Math long period. Easier said than done. I sit there as we learn about the law of sines. This formula allows for someone to solve for the other sides and angles when only some angles and sides are shown. I’m interested at first, but then we get into practice problems, where the class takes about 5 minutes to do the cross multiplying involved.It just becomses the same thing, over and over and over. Why can’t we move on? Math is intriguing to me when learned at a fast pace, but this constant practice seems to tire me out. After a while, the once interesting formula feels like every other class in math: Learn a formula, plug in numbers, solve algebraically. The monotonous repetition the class goes through bothers me sometimes; I’m in a rush to move on.

I come home for the day, and start writing an English essay. It is not necessarily a jovial exercise, but it at least keeps me interested the whole time. Whats the topic this time? The worst aspect of slavery. Beginning my essay, I cycle through the balance of what I can argue, what I want to argue, and how the audience will see my argument. Especially when arguing about slavery I want to make sure the audience understands exactly what I mean. I’ve already done more than I have in Math class.It’s not too hard for me to think of once I remember that Mrs. Chausse told us to keep the topics simple. The final product is decent, but I am probably more proud of it than I should be. I will look back on the essay in a year or two and be horrified that I wrote so badly. “How could I have claimed this about slavery?” I can hear myself already.

New day, new project. I’m sitting there for hours, writing my sophomore final portfolio. Sitting there, writing a reflection about Things Fall Apart, I realized how much I had improved from the beginning of the year. As I looked at my old writing, it was almost painful, did I really write that badly? I remember being a better writer. But sure enough, I would go back to my sonnet essay from the beginning of the year, and see the same thing. I wasn't sure if I should be angry that I wrote so badly, or happy for how far I’ve come. Most of my other classes involve very little improvement, only the mastery of new materials. English may not be my strongest subject, but that is the point: it comes with a challenge no average subject can give.

I like English because it is one of the few courses that challenge me. Math and science tend to come more naturally to me; they just make sense to me. As a class, I Have to put in more work to do well in English than in Math or Biology. English is one  the only courses that is different every essay. The ability to have to adapt a new argument and learn to take new evidence to support it has always intrigued me, even though I am more successful in other areas. Memorize a few chemical names? Learn it once and done. Solve an equation? It feels like the same problem every time. Take an opinion on what caused MacBeth to turn evil? At least I have an interesting three (probably more) hours ahead of me.