Descriptive Narrative Essay (2)

Melynda Phillips
Richards
English 1301
October 10, 2014

Junior Year Decisions

I am a junior in high school, and I have been home schooled since I was in third
grade. Being home schooled allowed me to work ahead in school and complete nearly all
of the subjects necessary for graduating. Having completed the largest portion of my
high school work, I had the choice to either stay at home and only study one or two
subjects for the next two years of school, or join a dual credit program. The decision was
difficult as both choices had many benefits and consequences.
If I decided to stay home and only learn a couple subjects, I would have a much
easier year. I would have extra free time during the day, and school would be effortless.
However, my mind would become a stagnant pond in the courses I had completed, and I
would regress in my education. Not using the math, science, and writing I had finished,
would mean forgetting, and potentially losing all the progress I had made.
If I chose to do dual credit, I would be much busier, and the year could wind up
being as rough as sandpaper. School would remove every possibility of free time, and
my classes would be harder due to the college level. However, I also considered the fact
that dual credit provided numerous benefits additionally. I would be able to further my
education, earn college credits early, and receive a real solid grade, all of which would be
an advantage when I apply for four-year universities later. I would also have real
teachers to assist me in learning and understanding my classes. Having a teacher was
something I was not used to, and could end up being incredibly beneficial to me.
I spent a few months thoroughly contemplating my options, trying also to bear in
mind where each path would carry me in the future. “And be one traveler, long I stood/
And looked down one as far as I could” (Robert Frost, lines 3-4). Dual credit would
allow me to complete college courses early, and my future college experience might be
easier overall if had less necessary classes to take on. If I stayed home, there would be a
possibility that I would forget what I learned in high school. Additional reviewing of
high school work would be necessary before attending to college. While, the idea of
staying home painted a pleasant, relaxing picture of the next year in my mind, it did not
seem to be an appropriate plan for my entire future. This difficult decision had me
caught between a rock and a hard place, as I wanted to have an easygoing year in school,
yet I also truly wanted a great future.
After much consideration over all the pros and cons, I decided the benefits of dual
credit out-weighed those of staying home. While, I do not imagine most students would
make the same choice as me because it is definitely a difficult path, I believe that I chose
the best possible path for myself, and I am pleased with the results. “I took the one less
traveled by,/ and that has made all the difference” (Robert Frost, lines 19-20). My free
time is limited, and my schedule is harder to manage; nevertheless I am getting along
nicely so far. Although, I rarely have time to myself, I have been able to maintain my life
quite well. My grades have been exceptional, and I am able to eliminate my  general
education classes early. Participating in dual credit has definitely been a great decision,
and will continue to benefit me as I continue my education in college.

Works Cited

Frost, Robert. Lines 3-4, “The Road Not Taken”
Frost, Robert. Lines 19-20, “The Road Not Taken”

Melynda Phillips

Richards

English 1301

October, 10, 2014

Junior Year Decisions Reflection

            The Choice Assignment was difficult for me.  Because I am so young I do not make many decisions by myself, and the decisions I do make generally do not have major consequences.  Finding a topic to write about was definitely a challenge on its own.  Not only was finding a subject hard, I also have never written a narrative.  I lack experience in writing papers other than a standard five paragraph essay.

            Being a minor, my parents still help me make many choices in my life.  Also, my life follows a pretty standard routine which eliminates situations where important life decisions are made.  I think within the next year, when I start looking at colleges, and the rest of my life, I will be making some major life decisions for myself for the first time. 

            Most of my life revolves around ballet, and while it is an easy topic for me to write about I feel that if I write every paper about ballet, the topic will become redundant, and you will be bored.  I want my topics to be interesting.  After finally deciding to write on my decision to do dual credit, I had to figure out how to write narrative.  I understood a narrative was more like a story than a informative essay, but the formatting flustered me.  I was confused about how to arrange my thoughts.  I decided the best approach was to just write the story then edit it many times until it was presentable.

            If I were to grade myself, I would give my self a low B.  While, I feel my paper is grammatically correct and flows nicely, I do not think I wrote a proper narrative.  I feel like my paper was not much of a story, but it was more like a paper stating why I made my decision and how it was the best decision for me.  I hope you enjoyed my paper and found it interesting.