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Santiago Benavides
Computer science

A fun fact about me is that I l like to play mobile games. I used to love reading books when I was a kid. I've done writing on highschool but never really like it. I hope to get better at writing my ideas in coherent sentences from this course.

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Hello. My name is Jesse Do. I'm still deciding between an Accounting or IT degree.

English has always been my favorite subject. I often struggle to organize my thoughts so it is nice to be able to type/write them out and structure them to form a more complete idea.  Prior to having access to the internet, I spent a lot of time escaping my own reality with the help of fictional books. Admittedly, I don't read as often as I used to. I've found other means of escapism from alternative sources of story telling in the form of video games, rich with narrative. And instead of visualizing those fantasy worlds when I read, graphic designers contribute to said narrative by beautifully portraying the setting. One such game I've been playing with these elements is Baldur's Gate 3. The immersion is unparalleled. I've never been so enamored with a video game.

I went on a tangent, I haven't touched on what I want to get out of this class.

I was hoping to do some reading and write papers. Same formula that I am used to from an English course. As the professor has mentioned, there is a social aspect to it and that is something I struggle with on a daily basis. In addition to my communications class, I hope to be able to decrease my social anxiety and be able to succeed in an environment that requires me to work with others.

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Hi everyone! My name is Angelica Marquez but I prefer to go by Yelly. I'm a business major, hoping to transfer in the fall. Something interesting about me is that I love almost anything that has to do with art and I taught myself how to be a nail tech during quarantine way back in 2020. English was one of my favorite subjects in school up until I had a horrible teacher during junior year. I hope to gain that love and interest that I once had in the subject.

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Hey everyone! My name is Jonathan Perch, and I'm majoring in Computer Science. This past year, I taught myself how to skateboard, and now it's my favorite thing to do.
I've always been an above-par writer, and enjoyed doing so. I also love reading, and am in the process of finishing War & Peace. I love writing poetry more so than longer stories or essays.
After I'm done with this class, I hope to be a more proficient writer, with better composition skills and a more extensive vocabulary.

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Hi! My name is Atiana Diaz and I am majoring in nursing. One thing about me is I love to crochet and knit to which some people find weird but honestly, I find it very relaxing and also find it a good way to pass the time. I read books from time to time, not as often as I should and the same goes for writing. Honestly, writing stresses me out more than anything because it takes me a while to figure out what I'm actually going to write and I don't have the best flow when it comes down to writing. So in this class, I hope to improve on that as a student because it will benefit me for the rest of my life and in my career in my opinion as well as expanding my vocabulary so that way I can learn to use my words in a professional way when it comes to my future career.

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Hello everyone! My name is Alejandra and I am a Health Sciences major with the hopes of one day becoming a medical sonographer. I am originally from Peru so English is my second language. One quirky thing about me is that my husband has given me the nickname grumpy pants and this stems from our days of playing World of Warcraft (no I do not play anyone).

How did this come to be? Well apparently when you create an account with the game it will automatically generate a username for you and it just so happened to give me the username "grumpypants" with some numbers added at the end. I honestly think my husband played a prank on me but I will never truthfully know.

English as a subject can be a little difficult for me as it is not my first language. While I am not a big fan of doing it, I know the only way to improve is through constant repetition and I have hopes that this class will help me develop my writing/reading skills even more and further push away my fears of the English language.

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Alejandro Arnao
Foreign Languages

I really enjoy Story tellings, using DnD characters or any characters of sort. hence my hobby is writing novels.

When i was younger I always hated reading and writing, they were always my "dislikes subjects. Now the older I get it has changed ; I write my thoughts/ and stories out for others to see.

What i hope to get out of this, is to improve My proof reading skills and general Writing.

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Hello all, my name is Chris Baca. I'm working towards my degree in Business Administration. I have my own business and my family is very diverse. I'm returning to college after a 32-year hiatus. I like to read, but writing can sometimes be daunting to me. What I hope to get out of this class is a better understanding of writing. There are so many rules when it comes to English, and I want to understand them better.

I currently have completed about 1 semester of credits. Originally, I was going to go to Mason after I graduated from NOVA, but I may get my H.R. certificate instead of going to Mason. In any case reading and writing English is vital to any career!

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Hello everyone, This is Archana Buddhiraju. I am working towards my associate degree in business administration. I am from Human Resources background.

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Picture Caption: My family means the world to me and they keep me going. Whenever I feel low or demotivated, the smile on my daughters’ faces and the pat on my shoulder by my husband make me start again, push myself to become the better version of myself.

Fun fact about me:
As mentioned in class I love cooking and I cook when I am sad, happy, stressed
etc... Basically all the time.

Honestly, I am not
into reading and writing but I try to work on improving my skills which helps
me in my job.

To grow in my
career and to go to the next level in my job, I need a degree which brought me
here in this class. I am looking forward to learn to write in a better way and
communicate effectively.

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I find immense joy in being a part of this class, and I am truly excited to have reached this significant point in the course. I am Wagma Omri, and I successfully earned my bachelor's degree in Chemistry from Kabul University before embarking on a transformative journey to the United States in 2013. Initially, my plan revolved around pursuing a master's degree in Chemical Engineering, with a strong desire to return to Afghanistan and actively contribute to the advancement of my nation. However, life's unexpected twists emerged as the country underwent tumultuous changes in governance. Consequently, I made the resolute decision to pivot my focus towards the field of Cyber Security Engineering.

At present, I stand on the cusp of completing ENG 112, marking the final semester of my academic journey at this institution, and simultaneously, I am in the process of transferring to GMU to continue my educational pursuit. This transition is vital since NVCC lacks a specialized associate graduation program in Cyber Security Engineering, a realm that deeply intrigues me and to which I am committed to excelling.

Beyond my academic endeavors, I possess a keen palate for diverse and authentic cuisines spanning the globe. I take great pride in my culinary prowess, skillfully crafting an array of dishes that mirror the flavors of various countries. Complementing this, my other fervor lies in exploration. As an ardent traveler, I have ventured through the majority of states within the USA, nurturing my profound fascination with a plethora of cultures and places.

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My name is Manjila Alam. My major is Information Technology. One interesting thing about me is that I went to 4 different high school for each grade. I remember how much I used to love reading when I was in middle school. When it comes to writing I still enjoy it that is only if there is not too many requirements. I hope to pass this class because it is a requirement to transfer to George Mason University.

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My Name is Estefania Alvarado- but I usually go by Stef and my major is in Biology!

One interesting thing about me is that I can play both the Trumpet and the French Horn and I also know a lot about music theory (but I still cannot play the piano). I also really love traveling and going on trips with my friends, recently we went down to Charlottesville and saw the amazing views of the Shenandoah national park.

I have a love-hate relationship with reading, writing, and English in general. English is not my first language but over the years I have grown so accustomed to it that it is now my primary language. However, when I was younger it was definitely a lot harder to both read and write. I used to hate my english classes and I did not enjoy doing any of the readings. What really helped me progress my english skills was finding books that I enjoyed reading. My favorite books to read were young adult novels and action, adventure, and funny books.

One really important thing that I want to learn from this class is how to improve on my research paper writing skills and overall writing in general.

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Hi everyone, my name is Christopher Henao. I'm working on getting a Cyber Security Engineering degree. One interesting thing about me is that I'm currently working as a Software Engineer ( I did a coding bootcamp a couple years ago) but my company is paying for me to get this degree so I'm using this as an opportunity to go into a field that interests me a lot more. I'd say I have a very high appreciation for reading and writing. I didn't really read until after high school but for about a year I read almost a book a week and that definitely transformed the way I think. I do want to publish at least one book eventually. Sadly, I barely read anymore as I'm so busy but it's definitely something I want to get back into. It's been a while since I've had to write essays and do homework so I hope this class gets me back in the rhythm of having to do these types of assignments.

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Hello! My name is Nicole Stanton and I am majoring in Visual Arts. One fun fact about me is that I have lived in 5 different states. My past experiences with reading and writing are meh - I don't hate it but it isn't my favorite thing to do. I hope that this class will further my research writing and critical thinking skills.

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Hello! My name is Nataly or Nat for short.
My major is Business Administration. One fun fact about me is that I LOVE to bake (in the pic are the pies and cake I made for Thanksgiving) and I also like to cook new dishes. I'm a shy person at first but once I'm comfortable I let loose, so I hope to make new friends this new semester.
I honestly really like to read books like Percy Jackson and Harry Potter I like to make my imagination run wild :) I just have to find a really good book that catches my attention. Writing has never been my strongest subject or skill, so I really hope to improve my writing in this class.

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My name is Steven Nejako (neh-jake-oh)
Major: Chemistry

One unique thing about me is that I am a type one diabetic but a more interesting thing is that I have a 15 month old niece.

When it comes to reading I enjoy reading but don't usually seek out opportunities to read. Writing on the other-hand I very much enjoy doing. My writing style is a very casual one but I enjoy writing in an informal conversational style.

I hope to get out of this class a good time and some fun writing assignments. With the class being structured in a less traditional way, I look forward to seeing what that entails with the way we learn the subject matter.

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hi everyone, my name is Mohamamd Shahid Hazratzai, and you guys can call me Shahid. My major is cyber security, and this is my last semester here at nova. i guess one fun thing about me is that i love scuba diving.

to be honest im not a book person, i do reading when i know i should but its not a hobby for me. i get bored from reading very quick and look for reasons to stop reading. this class is a requirement for me to get into george mason university and i hope to learn how to read and write in a professional way.

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My name is Darryl and I am majoring in engineering technology. An interesting thing about me is I make music. Personally, I like writing more so than reading because it helps me express my feelings better than talking about it. I think I am a pretty decent writer, as music has helped that skill. I hope to make better study and note taking habits from this class.

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Charles Neve - Criminology and Criminal Justice

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An interesting thing about me is that I work in military surplus. I help supply individual service members with the gear and uniforms they need when their command is unable to help.

I have a terrible relationship with reading and writing. When it comes to reading books and articles it becomes mind numbingly boring and I often times get distracted, same goes with writing. I absolutely hate writing essays/papers and often times find ways to avoid them in high school.

At the end of this class I hope to improve my writing skills and maybe develop an appreciation for writing and reading in general.

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My name is Francisco Vazquez and I am a computer science major. One interesting thing about me is that I have an 8-year-old sister, meaning there is a 14-year age gap between us but she's still one of my best friends. I used to be a heavy reader when I was younger but after leaving high school I found it harder to motivate myself to read but that doesn't mean I don't like it. I have recently finished The Art Of War and am just starting to reread one of my favorite books, Catcher in the Rye. Over the course of this class, I hope to become an even better writer but primarily a better note taker as it is something I have struggled;ed with in the past (above is my little sister)

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My name is Ahmad and I am a engineering major. One thing about me is I enjoy cooking. I've never really enjoyed writing, I struggle with putting my thoughts into words, but I really enjoy reading. In this class I hope to learn how to clearly present my thoughts into writing from this class.

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My name is Fatima Seddiqi
Major: Nursing Program

One of the unique fact about me is that I almost know five languages, English, Dari, Pashto, Urdu and Turkish. I am really interested in learning multiple languages.

It is been 2 years that I moved to the USA and now I am planning to do my pre-requisites and do the nursing program though I have done my bachelors degree in law and political science and I have done a master's in international relations in Turkey. I like both reading and writing. I like reading history books and fun books, but I am struggling in writing because it is much harder to bring my thoughts into words.

I hope to learn reading and writing skills from this class which is really important to me and I am also planning to get an A, so I will do my best to succeed.

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Walking on the green mountains and watching the blue sky makes me wonder of how far i came in life!

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Aqila Sultani
Major: Dental hygienist
- One interesting thing about me is that I always try my best to be strong in difficult times of life.
- When it comes to writing I really like to write even if I make mistakes. However, It is really hard for me to focus when it comes to essay writing.
- I love to read when my mood is good. when my mood is off I cannot read at all.
I like to read about stories, and poems but not nonfiction.
- I am hoping to learn a lot from this class.
I want to be good at writing.

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Christina Cacanindin - Computer Science Major

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A fun fact about me is that I love to bake! The science and the creativity behind baking had fascinated me since I was young, and I have always viewed it as the most captivating art form. I tend to appreciate rules or a step-by-step process to follow along. When it comes to baking, recipes can be very particular. I enjoy making pies, croissants, cookies, and I just perfected a New York cheesecake!

Prior to attending NOVA, I had always enjoyed taking an English class above anything else. I was comfortable with my literacy skills and typically breezed by an assignment that included reading or writing. As I got older and really started paying attention to other subjects (particularly math), I placed reading and writing on the back burner. Since my new love for math took precedence over reading and especially writing, this semester, my goal is to gain sufficient writing skills and sharpen the knowledge that I already know to build upon becoming a better writer.

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Hi everyone!!
My name is Vy
My major is: Computer science
I'm a very quiet and introverted person but as you get closer to me you won't believe how crazy I am.
I have a lot of difficulty with my writing and reading because of my vocabulary, I can still finish my work but I need a lot of time.
I hope i can improve my reading and writing skill when I take this class and can meet some new friends.

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Hello! My name is Kate Kovalchuk and I am an International Relations major. One fun thing about me is I moved to United States from Ukraine 7 years ago which made me love learning new languages and cultures.
I enjoy reading a lot. At one point I could stay in my room all day just reading my book. Writing on the other hand is not as appealing to me for some reason.
By the end of this course I hope to improve my writing skills and make the whole process of writing essays a little more enjoyable for myself.

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Karen Virreira
Major: Education

One fun fact about me is I like to draw. I mostly do traditional sketches of whatever media I take an interest in at the time, but I also like to hone my skills with any dynamic poses I find on Pinterest.

From elementary school to my freshman year of highschool, I was an avid bookworm. My favorite genre was, and probably still is adventure. Throughout those years of my life, I finished the Percy Jackson series, the Ink Heart series, the Gone series, and many more that just didn't come to mind immediately. I'm still a big fan of great stories now, but I'm much more of an animanga (anime and manga) fan and am currently obsessed with One Piece. It's an amazing story about the main character who experiences the joys and woes of the pirate-centered world he lives in. However, it is easy to get caught up in such a haughty fanbase that mass produces content that it's easy for me to only be content with consuming content from that one series without branching out from it. So I always have the desire to start a new series nowadays but it is getting harder and harder for me to get into new stories.

I hope to hone my writing skills to better communicate my ideas to the world. My talking skills are not too great at the moment so I hope that I can train myself to talk like I type and to speak eloquently. Although I know there are only ideas that can be communicated through writing and even words can be limiting sometimes, I hope that by honing my writing skills I can learn how to accurately convey what I feel in the best way possible.

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Jacob Sebastian
Major: Psychology

- One fun fact about me is that I love pet animals especially dogs I used to dog sit for people until I got my own pet. Now I have a dog and 2 fish.

-I've never been particularly good at reading or writing but I do enjoy a good read every now and then as long as its well written (story telling and few plot holes) and I heavily prefer fiction books
-As I've mentioned before I've never been that good at writing and its always been something I have wanted to get better at to help me in and out of other classes

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- One fun fact about me is that I work my best when I'm under pressure, I noticed I was good at it when I started working at the airport because I encountered many scenarios that were challenging while also having to complete a task that was assigned to me.

- When I was in middle/high school I hated reading and writing because it was a challenge for me to comprehend since English isn't my first language. Eventually, I started to read books that I got very interested in which made me write down my thoughts and ideas in a journal which made me also like writing.

- I hope to get better at writing and have a good knowledge of different styles of writing to help me out in the future with essays that I need to accomplish.

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Visual Arts major
-A unique fact about me is I have cerebral palsy,but I don't let that stop me. Another fact about me is I have three sisters and one brother. One of my sisters lives in Germany. I hope to go vist her one day.  I love to go traveling, last year I went on a plane and cruise for the the first time. My favorite hobbies to do are painting, diamond painting, drawing and making videos.

-When I was in elementary school and middle school I liked doing the writing assignments where I had to makeup a story  and write about subject that I made up in my head. Growing up I loved reading and writing. I still love reading and writing. I love reading about History, Art and fun books, but writing is a diffrent story, because writing projects for school still makes me nervous.

-The things i hope to get out of this class is, I hope to improve my note taking skills and my writing skills for future job opportunities and for all the rest of classes I have to take.

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Ryu Gray
computer science
Interesting things about me are that I love making  Aglio, olio e peperoncino which is basically pasta with garlic, olive oil and red pepper. And I'm from Japan. Since I'm new to this country I'd like to know more about English, and I found it interesting that some word in English don't exist in Japanese, and vice versa. I'm looking forward to communicate more fluently in English.

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Hallkey Liu
BUS major
I was born in brooklyn but moved to VA around the time I was 5 to start school in VA. One fun thing about me is that I own a baked good company that makes gluten-free cookies and baked goods. I also do freelance photography on the side whenever I get a chance. When it comes to reading and writing I'm not super good at it but slowly improving. I'm hoping this class is what's going to help me improve my skills.

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Abobaker Bushara
major-science

A fun thing about me is that I do archery and read books in my free time and I also like to play D&D

when it comes to reading and writing, I like to read but I'm not a big fan of writing

Something I hope to get out of Eng 112 is  to get better at writing

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Hi,  is my name is Namratha, and I am currently majoring in business. I am an Indian classical dancer who has spent the last 13 years honing the exquisite art form of "Kuchipudi", I feel that is unique about me.

I was born in North Carolina, but when I was a year old, my family moved to India. My heritage is Indian.

I've never been really interested in writing because I have trouble putting my thoughts into words, but I read a lot. I enjoy reading nonfiction works that focus on mental health.

I hope to get more effective communication skills from this program by learning how to explain myself more clearly.

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Hannamariam Lakew
Major: Computer Science

A fun fact about me is that I am from Ethiopia and I love cooking Ethiopian food. My favorite food to cook is "Shiro" To make Shiro powder, you'll need - chickpea flour, berbere powder, garlic powder, ground cardamom, and cumin powder. For the rest, you'll need olive oil, onions, tomato paste, minced garlic and salt.

I have always had a keen interest in reading and writing since childhood. I find solace in burying myself in the pages of a compelling book, and I'm always fascinated by the power of words to transport us to new places. Writing has given me the opportunity to express my thoughts and feelings, and I strongly believe that it has the potential to make a big difference in the world.

I hope this class, I will improve my writing abilities and have a better grasp of various writing styles and strategies. I want to improve my writing confidence and versatility.

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Decided to decorate a (decent looking) Funko Pop I found at a 7eleven with stickers I've made.

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+To who you may learn about is me, Cameron Hall.
I am currently majoring graphic design but that might change soon.

+Among my peers, I am known as the guy that gives, helping with their projects with ideas and concepts, as well giving them gifts for being such good friends for they are very dear to me. Currently I am creating a present to send to a friend in Europe that has many American exclusive items.

+Ever since I was child, I was always fascinated by the worlds created in stories. Imagination twisting and stretching so far like taffy that infinitely goes across a vast ocean of tasty color, that fed my little brain with ambition. Although I felt that, I always struggled with expressing my own imagination through text, preferring to visualize it in art. I might attributed that to my teachers in my younger days, not exactly understanding their teachings on the basics of writing. Only through my final weeks of high school before Covid, that the teachers there not only taught in a way I could understand, but encourage imaginative and inspired works. Now I have multiple ways to show and tell my vast ideas, I just need to be brave about sharing it.

+I hope I may strengthen my writing and my ambition to share from class. I know this isn't a class specifically to help with anxiety, but this class does require to share between peers, so it is the little things that might shake me out of this rut. For strengthening my writing, imagination is good but it's the execution that matters and I was hoping I can learn better ways to do so, for who ever is reading could understand well.

+For closing notes for who ever is reading this, I am not this pompous and I hope we could be good friends.

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Elizabeth Appiah is my name and my major is Information Technology, this is my 3rd Semester at nova. Interesting fact about me is that I love running and I’m in the Army National Guard. I also really love reading fiction books and stories like the Mortal instruments series by Cassandra Clare and Webtoons which I read almost everyday and I’ve recently been addicted to stories like the weak hero and Lookism, I really love reading, I could sit in my room or the library and read for hours but writing essays on the other hand is not really something I enjoy doing since high school, but I hope what I learn in this course will help me Improve both my writing and reading skills and also help polish my grammar.

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Hello! My name is Rania and I’m currently majoring in Business Administration and plan to transfer to Mason to continue with a concentration in marketing. A fun fact about me is that I have a major sweet tooth, because of this one of my favorite activities is to cafe hop and try different desserts.

Truthfully I’m not the biggest fan of reading and writing, and it’s definitely a subject that I avoided during my academic career. I used to love reading when I was younger, but unfortunately, that interest stopped in the third grade when it became mandatory. One goal of mine has been to rekindle that love for reading and incorporate it as a daily hobby, hopefully, to replace the time I spend on my phone. I hope this class can contribute to my desire to rebuild my interest in literature and evolve into something that I can despise a little less.

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Hi everybody!

My name is Mark and right now I am a business major. One fun thing about me that I find very important in my life is I am a musician. I play acoustic guitar, sing, and write music. I perform occasionally at local brewery's, wineries, etc. for part time work.

I was born in Northern Virginia but when my wife was pregnant with our son we moved to Frederick, MD where I started my associates degree in Accounting. We then moved to Chambersburg, PA and returned to Virginia after having our daughter in order to be closer to family.

I think the older I get the more I appreciate reading and writing especially as it so closely is connected with music and other art forms. I know for me music as it connects to writing provides release in the form of expression.

From this class, I would like to learn how to further open my mind and consciousness, asking questions, and analyzing my personal experiences through reading and writing.

Best,

Mark

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Madison Rothwell
Music

I i love to sing and rap for my free time
When it comes to reading i barley read. But i am starting a shot story on my iPhone.
In this class i hope to further my writing skill in this class I’m excited for what’s to come !

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I'm Hasan Sevgin and I am currently studying General Studies for my associates degree.
One fun fact about me is that I was born in the world's most visited city, Istanbul.
I took reading and writing classes before through out my education journey so I have a good amount of knowledge about it.
In this class I hope to improve my analyzing of reading and reflecting it on an advanced writing.

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Maame Aba Paintsil
Major: Biology

I've lived in two states and three countries, but I lived most of my life in Ghana. While living there, I had about 25 pets, but not dure exactly how many. I love frog but my favorite animal is the whale.

I've always loved reading and in the summer my sisters and I would challenge each other to read the most books before school started again but I eventually stopped reading. I love writing too, however I'm not too sure about my writing skills. They could definitely use some improvement.

I hope learn to refine my writing skills and get back into reading for fun.

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I'm Jimmy Quintero a business management and administration major, working towards a career in supply chain management.

A unique thing about me is that I've had the opportunity to mount cannons onto a tall ship. I also know how to build boats and have now worked on building 5. The boats ranged from small sail craft, to a 90 foot tall ship.

I've recently been trying to pick up reading for leisure, but is something I need to get used to. Occasionally I write poetry, or song lyrics that pop into my mind.

In this class i hope to learn strategies for fleshing out ideas, organizing them and overall how to get more words on the page.

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Marta Edwards

Major: Business Administration

I love going to concerts, but I am also a clumsy person. Clumsy to the point that a few years ago at a concert somebody kicked a piece of trash towards my legs, so I turned around and kicked it up in the air. Not predicting how high or far I would kick it, I ended up hitting a random person in a crowd who later became my husband.

When it comes down to reading and writing – unfortunately, we do not have a strong relationship. I am more of an active person and it is hard for me to stay still and read. I hate to say this, but it kind of makes me feel like I am being punished when I have to read something. I am trying to work on it because I believe that reading educates and expends vocabulary, especially for a person whose first language is not English. I had a long break after finishing high school and starting college so besides writing resumes, cover letters or work emails I have to pick up the speed, practice, and refresh my memory from back at school to improve my writing.

I really hope I will be able to improve my writing in English and it will be a helpful preparing me for completing my degree.

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Izabel Hoyos
Major- I'm working towards is Ultrasound technology (Ob/Gyn focused)

-Fun/Interesting facts about me!
I am ambidextrous (took a really long time to learn), currently teaching myself how to play the violin, I can play the flute, hiking is one of my passions and i hope to visit all the national parks in the US and take some form of trail on each and every one of them! I also really like cooking and baking, my grandmother has a culinary arts degree so I have learned allot from her

I have always loved reading and writing as long as I am not forced to do it or the topics are interesting enough to get through, I feel that most books/essays they have you read/write in high-school are very surface level and pretentious. I absolutely hated 'Lord of the flies' and 'Fahrenheit 451', they felt like concepts we should have already understood from history class (patriarchal society is bad and there needs to be balance or how those who destroy knowledge are usually the ones who oppress the masses) but I can understand that these topics need to be talked about in depth with most people who might not be able to make connections to todays problems.

I hope with this class, I can gain a better viewpoint from other peoples perspectives and how they think and view the world. I also hope to enhance my writing skills and ability to interpret other peoples writing.

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Alexandra Causey
Major: Political science
A fun fact about me is that I 'am a certified Pilates instructor. I currently teach virtual classes.

Sometimes I have a hard time with creative writing and writing bibliographies

I have always enjoyed reading and writing. I'm looking to improve my writing abilities and upgrade my vocabulary.

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Robert Campusano
Major: Computer Science

A fun fact about me is that I am from the first capital of the new world, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. This country is often known because of how much Dominican people like baseball but I do not really enjoy baseball. Basketball is the sport that I enjoy most.

I do not consider myself a great writer, even though I am constantly writing. I do enjoy reading, my favorite genres are science fiction and non-fiction books. Currently, I am reading The Three-Body Problem, which is a book about aliens coming to Earth.

I hope to get better writing and reading skills from this class. Especially my writing skills, becoming a better writer would absolutely be a skill that would help me in my career.

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Yesenia Mejia Rubio
Major: undecided/general studies

- I love palm trees. I don't know why but I'm literally obsessed with them I could look at them all day.

- To this day I am not a fan of writing or reading. I can never focus when I read. I only write whenever I'm anxious and I really need to let what's on my mind out. I really don't like reading and I'm almost sure that is why my vocabulary can be very limited lol.

- I hope I can begin reading and writing and actually enjoy it. I also hope I can become a better writer and be more creative and for sure learn something new!

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Name: Aaron Maksud
Major: Criminology

- Weird thing about me is I love taking photos and using my stuffed bear as a model I bring him on my vacations as I take photos of places and stuff

- Reading and Writing is OK for me I love reading fantasy books The Witcher being a favorite of mine, Writing is okay for me I find it to be hard if I'm writing about something I don't care about or am well-informed about but when it comes to things I enjoy writing can be fun for me

-I hope to learn new things that I can apply in everyday life while in this class and hope to end this year feeling like I learned something valuable to me

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Tyla Matthews
Major: Interior Design

- A quirky fun fact about me is that I've started to listen to/ get into international music. I've spent my whole life listening to R&B and Hip hop, which I still love and will always be my favorite, but recently I wanted to have some sort of change.

- I have never been a reading person. I have ADD so it is so hard for me to sit down and read a book without getting distracted or falling asleep. Recently I've been trying to push myself. I just finished a book called "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder" and I loved it. Hopefully, I can start finding books that interest me and better my relationship with reading. When it comes to writing I've always loved it. When teachers gave us flexibility on writing assignments, that's where I had the most fun writing.

- In this class, I hope to learn various writing techniques. I have always felt like my essays sounded similar and that there was not much of a difference in each one.

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Tigist Kebede
Major: Nursing

-A fun fact about me is that I am originally from Ethiopia and love cooking Ethiopian food for my family and friends. Our bread called "Injera" is made from an ancient grain called teff (gluten-free superfood) and is my favorite bread to make.

-I love drinking Ethiopian coffee every morning since it is powerful and keeps me going all day. I cannot leave my house without drinking my coffee.

-I love writing and I am hoping to improve my writing skills this semester.

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Me on Mount Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii. (June 2023)

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Ryan Rodeffer
Major: Undecided

-I was not allowed to attend my graduation in 2022 and I have a very difficult time describing myself.

-Reading has never been something I have particularly enjoyed throughout my life. Despite not really liking having to write papers for school I somehow managed to scrape together decent grades on writing assignments.

-During this semester I hope to improve upon my writing "skill" and potentially come around to tolerating reading a little more.

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Elijah "Eli" Alvarez - Computer Science Major

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A quirky, fun fact about myself is that even though I can squeeze myself into a two-seater cockpit, I can't fit in a Toyota Prius! I am a 6'6" refrigerator of a person, and at one point played basketball for the 3rd ranked prep school in the nation. Eventually, I quit competitive athletics in favor of a desk job and a career in either the Army or Air Force once I graduate.

I have had a love-hate relationship with English throughout my time as a student, and I don't find myself reading nearly as often as I used to, but I often enjoy video essays in the background of whatever task I may be working on. My favorite reads tend to be historic fiction and allegory, and I've found that I really enjoy Kurt Vonnegut's work.

What I intend to get out of this class by the end of the semester is more of a grasp on different methods of composition and writing styles, as well as learn a little bit more about myself as a writer. Looking forward to a great semester!

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Samantha Cortez (sam)- Health Science Major

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- Something interesting about me is that I really enjoy playing volleyball. This summer I participated in sand volleyball for FXA. If you're not familiar with this, it is basically an adult league for different types of sports but for adults! I prefer playing indoor volleyball, but I am glad I got to experience sand. If anyone would like to play sometime, please don't hesitate to reach out!

- I used to hate reading and writing because I am convinced that I am poor at this subject. However, as I got older, I came to realize that I enjoy reading. I still would not be jumping for joy knowing I have to write an essay. On my own free time I try to journal because it is not something I typically do. Im trying to get out of my comfort zone by practicing these skills.

- I hope to expand my literacy in this class. Ultimately I hope I become a better writer than I was yesterday. This is such an important skill because it is applicable in numerous aspects of our lives.

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Alvaro Farfan - Business Marketing Major

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- One interesting thing about me is my strong passion and affection for music as an art form. It genuinely feels like therapy to me and has always been my way of self-expression. One more fact about me is that whenever I'm in a gym session, I prefer to listen to classical music. I think it helps me focus better and relax. Additionally, I've been part of an orchestra as a violist for over six years. I take pride in my ability to appreciate and understand melodies from all genres. I value this about myself.

-  When it comes down to my thoughts on reading and writing. I have always had an interest in reading, it has helped me develop better literacy skills. This has led me to have more cultural literacy as well since I enjoy reading Novels.

- My aim for this semester is to grow my literacy skills. I think this class is a great way to move forward in terms of having more freedom and control over how I spend my time.

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Mingyao Yin
Major:Computer Science

-A fun fact about me is that I have a strong passion for cuisine, and my culinary skills are quite impressive. I'm capable of baking a wide variety of cakes, and I'm also skilled in crafting numerous traditional Chinese dishes.
-I enjoy reading novels. However, I don't enjoy reading overly formal content, such as newspapers and journals.  I'm not really good at paraphrasing. It is a little bit difficult for me to write the introduction paragraph and the conclusion paragraph.
-I hope I could improve my paraphrase skill and learn more writing techniques in this semester.

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Jacob Pangilinan
Business Management

- I am huge into sports including hockey, football, MMA, and basketball. I enjoy looking at the statistical aspects and doing research about a player and or team. I used to play sports as well so I've been into sports for a long time.

- I've never been too big into reading but I've always enjoyed writing. I use writing to express myself and put out my thoughts/ideas. Reading isn't as enjoyable but I've grown to like it because I can choose what I want to read about. I like reading articles and research as opposed to reading a book.

-I hope to improve upon my writing and be able to apply my writing in any situation that is needed.

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Rosalie Frasch
Major: Criminal Justice

-I played college soccer before transferring to NOVA and still enjoy playing in my free time and on a co-ed soccer team.

- When I was younger I used to love reading and hated writing but as I got older I started to enjoy writing more when I was able to write what I wanted creatively. As I got older I also got too busy to read so I am not as much of a reader anymore.

- Something I hope to gain out of this class is my love for reading again. I hope to be able to have more time to read interesting books over the school year.

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-Sarah Conover
-General studies with plans to transfer to a hospital program

-A fun fact about me is that I went to the Taylor Swift concert in Pittsburg over the summer. I was one of the lucky ones that was able to get tickets for a reasonable price.

-I have recently fell in love with reading, my personal favorite genre is thriller/mystery! With the upcoming school year I know my reading personal reading time will become limited, but I use it as a form of relaxation and escape from reality.I am not a huge fan of writing because I find it difficult to get my thoughts from my brain onto the paper.

-I hope this class will teach me new skills to improve my writing and give me a better understanding on how to properly use the techniques I learn.

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- One fun fact about me that not many people may know is that I have a deep passion for cooking! I started cooking when I was 14 or 15 and it all started with watching Food network and different cooking shows. My specialties are my steak, honey glazed salmon, and my pesto shrimp pasta.

- My other hobbies that some may say are more "basic" consist of going to the gym, cars, and playing basketball. I also love fashion and love the art of fashion. I am also a manager at GNC, a supplement store.

- As far as my history goes with writing, I actually enjoy it and use it as a therapeutical device. I think writing about your feelings or emotions or even writing about your goals and aspirations is something that's very healthy and not talked about enough. I love writing essays and poems because I get to showcase what it's like inside my mind and introduce my thoughts and theories. I also enjoy reading as well, I prefer nonfiction informative books about psychology or financial advice.

- I hope to gain knowledge of different styles of writing and determine key differences between them. I think the art of writing is so unique and there are many types that we might not know!

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Name: Andrea Clara Villacorta
Major: Photography

- Something interesting about me is that I am a nerd. I love reading any type of book that gets my attention. I like the sound of the rain  and I am the shortest of all my friends even though I am the oldest of them all.

- Since I was a little I remember putting a lot of books under my desk and every time I got bored I would go to the mini library we had in class and just sit there for hours getting lost in my world. Since then my passion for books has grown and grown throughout my childhood years till to this point. Writing is somewhat my strong and weak point, when I know what I am writing and am passionate about it I will on and on about it there are times when I tend to struggle to find the right words or what to say in general.

- I hope to learn new skills and techniques to improve my writing and be able to understand what the readers want to gain. And make my writing a place where I can expand my creativity, and imagination run wild.

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Pictured is my current PC build.  This is my 3rd build, entirely from scratch.

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My name is Daniel McCarthy, and my major is Information Technology.

- One peculiar or unique thing about me is that I am the 6th Daniel in my family.  My uncle, Daniel McCarthy the 4th, fought in WWII. My Dad, Dan McCarthy the 5th, is currently retired military and is working in the federal government. The family name has continued for over 100 years.

Some other things about me are I love building computers, I have 3 dogs (2 puppies), I enjoy a lot of food, and I am very nonconventional.

- My history with writing has been a lot more throughgoing then reading for me.  I have always enjoyed the creative aspect of designing a paper with personal ideas over reading ideas from other individuals.

- What I hope to get out of class is the enjoyment of reading context provided by others, and that it will pertain a future of interest into reading for me.

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Sailing on my brother's boat through the Chesapeake Bay. From Washington D.C. to Solomons Island, MD.

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Gustavo Peña
Major: Computer Science/Engineering

- Was stationed in Tokyo, Japan for almost four years during my time in the U.S. Navy.

- I enjoy reading Autobiographies, biographies, and history books so mostly non-fiction, but once in a while I take a break and jump into some great fiction like Fahrenheit 451 and Stephen King's collection.

- I'm hoping to hone my writing skills as my current job and future positions required for detail writing procedures on operational devices, engineering drawings, and project management.

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Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

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-Engineering Major
-I 3D design and print things
-I enjoy reading, not so much with writing
-I would like to improve my writing technique and organization

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Nana Aba Paintsil
Major: Biology

- I am a twin. I love reading, and I used to love the classics like wuthering heights and pride and prejudice in middle school so I'm trying to get back into them.

- I grew up following my older sister's love for reading and started reading books since elementary school. I am passionate about writing as well, I just find the blank page a little daunting sometimes.

- I hope to learn new skills to improve my writing and understand better what writing techniques work for me.

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Bristol Bowman
Biology Major

- A fun/interesting thing about me would be my hobbies. I'm definitely a "jack of all trades." I love all things art related, including: painting and drawing, crocheting, reading, writing, and researching, as well as gaming when I have the time.

- As I previously mentioned, I have a love for reading and writing. I'm used to creative writing projects that I love to do research for, and I'm hoping I can apply that love for writing and research to my school assignments.

- Hopefully during this semester, I can better hone the skills I have. I'm looking forward to becoming a better academic writer!

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Janet Quezada Gutierrez
Business Administration Major

-I enjoy reading book series I have not done that in a long time to be honest, but I would love to start again. I enjoy listening to music and playing my instrument the violin. I also have a strong liking of traveling.

- I found a strong love for creative writing my senior year of high school and would sometimes overpass the amount of pages I had to write. I like writing creative stories or sometimes personal related stories.

- I am most looking forward to learning creative new styles to format my writing. it could be with phrases or words I think that would help me improve as a writer.

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The writing for The Simpsons in question 

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Name: Patrick Rebar
Major: Engineering

-My uncle is a writer for some TV shows, including famous ones like The Simpsons.

-Ever since I was young I have always enjoyed reading, although the same enjoyment did not initially apply to writing I have grown to like it, especially when given opportunities to get more creative with what I can write.

-From this class I hope I can learn strategies that I could potentially apply to any writing, creative or essay, in the future.

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My dog Bentley as a spider for Halloween

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Thalea Hylton
Major: Psychology

- I have been a florist for almost three years. I got into the field around the beginning of Covid and never thought I would grow to love it as much I have.

- I used to read a lot in elementary and middle school, then became so consumed with classes, work, sports etc. in high school that I unfortunately stopped reading for enjoyment, however I am slowly immersing myself back into books. I recently picked up "End of Watch" by Stephen King. I find writing to be rewarding.

- In this class, I would like to discover my writing style and expand my vocabulary. I am looking forward to getting to know everyone this semester!

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Nguyen Huynh
Major: Information Technology

- My favorite subjects at school is Math because I love numbers.

- Reading and writing is the subject that worries me the most since middle school. I'm very lazy to read books because when I read I'm too lazy to imagine the images that I've read. The fun fact that I rather love reading many instagrams posts than reading an article, because it can be too wordy (lol).  Writing, I love to write down the ideas in my head, it helps me push the thoughts that I can't express directly to my people so I'll choose to write them down. So it can also be inferred that I am more skilled in writing than in reading so I hope I will pass the reading challenge this semester lol :)

- As I said above, what I hope to gain from this class is to improve my reading skills and I hope I will enjoy reading after I finish this class.

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Hanna Orozco
Psychology Major

I like music a lot, during my free time you will see me singing all the time,  playing an instrument or a friend will make fun of me because they say a word and I will start singing a song related to the word.

Reading and writing, have been always a passion of mine, I think writing helps you to better understand yourself, your emotions and improve your vocabulary. It has definitely helped me a lot and reading about something I'm interested in is very fulfilling.

I look forward to expanding my learning in English writing as well as understanding the different styles of writing to help with my essays, since the degree that I am currently pursuing comes with a lot of writing and research, I am very excited and looking forward to it!

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Marielle Cusson
Major: Education

- I like to consider myself very interested and familiar with general lore behind movies and video games (a lot of fnaf theories going on lol).

- Throughout high school, English has always been one of my strong suits. I enjoy reading and writing, and have also recently revived my passion for reading over the summer.

- I hope that during the semester, I can learn more methods to apply rhetoric on a daily basis.

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Adriana Guzman
IT Major

- I enjoy playing soccer and spending time outside, especially in the fall weather when it's not too hot or too cold so its the perfect time to be outside.

- I would say that I enjoy reading when I find the book I'm reading interesting, if not,  I have a hard time concentrating and comprehending the material I am reading. Writing is not one of my strongest skills but it all depends on the topic I am writing on that depicts whether I'm going to have a difficult time or not.

- Something I hope to gain out of this class is new points of view on writing such as different techniques that can be applied to make it a bit of a smoother process.

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Justin D Bialecki
Major: General Studies (Video game Designer)

A fun fact about me is that I love Jazz music (at least from early big bands, 1940 musicians, Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodmen, Glenn Miller.) My favorite songs are "Sing Sing Sing" by Benny Goodmen and "A Song Was Born," from the movie "A Song Was Born," released in 1948. I also like playing video games and talking about it. So ask me any questions about games, and I will help the best way I can, that is, if I have played them, lol.

I struggled with reading and writing when I was younger and was homeschooled for much of my life. But once I got the hang of reading from video game texts and History books or lessons. I learned to love reading. I can't say I hate writing, but it's not my strong suit. I will have to learn more about it because I don't know how to make notes of reminders or important things for homework.

I hope to get stronger research and writing abilities out of this class.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVmkCfrhqns
Video from the part of the movie. edited from
"amarallmusic"

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Louis Armstrong  Benny Goodman  Danny Kaye Laurindo de Almeida Nestor Amaral in A SONG IS BORN 2