I love reading. I enjoy reading romance novels, classics, poetry, horror, and mysteries. I love reading romance novels. The hopeless romantic in me just thinks they’re adorable.  I have a love-hate relationship with poetry. I enjoy poetry that I can relate to or that addresses a specific issue, such as mental health, sexuality, love, or adversity. Rupi Kaur is one of my favorite poets. I can connect to many of her poems, and I believe she does an excellent job of bringing attention to the concerns of South Asian immigrants. A poetry book that I recently purchased has piqued my interest. Logan Duane wrote the book All the things I didn’t say in therapy. Because I myself struggle with my mental health, I am a big supporter of reading about it. Many of his words in this little but powerful book resonate with me. I also enjoy reading classics. I adore Jane Austen’s works, especially Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and Emma. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë will always be a favorite of mine. Sylvia Plath’s work is one of my top picks. Her personal past is interesting, but her work is even more so. The Bell Jar is an absolute classic. My favorite poems by her are Tulips and Daddy. Toni Morrison is another notable author. Toni Morrison’s Beloved is a remarkable work of literature that I feel everyone should read. The pandemic affected my reading habits by providing me with more free time to read. During the pandemic, I rediscovered my love of reading and have made it a point to read at least once a week since.

Writing gives me mixed feelings. I dislike writing essays and research papers since it exhausts me. I enjoy doing creative writing. I’m not much of a storyteller. I consider myself a listener, but I have attempted to write stories in the past. They weren’t the best. I came the closest to writing my own stories during the college application process, when I wrote my personal statement. I truly enjoyed writing it since it allowed me to express my story in a unique way. I keep a lot of journals. I began journaling to help me in practicing self-care. I struggle a lot with my mental health, and journaling helps me express myself. I often jot down quotes or anything else that moves me or has an impact on me. I write letters to people in my life with whom I want to speak, ranging from friends to family members who have passed away. I enjoy journaling and creative writing.

I’ve done research for school assignments before. Nothing specific comes to mind right now. But I also completed research for an internship on how quarantine affected businesses during the peak of the pandemic. It is challenging for me to organize all of my research and provide a coherent description of what I have observed.

My favorite subject in school has always been English. I had the privilege of having wonderful English teachers in high school who created a really free and comfortable environment for the students. I am very excited for this class.  I’m not a great writer, but I’m hoping that this class will help me improve my skills and change my outlook on writing.