As a physical therapy major, EN102 as a course was not directly related to my educational objectives, experiences and other courses I have taken. As a physical therapy major, majority of the classes that I take are science or mathematics courses. Science and math have always been my strongest courses. Taking English 102 this semester, I came into the course with an open mind, ready to learn new things, improve my public speaking through class discussions, and improve my reading and writing. This English course has opened my eyes to new ways of thinking. Writing papers has allowed me to improve my writing and grammar skills. With an improvement in these skills, I can then incorporate what I learned into the professional world as a Physical Therapist, writing out exercise plans, documents for patients, etc. The main goal of this course was acquiring new knowledge. By learning how to do this, I plan to take this into consideration in the remainder of my courses at Quinnipiac.

In addition, I have acquired new ways of seeing, thinking and being throughout this course. English 102 has taught me how to approach something new, and work with the difficulty that it may offer. As we read through many stories throughout the semester, I worked on approaching the difficult passages, understanding what they mean and figuring out the best way to see, think, and understand what the author was saying. Also, for the final research paper in the course, I had to see and think in a new way, creating new knowledge about a topic. 

Ultimately, this course has not directly contributed to my Personal Quest, but it challenged me to be a better and more efficient student. English has not been my strongest course, but my guiding question is: how does facing adversity help improve an individual's work ethic? Facing adversity and difficulty throughout this course has allowed me to become a better student. As I worked on my writing, speaking, and thinking skills, it may not have been easy, but I continued to work hard until I completed every task. My speaking skills that I can use in the professional world as a Physical Therapist have also improved.

For my oral presentation in regards to higher education, my group focused on the four levels of education that an individual goes through: elementary school, middle school, high school and college. Personally, I went into depth about highschool. Most high schools in our day today are four years: freshman year, sophomore year, junior year and senior year. High school is the first preparation for the read world. It allows you to be somewhat independent in choosing your classes, and building yourself as a student in order to figure out what you would like to pursue in the future. High school teaches you not only subject matter, but also a variety of different skills including responsibility, time management, listening, public speaking, etc. As a student, you grow mentally, emotionally, and physically. High school allows you to highlight your talents and interests by joining clubs, sports teams, etc. Another key part of high school is finally feeling a sence of freedom and independence. When you turn 16 and you finally are able to drive around on your own, this trait of independance and freedom really finds a role in your life. Before heading to college, as a junior and senior of high school you begin to build upon what you wish to pursue in your future, whether it be the major you will pursue in college or the work that you will begin after highschool. Overall, the memories and skills you take from high school play a large role in an individual's future success.