Standing for Something
By: Kenneth
Dinkajay802@aol.com
When I was assigned an article in The Future/What Matters to me section, the content of the article immediately appeared in my head. Since The Future section of the magazine is specifically targeted towards youth and others in my age range, I knew that whatever I documented had to be personal and relatable to the readers. “Standing for something” was the topic assigned and addressing the importance I have for my craft of writing could be greatly responsive to others. We all hold a belief or cause that keeps our feet planted and that we strongly support and/or advocate.
Growing up I found writing as an outlet for me to release anything that I felt and the sound of music brought cohesiveness to those writings. My writings basically consisted of poems, short stories, music, and commentary on news events or stories. Rarely would I share any of those writings with others because when I would the feedback was little to less positive. Writing was found as just a hobby of mines that I never really took seriously until I entered the seventh grade. That year I was enrolled in what I considered my first real English course, in which I was finally forced to take my writing more seriously.
The reason for the change in attitude towards my writing came from my English teacher who mentioned that she saw plenty potential in my writing. When she expressed her opinion of my writing, I stated that my writing was just necessity for me to release and express what I felt and was never taken seriously. The reason for the lack of confidence in my writing was mainly due to fact that I lacked the dynamics of good grammar. I felt that my writing suffered because of major grammar issues and others aspects of writing. My teacher assumed me that with time and practice I could greatly improve my writing skills to correct those issues. Due to my teacher’s motivation and tutoring, I made the decision that I could pursue a career in journalism and writing.
I began to have faith in my writing and with practice saw great improvement in my writing skills over the years. Upon my last year of high school came the negative criticism of my English Honors teacher. My entrance essay into the course was the call for criticism from my instructor; he believed that my writing lacked substance and bias on certain issues. Knocked barely by his comments, I knew that I had to prove my writing ability. Once confused and misguided on my future goals, I was know focused on becoming a great writer since the seventh grade. During my final years, every essay I completed was greatly perfected and if not only few writing errors occurred. By the end of the course, my instructor generous apologized for his earlier comments and even signed in my yearbook stating that one day I would receive my Pulitzer Prize Award.
“Standing for Something,” I stand for my faith as a writer and sticking to the goals and dreams I have set forth for myself. Over the years, I have went by the phrase “never settle for mediocrity” meaning never go for less because than you cut yourself from reaching your full potential.