Course Description

     English 101 will cover the writing process, illustrative writing, compare/contrast writing, cause/effect writing, argumentative writing, timed, in-class writing, the research process, and MLA documentation.

A Picture That Represents Me

1

     This is a picture of a clarinet. It is a wood-wind instrument. It is simply lying on top of a piece of music.

     This picture represents me in the way of music. I love music a lot! I own a clarinet and it is my favorite instrument to play. I express myself with my music by playing what is on my mind. If I feel happy or upbeat, then I will play really fast and cheery songs, but if I am feeling down, I might play sadder and slower songs.

Eng 101 Essay - Compare and Contrast Essay        

            You are getting older now and things at home are starting to feel a little cramped.  It’s time to finally take that really big step to spread your wings and fly out from your parents’ nest. The first step in doing so is to find a place to call your own.  There are lots of things to consider when you are deciding which route you would like to pursue.  Most people either move into an apartment or a house, but which one is right for you? Apartments and houses vary in many ways. Some of the main ways that they vary are: costs, space, and yards.

            Cost is a big issue when you are in search of a home. One thing you should remember when looking to invest in an apartment is the constant cost you will always be dishing out every month. Most of the time apartments will have smaller rent than houses, but there will always be a rent; which means you will never pay your apartment off. On the brighter side, maintenance is fully covered, and some apartments even offer free internet and cable with the rent; which means fewer bills that you have to pay. 

            Payments towards a house however, will be more than your standard apartment. When you purchase a house, you will only make payments until you fully pay it off and then it belongs to you. You have to worry about your own maintenance unfortunately. When something goes wrong, you have to spill out the money to fix it.  There will also be more bills to pay with a house. If you decide to get anything extra such as internet or cable, you have to pay for it separately.

            When considering different places to move into, you should also consider how much space you exactly need.  Apartments generally have less space than a house does; making it ideal for one person or a couple; most of the time you are looking at maybe 1-3 bedrooms and no more than 2 bathrooms.  Less space means less cleaning too. If you are busy with school, work, or even both, then you should keep this in mind. Remember that you are very close to all of your neighbors as well.  This results in less privacy and more noise unfortunately.  

            A lot of houses vary in size, but most of the time you will get more square footage than you will with an apartment.  Houses can have just as many bedrooms/bathrooms and maybe more than apartments.  This would be an ideal choice for someone who has or wants to have a large family someday.  The more space you have the more cleaning you have to do too. When you have a house, your neighbors aren’t so close to you so you can have more privacy.  If you decide to throw that big party someday with loud music; you don’t have to worry about any broom handles being banged on your ceiling or floor.

            When you look into apartments, more than likely you will not have much of a yard. If you are a person who doesn’t care much for yard work, then this would be a good option. All of the grounds are kept up buy the maintenance crew hired by the managers of the apartments.  If you are someone who loves or has big dogs, then this would not be a good place to look into.  Also, keep in mind that some apartments do not allow people who have pets to move in or charge a hefty pet fee. Privacy outside is another factor. Some apartment complexes have pools but of course you aren’t going to be the only one there.

            If you are someone who loves to do yard work and has pride in keeping a neat little garden, then you should consider looking into a house that has a nice yard all to yourself.  If you have a house, then you can also have a fence around your backyard.  This is good for someone who has a lot of dogs or kids.  You have a lot more privacy because you don’t have to share your property with other people.

            Choosing a place to live can be very challenging if you don’t take the time to consider all the categories you fall under. If you are a person who would like a smaller rent, doesn’t need a lot of space, and does not like to be bothered with yard work, then apartments are the place for you. But if you are someone who has the extra money every month for rent, has a need for a larger space, and loves to manage your yard, then you should look into buying a house.  Hopefully you will take the time to sit down and plan out which will be the best choice for you.

Reflection

     After turning this essay in, I felt very good about it because of all the hard work I put into it. When I got it back, to my surprise I received a C+, and to be honest, I was extremely disappointed because I could have sworn I did a whole heck of a lot better than that! My organization was good, but the grammatical errors was my downfall; comma use, fragments, semi-colon use, etc. Again, I was disappointed but it was the grade I earned.