Just a writer.

In several of my classes the teachers are emphasizing having a portfolio. This caused them to decide to have a "great" activity.

We had to write down something we felt each person in the class was good at.

Then we had to write down what we will remember that person as and 3 things we will remember about them.

Fun, right?

Wrong.

EVERY SINGLE PERSON in the classes wrote the same thing for what I was good at..."writing". Some elaborated and wrote "and editing".

For what they will remember me as, EVERY person put "the writer".

Some of the things they said they would remember remember about me was:
She's editor.
She writes good.
She always was willing to proofread my essays.
She tutored me.
She was too quiet.
She was very shy.
She was nice to everyone.
She would talk to anyone.
Everyone knew her.
She never made fun of people.
She wasn't afraid to talk to the "special" kids.
She's smart.

You get the idea. There wasn't anything really considered negative.

HOWEVER,
I just want to comment about that stuff. You're probably thinking, "why complain when it's good stuff?" or "what is it NOW?" or even "can you NEVER be happy?" or something along the lines of "what is she going to whine about this time?"

When I was younger, I had no choice BUT to write. I didn't have p.e. because of my heart problem, but I still needed the grade. Therefore, they gave me reading and writing assignments. This extra "practice" caused me to increase my skills at them both and push ahead of the class.

I liked doing it because I was "good" at it.

BUT

When I got older it got where I just wrote because people expected me to. People expected me to be "the writer"...they expected me to get an "A" on my essay...they expected me to be "editor".

Do I like writing?

Sure. When I do it because *I* want to or because I don't feel like I'm expected to be "good". I don't like the pressure of being expected to be "good" at writing. Or expected to have an "A" paper. To tell you the truth, many of the essays I received an "A" on deserved a "B" at the most. I'm tired of people just expecting me to be the "writer". I don't think people even look for errors when they read my things because "oh, she's editor so she won't have any mistakes in hers". Bull.

I'm not perfect. I make PLENTY of mistakes. I make several in my writing. Heck, look at this journal. Read the old entries...I guarantee you'll find errors. Will I correct them? NO. This isn't the school newspaper or even an essay for a class. This is my journal. I don't care if there are errors.

It's nice to be the "writer" and have good things remembered about me. However, don't expect me to be THAT good at it. Majority of the stuff I write about for the paper even, I don't even care about. I just write it because I'm obligated.

I guess what I'm getting at is don't think that just because you remember me as "a good writer" necessarily means I like writing. Just consider that. I just wonder how many of them TRULY know anything about me.