Kyle Roberts

Laura Knudson
UWRT 1101
5/3/16

Reflective letter
Dear Mrs. Knudson,
My portfolio dives into the concepts of coexisting among each other. I attempt to
understand adversity in the world to its core. I question what about change scares people so
much. I look to inspire my audience to see as I see. My writing is the physical form of my
journey. I discuss the significant impact these things have on your life in our discriminative
culture. The goal was to present a non-bias argument pointing out that normal is not normal. All
of the hate, and greed in the world separates us from our humanity and puts us into groups. My
works give you a look at my perception of those grey areas.
This year I have faced mental challenges that Ive never otherwise considered. Changes
overwhelmed me in every aspect of my life. Despite all the advice Ive received growing up
about life and the many imminent challenges ahead nothing couldve adequately prepared me for
what life was going to do to me. I came from a place of adversity so Im no stranger to obstacles,
but Ive never had the time for self-reflection I was unknowingly in need of. Writing was a chore
back in January and has changed into a tool I use to assess myself and my own growth. With it I
am able to dig down deep and apply my inner self to life so I can find my answers to it.
Our class spent a lot of time talking about culture from every angle and it reflects in my
writing. I used the freedom you gave us to my advantage and approached my topics eager to
learn as I wrote. As weeks passed and we discussed more articles my interpretation of culture
came into a clearer view. I began deeply pondering the causes and effects of my own actions and
what I represent individually and as a person overall. Over time I began to realize how class and
the articles made breaking down and forming my own opinion much easier. Living in a city

attending a commuter school provided me with the benefit of being in a diverse classroom with
very different backgrounds, opinions, and interpretations. This diversity gave me perspective I
wasnt able to get, or even acknowledge, in high school. I got better at giving and taking
feedback as time passed and learned ways to incorporate my peers suggestions so my work be
the product of multiple views and cultures.
Writing has always been a strength for me in school and I almost entirely attribute that to
the instructor. The discussions we had in class were what guided me most in my thought process.
You would open my eyes to a broader spectrum of thinking by exposing those grey areas that go
unnoticed so nobody questions it. You helped me challenge the general notion of what it means
to be normal which has allowed me to search for my identity. I found my voice as a writer and
was able to better myself as a student because of my time in University Writing 1101. My
grammar and formatting are weak area but Ive improved from the beginning of the semester and
will continue to thanks to the tools I was given. My portfolio is a project I can be proud of and
will only make me better prepared for the next portfolio I have to assemble.
Sincerely,
Kyle Roberts