Carson's essay "The Marginal World." The requirement is to "choose one passage where she provides detail(s) in a way you find interesting or surprising, quote the passage accurately, and reflect on why you find it interesting or surprising."