1 of 5 Independence Process Blog for Reflective Intro

Throughout the semester I have learned a lot about my writing and I am actually excited to be able to reflect about it in my reflective introduction.  When introduced to this in class, I was a bit nervous about what it would entail and how I would go about writing it.  I was also confused about how I was going to edit three papers when I already finished these papers and handed them in to be graded.  I knew I had a lot to think about for this final portfolio.  My biggest thought was what three papers I would choose to write about in my reflective introduction.  After some thought I decided I would chose to write and reflect about project one (literacy narrative), project two (analyzing a text), and project five (profile).

5 of 5 Independence Process Blog for Project 5

As I began to look over comments from others about my paper and the comments I made for myself, I was still unsure of what I wanted to add to my final paper.  I knew I needed to add more detail because it was only two and a half pages and it had to be three.  After reading over my paper many times, I began to find places here and there to add sentences to and make the paper even better.  My favorite parts in my paper are the metaphors and similes, so I tried to add more of those.  I really enjoy my paper because it is something I am actually passionate about.  At first I was very unsure about writing a profile.  However, when I knew I could write about the beach I became very excited.  I think my profile turned out very well and I had fun writing it too.

Project 5 Final

Danielle Silva

Professor M. MacKnight

WRT 104

23 April 2011

Project 5: Profile

            There are many different places around the world that change scenery depending on the season.  It can be amazing to see those changes happen right before one’s eyes.  The place itself does not change; simply just the occurrences around it become different.  Settings like this can be made into what the individual desires them to be.  In the winter different kinds of activities occur rather than they would in the summer.  Because the location lies in Rhode Island, one can see and feel the specific season changes and is forced to adjust to those differences.  The beach in Narragansett, Rhode Island is very well known to many people around New England.  Most only bother with it during the summer.  However, there are still a vast amount of people who are able to enjoy its beauty year round, simply in a different way than they would in the summer season.  To the eye, the beach always remains the same, however the season changes allow for transformations in the atmosphere and feeling of it.

            Sitting in a car during the month of April in the Narragansett Town Beach parking lot is an activity residents of the area enjoy.  Even on a day where one can hear the raindrops hit the roof of the car, the tranquility of this location can make any worries rid the mind.  Ignoring the slow movement of the wind shield wipers on the cars window dash, the wave’s crash slowly onto the shore over and over again in a never ending motion.  This same motion occurs in the summer months of June, July, August, and September except most will not be sitting in cars.  People will be out on the hot sand with their feet in the ocean allowing these wave’s crash into them.  However, still the same feeling of having no worries will occur when the beach is one’s location.

            The beach can be used for many different activities and occurrences all year round.  In the winter, a small amount of people will occupy the attraction of the beach.  Its smell of dead fish and salt with a mixture of the cold ocean breeze can keep most people away.  However, there is still those few who can always enjoy the harmony the beach can bring.  They take on the cold weather to enjoy the view of the ocean and the Narragansett Towers to the left.  Even in the winter, the towers are beautiful with small amounts of snow scattered around the rooftop.  On a day the wind picks up and the waves are large, one sits in their car with a friend over hot coffee and observes the brave souls who decide to face the winter weather.  Sometimes the waves can get so large that the sand on the beach seams to disappear.  Those daring one’s who are bold enough to take on these large creatures will go out and surf the outsized water creations.  They get out of their cars; untie their surfboards from the roof of their car, and sprint towards the ocean in their thick, skin tight wetsuits which protect them from the freezing water temperatures.  Then, there are those of us who enjoy parking our cars in the beach parking lot, blasting the heat to keep warm, and watch these bold people face the huge waves and surf them.  Sometimes one cringe’s when an enormous wave comes and we watch what looks like these tiny surfers get crushed by the enormous creations made by the wind.  During the winter months, the beach is a lot quieter, but every time one makes a trip there, the scenery never seems to fail to be a disappointment.

            As spring approaches and the weather starts to distance itself from the winter weather, more and more human interaction can be seen at the beach.  People in Rhode Island always seem to be completely miserable in the winter months.  As soon as a slightly warm day comes around, large amounts of people can be seen doing a vast amount of activities at the beach.  The combination of the fresh warm air smell and knowing summer is right around the corner brings happiness to oneself.  One can usually see a man walking his dog along the calm shores and another woman passing with her child may stop to pet the dog.  Some will slip their sneakers and socks off to walk towards the shore and get their first feel of the ocean of the season.  Most only can bare the bitterness for a second and then imagine how wonderful the ocean will feel in the summer weather.  Knowing bathing suit days are right around the corner, some of us can be seen going for a jog up and down the Narragansett shore.  Everyone is friendlier when at the beach during this time of year.  One can hear people converse about their plans for this summer and always brings a smile to one’s face.  Immediately, reminiscing of last year’s summer comes to mind and the new memories and expectations of the upcoming one will not escape for the rest of the day.  The beach during the spring months is the happiest time for those who enjoy the kinds of activities they can do at this time of year and knowing what season is coming next.

            In Narragansett, when the word “summer” is heard, only the beach can come to mind.  During the summer, the beach has the most interesting sights out of any time of year.  There are so many different behaviors and activities going on, one cannot keep up.  The hot air and the bright sun bring tons and tons of people to the beach.  Narragansett residents don’t enjoy the large amounts of tourists who come to their town; however being in the sun allows them to forget.  Groups of friends gather on the crisp, hot sand and set their beach chairs in social groups.  They get their bathing suits on because the weather is so nice that it would be crazy to sit on the beach with clothes on.  Tons of people can be seen in the water either cooling off, playing in the waves, surfing, and some people can be seen on their boats in the distance.  Like going into a high school lunch room, human chatter is ongoing throughout the whole day and the squeaking of a lifeguards whistle can be heard every so often.  Children can be seen playing together in the sand and building sand castles together with a mother snapping a picture of the precious moments the beach can bring.  And still, no matter how much craziness that can be going on at the beach during the summer, serenity still fills the mind and body.

            Those last few summer beach days at Narragansett beach are cherished because soon the fall months will be rolling right around the corner.  Children will be going back to school to see their friends again and gossip about how fun each of their summers were.  Parents will soon be going back to their jobs and normal schedules of waking up early and making their kids lunch for school instead of packing them for a day at the beach.  Fewer people will be seen enjoying their summer activities at the beach.  More and more clothes will be put on to go walk on the beach or go there to sit and relax while reading a book.  Less and less cars will be seen in the parking lot as the days continue to get colder.  The wet suits on the surfers will become thicker as the water temperatures drop.  Those who ran on the beach in shorts will now put their pants and sweatshirts on to be protected by the oceans breeze.  Green leaves on the trees across from the ocean will soon turn to their fall colors.

I can always be seen sitting in my car or on a warm day walking along the shore, no matter what the weather may be.  Even though the summer season is a favorite of mine, the harmony and peacefulness even during the winter draws me there.  Looking out onto the beach with its tan sand and different sized rocks mixed with seaweed keeps me sane.  No matter the how often the season changes, the beach itself does not transform.  It will always give me the same feeling no matter what it looks like, what it smells like, or how it feels.  Just like the waves that crash over and over again in their ongoing motion, the seasons alterations occur at the beach and the same scenery can be seen year after year after year.

4 of 5 Independence Process Blog for Project 5

                Today in class we had a writing workshop for project number five.  I was nervous to have others read my paper because I was unsure if I met the criteria of what a profile really needed to be.  However, once I read the first persons paper in my group I felt a lot better because there’s was formatted like mine.  Then, I read my paper and as I was reading I realized how much I really enjoyed my paper.  After I was done reading it, the other two members in my writing workshop group told me they really like it also.  They said it had good descriptions and was a well-written profile.  They also said they could really tell I enjoyed the beach and knew it had to be a favorite place of mine.  There were still a few things that needed to be worked on though.  Sometimes in my paper I kept switching from the past tense to the present tense and I need to work on keeping the whole paper in the same tense.  I also need to add another paragraph or so to make it three pages.

3 of 5 Independence Process Blog for Project 5

It was time for me to sit down and start writing project five.  Since I was home for the weekend in Narragansett, I decided I would charge up my laptop and go write my paper at the beach.  I figured this would definitely help me a lot.  Unfortunately, the day I went to go write my paper it was raining and so I had to stay inside my car while I wrote it.  I was hoping it would be a nice spring day and I would be able to take my beach chair out and sit right on the beach and write it.  Either way, I feel as though I did a good job on my first draft.  I do feel like I need some assistance with it so I am thankful for the writing workshop that will be coming up in class.

2 of 5 Independence Process Blog for Project 5

As I kept thinking and thinking about project five, I kept leading myself to believe I did not fully understand what a profile was.  Luckily, on Thursday when we went to class, the professor decided we would do a helpful activity.  He told us to go anywhere on campus and gave us a paper describing what we should write about and write about that place.  I went to the Hope dining hall because I figured there would be a lot going on there and a good place to write about.  I wrote down anything that I saw, smelt, heard, etc.  I didn’t realize these types of things should go into a profile.  Also, I didn’t realize we had to develop an angle to our paper.  The angle of Hope dining hall was that most people think it is just a place to eat, but really it is a social setting.  I then began to start to think of angles that I would use for my profile.

Project 5 First Draft

Danielle Silva

Professor M. MacKnight

WRT 104

23 April 2011

Project 5: Profile

            There are many different places around the world that change scenery depending on the season.  It can be amazing to see those changes happen right before one’s eyes.  The place itself does not change; simply just the occurrences around it become different.  Settings like this can be made into what the individual desires them to be.  In the winter different kinds of activities occur rather than they would in the summer.  Because the location lies in Rhode Island, one can see and feel the specific season changes and if forced to adjust to those differences.  The beach in Narragansett, Rhode Island is very well known to many people around New England.  Most only bother with it during the summer.  However, there are still a vast amount of people who are able to enjoy its beauty year round, simply in a different way than they would in the summer season.  To the eye, the beach always remains the same, however the season changes allow for transformations in the atmosphere and feeling of it.

            Sitting in a car during the month of April in the Narragansett Town Beach parking lot is an activity residents of the area enjoy.  Even on a day where one can hear the raindrops hit the roof of the car, the tranquility of this location can make any worries rid the mind.  Ignoring the slow movement of the wind shield wipers on the cars window dash, the wave’s crash slowly onto the shore over and over again in a never ending motion.  This same motion occurs in the summer months of June, July, August, and September except most will not be sitting in cars.  People will be out on the hot sand with their feet in the ocean allowing these waves’s crash into them.  However, still the same feeling of having no worries will occur when the beach is one’s location.

            The beach can be used for many different activities and occurrences all year round.  In the winter, a small amount of people will occupy the attraction of the beach.  Its smell of dead fish and salt with a mixture of the cold ocean breeze can keep most people away.  However, there is still those few who can always enjoy the harmony the beach can bring.  On a day the wind picks up and the waves are large, one can enjoy the scenery with a friend watching these amazing creations.  Sometimes the waves can get so large that the sand on the beach seams to disappear.  Those brave one’s who are bold enough to take on these large creatures will go out and surf the large water creations.  They get out of their cars; untie their surfboards from the roof of their car, and sprint towards the ocean in their think, skin tight wetsuits which protect them from the freezing water temperatures.  Then, there are those of us who enjoy parking our cars in the beach parking lot, blasting the heat to keep warm, and watch these bold people face the huge waves and surf them.  Sometimes one can cringe when an enormous wave comes and we watch what looks like these tiny surfers get crushed.  During the winter months, the beach is a lot quieter, but every time one makes a trip there, the scenery never seems to fail to be a disappointment.

            As spring approaches and the weather starts to distance itself from the winter weather, more and more people can be seen at the beach.  People in Rhode Island always seem to be completely miserable in the winter months.  As soon as a slightly warm day comes around, large amounts of people can be seen doing a vast amount of activities at the beach.  The combination of the fresh warm air smell and knowing summer is right around the corner brings happiness to oneself when at the beach.  A man walking his dog along the calm shores and another woman passing with her child stops to pet the dog.  Everyone is friendlier when at the beach during this time of year.  Hearing people converse about their plans for this summer can always bring a smile to a face.  The beach during the spring months is the happiest time for those who enjoy the kinds of activities they can do at this time of year.

            In Narragansett, when the word “summer” is heard, only the beach can come to mind.  During the summer, the beach has the most interesting sights out of any time of year.  There are so many different things and activities going on, one cannot keep up.  The hot air and the sun bring tons and tons of people to the beach.  Groups of friends gather on the crisp, hot sand and set their beach chairs in social groups.  They get their bathing suits on because the weather is so nice that it is crazy to sit on the beach with clothes on.  Tons of people can be seen in the water either cooling off, playing in the waves, surfing, and some people can be seen on their boats in the distance.  Human chatter is ongoing throughout the whole day and the squeaking of a lifeguards whistle can be heard every so often.  Children playing together in the sand to build sand castles together and a mother snapping a picture of the precious moments the beach can bring.  And still, no matter how much craziness that can be going on at the beach during the summer, serenity still fills the mind and body.

            Those last few beach days at Narragansett beach are cherished because soon the fall months will be rolling right around the corner.  Fewer people will be seen enjoying their summer activities at the beach.  More and more clothes will be put on to go walk on the beach or go there to sit and relax while reading a book.  Less and less cars will be seen in the parking lot as the days continue to get colder.  The wet suits on the surfers will become thicker as the water temperatures drop.  Those who ran on the beach in shorts will now put their pants and sweatshirts on to be protected by the oceans breeze.  However, no matter the how often the season changes, the beach itself does not transform.  Just like the waves that crash over and over again in their ongoing motion, the season alters occur at the beach and the same scenery can be seen year after year after year.