Nazia Pasha Journal #1

            Reading and writing have grown to be considered as my stronger academic areas. Growing up, I always struggled in English class, specifically with writing, because it was not my first language. In elementary school I had a tough time understanding grammar and sentence structure because it is very different than that of Bangla (my first language). Till I got to high school, I honestly did not feel comfortable with any of my writing. My skills were quite inadequate compared to others in my grade level, and I knew that there was something I had to do about it. As a result, I decided to challenge myself and take advanced English classes in high school- AP English Language and Composition, and AP Literature and Composition. I would say that my miraculous decision to take these two classes was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Those two classes really helped me understand the art of writing and helped me appreciate it more than before. Because of my newfound interest in these classes, my writing skills had improved immensely.
           While writing took some time to get used to, reading was something that I captured more easily. I fell in love with reading at an early age. Both my parents and my elementary school teachers both read several classics to me as a child, introducing me to this hobby. Just as they taught me to read, I passed it on to my brother and had actually taught my brother how to read, who at the time was five years of age. I am a fan of the famous Harry Potter series, Hunger Games series, and much more. I also enjoyed the readings assigned in high school. My AP level English classes assigned more advanced and sophisticated novels to read, all of which grew to become my favorite novels of all time. Examples of some of the novels we read are, 1984 by George Orwell, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Adichie. Those classes introduced me to different cultures and styles of literature, enhancing my self-awareness.
           I aspire to acquire more writing skills and perfect them in order to help me in the near future. Reading and writing are both very important skills because these skills are being used every day, in every field or work place.