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A Reflection

One year ago, I'd only heard of Zoom once, logging on for some quick meeting while wishing that our group could've used Skype or Google Hangouts instead. Now, of course, I'm well-versed in Zoom culture and terminology, and I've spent more time on Zoom than I ever would've guessed a year ago. School over the Internet has been a wild ride to say the least, but I've definitely grown from it, personally and academically. 

Aided by the physical separation from a classroom setting, this class has made me more independent in my analysis, in my decisions, and in my writing. Help for assignments and reading is definitely out there, but this semester has given me the opportunity to start working on my own and planning out reading and writing schedules by myself, ultimately serving as the much needed preparation for college assignments and readings. 

Beyond this, this semester has also improved my ability to work and collaborate with peers, leaning more on one another for information, for guidance, and for group assignments. The debate on Oedipus Rex perhaps served as a perfect representation of this semester, forcing us to collaborate for mutual understanding and even communicate more effectively, whether it was frantically sending ideas for cross examination questions or devising a thorough refutation of the opposing team's argument. Now, if I have questions about an assignment or something in class I might've missed, I can't drop into the classroom halfway through the school day, but I can always rely on classmates to fill me in on what I missed.

I've also become a more critical reader, learning to read more critically and developing a stronger ability to connect abstract philosophy, imaginary characters, and real-world problems. AP Lit has helped provide me with the lenses necessary to understand a text at both its fundamental themes and its decorative notes of beauty. Through deep discussions and challenging prompts, this class has changed the way I approach and understand texts, giving me confidence to explore books and essential questions that I otherwise would not have explored.

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