HIST 112: The Medieval World
History was one of those courses I took just because it was there. During winter quarter of my freshman year I needed both an Honors class and an I&S class, and after waking up at the crack of dawn to wait outside the Honors office for add codes, medieval history was the most appealing choice left. And so I began my first foray into history and into college level writing. Our professor was a guest lecturer from Berkeley and you could tell by the way she wove the stories that she had a true passion for what she taught. My quiz section was for Honors kids, so I got to meet more of my fellow students in a smaller, discussion-based setting. While I knew I wasn't going to go on to be a history major, I greatly enjoyed learning about the events and culture that developed during the medieval period. The artifact I have chosen for this experience was the paper that earned the course the "W" designation. It was my very first attempt at a critical essay in college and it did not go as well as I'd hoped. I remember getting the paper back in quiz section and feeling a sense of shock in the pit of my stomach. I tried to hold it together on my walk home but as I crossed 45th, tears started to well in my eyes. I felt like I had done a good job on the paper and to receive a 3.4 made me doubt whether or not I belonged in the Honors program at all.
Looking back on this experience I simply have to laugh. As a naive, yet-unseasoned freshman, I had no idea that I was crying over a perfectly acceptable grade. Now that I have weathered tougher classes that mean more in the grand scheme of my career goals, I realize how silly it was of me to waste energy worrying about a perfectly respectable paper grade. Of course, it's the transformation from anxious over-achiever to calm, confident student that was truly educational. I had to learn to relax, give up my notion grades were everything, and most importantly, build my self-esteem around more than just academic prowess. While scholarship is undeniable an integral part of my person, it is not the only part, and these minor stumbling blocks helped me release some of the tension that had followed me from high school.
Looking back on this experience I simply have to laugh. As a naive, yet-unseasoned freshman, I had no idea that I was crying over a perfectly acceptable grade. Now that I have weathered tougher classes that mean more in the grand scheme of my career goals, I realize how silly it was of me to waste energy worrying about a perfectly respectable paper grade. Of course, it's the transformation from anxious over-achiever to calm, confident student that was truly educational. I had to learn to relax, give up my notion grades were everything, and most importantly, build my self-esteem around more than just academic prowess. While scholarship is undeniable an integral part of my person, it is not the only part, and these minor stumbling blocks helped me release some of the tension that had followed me from high school.