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Creative Non-Fiction

Most crucially to myself as a writer and a student, my work with creative non-fiction has allowed me to reflect on who I am as an individual, as well as the different parts of me that have influenced my life and decisions up until this point.  Truly, these essays are the hard work of my mind and the memories that have stuck with me and changed me for better or worse across the span of my life.  By being able to look back and connect visual memories with words, I am able to showcase the work that has made me who I was, who I am, and who I would like to be.

Me and my cousins

3 of my crazy, yet adorable, younger cousins, November 2012

My backyard

The home that I love to hate

Different Family, Different Culture, Same Me

 

As I sat down to write my first personal narrative ever for my freshman English class, I began to reflect on moments in my life that have been important to myself and that have made an impact on the ways that I see the world.  It took a while, but soon I found myself beginning to write about my family -- a topic I had never deeply thought about and had quite honestly just kept to myself about because of the different complexities that contribute to my half Puerto Rican identity.  

 

My essay focuses on my first trip to see my father's Puerto Rican family in nine years, and the highs and lows that occurred surrounding the comparisons I kept making between myself and the family that I did not feel as connected to because of my skin color and inability to speak Spanish.  This essay was especially difficult to write because of the material at hand, but was ultimately one of the most cathartic experiences of my time here at Michigan.  The reflections that I was able to make about this short moment in time are ones that will stay with me as I continue to reflect creatively in my work as an undergraduate.

 

 

Welcome to the Gravel Capital of the World

 

One of the most meaningful pieces that I wrote during my sophomore year was a portrait essay on my hometown -- Oxford, Michigan.  The assignment from my English 325 class asked us to write a portrait about a person, place, or thing: An essay which looks outward into the world and reflects the essence of what you are describing.

 

I struggled at first to grasp the concept of "essence" -- as such a broad concept it seems frightening to conceptualize and impossible to put into words.  However, as I began to just write about my conflicting views on the town that I grew up my entire life in, I began to see this amazing concept be brought to life.  As an Oxford native I love my town and the history that comes with it -- however I can't imagine going back after college anymore.  Oxford is a town that I am deeply connected to, but not necessarily a part of anymore.  My investigation into both the beauty and sadness of my hometown is one that has allowed me to reflect so deeply on a part of my conflicted thoughts and showcases the memories of my childhood and the essence of the small town that is ultimately my home.

Trombones of 2011
Learning to March to My Own Beat

 

Personal narratives reflect on the experiences of one's own self and looks inward into the meanings that they hold for the writer.  As someone who frequently needs to write in order to get out these feelings, I continue to enjoy my experiences looking back on my actions and decisions and reflecting on their impacts on my life today -- however small or large. 

 

As a senior in high school, I injured myself in my most cherished extracurricular activity -- marching band.  Hurt, embarrassed, and upset with myself, my essay reflects the growth that I experienced throughout my few months of recovery and the advice that I never realized made such a big difference until my time writing this essay for my English 325 class:  "Shit happens."  Writing this essay, I began to truly understand how these moments have made me into who I am:  someone who looks forward towards new opportunities and tries her hardest to remember to put things into context -- a woman who marches to her own beat, throughout the ever-changing tempo of life.

Oxford Wildcat Marching Band Trombones, 2010

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