Final Reflection

This blogging exercise wasn’t something I was particularly excited for at first, especially the journal aspect. My journal is something private and important to me, and I didn’t want to share that type of writing on a platform as large as the Internet. I soon realized, however, that there was much more to be reflected on than the dark recesses of my mind and my personal life, which made me more comfortable in the journal entry blog environment. Blogging was also something new to me, as I had only ever skimmed through a few blogs I came across when surfing the web.

I feel that, overall, my blogging endeavor was a successful one. My topic ideas were split pretty evenly between my own ideas and journal prompts that stood out to me. One challenge I faced was coming up with a fresh idea every day. Some days my ideas just weren’t flowing. At first, I was uncomfortable using prompts and felt that they somehow took away from my creativity and my genuineness. I soon realized how much of an asset journal prompts proved to be when I needed a push to think of a new topic. Even with prompts, through interpretation, I could make a topic completely my own. The newness of blogging to me also proved challenging, particularly in the beginning of this journey. However, I was also challenged to have enough confidence in myself as a writer to submit a small piece of myself and my thoughts each day. I challenged myself to write more than just a bare minimum, sloppy entry. I wanted to write with eloquence and demonstrate fluency and keep not only any reader engaged, but myself engaged while writing. I tried to be creative, and more than anything, truly define myself and my voice as a writer. I want to look back on this blog one day with pride and remembrance, which also happens to be the title of my final journal entry.   

I loved how I developed as a writer through this project. I feel more comfortable taking certain, bolder approaches to writing that before seemed daunting. I liked that I was able, on the more serious topics, to strike a balance between sharing my raw self and invading my own privacy. I liked the task of creativity each time I opened my laptop to type the day’s entry, though some days I proved to be more creative than others. I hated how this was an ongoing assignment that was due each day. I would have preferred even Monday through Friday instead of the full seven days per week. It started to feel monotonous at times when I would begin writing, and like a daily chore I had to get done, but I would soon after be engaged and enjoying it once I got a topic I was passionate about and the words began to flow freely.

As a result of this project, I can now embrace my writing voice and style a little more. I wasn’t being critiqued or monitored, and it gave me more freedom to experiment and be unique. I definitely feel that my fluency has improved, as has my speed. 300 words no longer seems daunting like it once did, nor does blogging. I liked that blogging wasn’t a one-size-fits-all format, but was instead a platform for individuality. I designed my blog, and it became my own space, a space in which I became increasingly comfortable.