Desert Island Songs
Gabriela: You'll Be in my Heart by Phil Collins
Mary: I'll be There for You by The Rembrandts
Ihemoa: Survivor by Destiny's Child
Ulriche: Live Your Life by T.I.
Amber: Love in this Club Remix by Beyonce, JayZ, and Usher
Joey: No Matter What by T.I.
Jon: My Savior, My God by Aaron Shust
Shaista: Somewhere over the Rainbow by Judy Garland
Sebastian: I get a Kick out of You by Dwele
Krista: No Air by Jordin Sparks feat. Chris Brown
Andres: The Pretenders by The Foo Fighters
Keith: Take it Easy by The Eagles
Will: TNT by ACDC
Rachael: Help! by The Beatles
Geoff: No Matter What by T.I.
Andy: Easy Skankin' by Bob Marley
Mahesh: What I Got by Sublime
Samantha: Don't by Billy Currington
Montgomery College Germantown, MD EN 101 Professor DiFabio
Montgomery College
Germantown Campus
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Thanks
My deepest thanks goes out to Gardner Campbell and Bill Kemp, my EN101 professors over a decade ago at Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, VA.
They are the true parents of Stranded.
They are the true parents of Stranded.
17 comments:
Amber Glenn said:
Amber Glenn
"Love in this Club Remix"
I decided to pick my DIS by just imaging being stranded on a deserted island. I knew that I would have to pick one song that would assist me through the lonely nights. My favorite rapper is Lil’ Wayne and, Beyonce is my favorite singer. I grew up listening to all of Usher’s songs; he is also, one of my favorite artists. At the time, I just had broken up with my boyfriend and was forced to go to the club, to ease my pain. While, at the club I heard this amazing beat; I instantly connected to the song. Then, Usher and Beyonce started singing together (which caught me off guard.) Later to my surprise Lil’ Wayne was also, on the track; at that moment I knew it was my favorite song of all time. So, I chose the song because it related to my life at the time and, it also had all three of my favorite artists on one track. This is very rare. Therefore, I knew I absolutely had to pick this song to write about for the semester because; I can never get tired of it.
Now that the semester is over, I would still chose this song if I had to do it all over again. This song has helped me come up with interesting theories to write about. Each paper I wrote I was never disappointed and overwhelmed because I knew I would be able to come up with an engaging thesis. Throughout, this semester I had to constantly listen to my DIS over and over again. Each time I did this; I learned something new about the song. I am happy I selected this song to write about because this course made my connection to the song stronger.
Using the same topic for each essay made it easier for me. At first, when I was told we would have to write about one song for the entire semester I was very anxious. I thought it would be impossible to keep writing about one topic repeatedly. I was shocked that when I was presented with a different form of essay, I was actually able to write about the same topic. Each time I began a paper a thesis came very natural to me. I was able to find unique opinions about the song and explain with evidence why I felt that way in particular. Writing about the same topic constantly definitely, made the learning process easier.
For students just starting EN 101 I would have to say study grammar and learn about punctuations extensively. Grammar and tense was a huge dismay to my work. If I could understand grammar better I would have been more successful in this class. Also, if you have to do a DIS for the semester; choose a song that you comprehend fully. You also, have to choose a song that you absolutely love and, know you won’t get sick of. If I didn’t choose “Love in this Club” I would have struggled with the essays. Finally, learn what your professor requires and met those requirements and you should excel.
Andrew Simone
Easy Skankin’ Artist: Bob Marley
I decided to pick my DIS by thinking, 'what song would be the best song to listen to on the beach.' I relaxed and tried to get into the mind state I would be in if I was on a deserted island. I imagined all the sounds I there would be: crashing waves, squawking seagulls, blowing of the wind, and the rustling of leaves. By picturing every little detail, it got me into the mind set I would be in on a deserted island. The next thing I did was try to listen for what sound would be playing in the background if this was a movie. It came to me in an instant; a Bob Marley song. Then I just chose my favorite Bob Marley. That’s how I decided to choose my DIS, Easy Skankin’.
I stand by my choice of song because it was a fun song to write about. For every paper we had to write about my DIS I found out new things I did not know before. Also, writing the papers about my DIS got me more educated on Bob Marley. I would not change my DIS artist because I always had more idea or more points of view on him, but I would change the song I chose. I might not do it immediately, however if I found a song that has more background to it, I would.
I felt that having the same topic as the basis for each essay was fun and interesting, but not as educating as different topics could have been. Having the same topic was fun because I got to do all my papers on a person I really enjoy listening too. But, at some points on a few of the papers I had problems and got stuck. For example, on the research essay it was hard to find good background information on my song Easy Skankin’, which made writing the paper a lot harder to write, and not as educating as it could have been. I feel as if making the topic the same made the learning process a little more difficult at times, but once I got going on the subject I had a lot of fun writing the paper.
A good piece of advice I would give to other students just starting EN101 is to pick a song that has a good background to it. Do not just pick a song because you enjoy listening to it. Pick a song that has a powerful message and good lyrics. If the song you chose is just a song that has no real meaning to it, you are going to have trouble finding out information you might need for some of the papers (especially the documented essay).
As the professor was reading the assignment, I decided to pick my DIS when the two words deserted island popped into my head. The first song I could think of was Survivor by Destiny’s Child. Now that the semester is over I do not stand by my choice because of the constant assignments using that same song.
Though I learned about Destiny’s Child’s past and what their music was about, I would have changed the song because I began growing tired of it. Perhaps if I had chosen a different song I would have gotten more of a background history of the song, where as to Survivor only had a modest amount.
I felt that using the same topic as a basis for each essay was overloading, everyday was about my DIS.
The learning process was difficult for me, I guess I didn’t understand, because I had problems with a majority of the essays and I needed to fix it. If I had to tell other students starting EN101, some advice would be to always make sure to read the assignment over and to check your work because having mechanical errors can be a problem.
Rachael Schultz
Help by the Beatles
I decided to pick my DIS because the Beatles are one of my favorite bands and this was the first song I had ever heard of theirs. When we were told to pick a song that we would basically be marrying through this class, the Beatles were the first group that came to my mind. I knew that we would be writing a lot about our song throughout the semester so I decided to pick an artist that I would be able to find a lot about. Help isn’t my favorite song by the Beatles but again it was the first one I had heard by them and it was memorable to me so I knew it would be easy to write about.
Now that it is the end of the semester I would probably have changed my DIS. I probably would have picked a different song by the Beatles though because it was easy to write about them. The song though was hard to write about after a while because it doesn’t really have a deep meaning behind the lyrics other than the artist asking for help. Reaching out and asking for help is a big deal, but the song is so repetitive and it is all he sings about. It made it harder to think of new things to write about the song by the end of the semester. I felt like I kept saying the same thing in every essay.
I really liked using the same topic for each essay. Knowing what I would be writing about for each essay made it easier, and the fact that we were writing about a song was even better. The hardest thing for me when starting an essay is thinking of what to write about so knowing that I would be writing about a song for every essay made it easier for me. It did make learning about each essay easier also because I knew what to write about each time. If we had done a different topic for each essay it would have been harder to compare one topic to another.
This class wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. I don’t like English very much and I don’t really like writing either, but because the basis of the class was music made it more fun. This class is based on music, so unless you are weird and don’t listen to music you will do fine. Make sure your DIS is a song that you won’t get sick of writing about because it is all you will be writing about for the rest of the semester. Also make sure your song has a lot that you will be able to write about, and make sure you will be able to find out a lot about the artist of the song because it will give you more to use when writing each essay. This class isn’t as bad as you think it will be, having music as the basis makes it more enjoyable.
Mahesh
Sublime - "What I Got"
I decided to choose Sublime’s single “What I Got,” for many reasons, first and foremost is that Sublime is one of the first bands I began to listen when I began appreciating music. They are a great first band to get in to, and were a personal favorite of my brother’s which made me sway my taste towards them. I knew I was going to pick a song by Sublime, and I recall hearing this song as a pre-teen and enjoying it then; now that I am a bit older and have a bit more comprehension about the song, it was an easy decision to choose “What I Got.” I am glad that I choose a song by Sublime, but had I the opportunity again, I definitely would have chosen another song by a different artist.
I do not stand by my choice because I would have preferred to do a bio on an older, classic rock group from the late 1960s or 70s. Given the option again, I would have chosen a song by either The Doors or Led Zeppelin because those are two of my favorite bands from that period. I would have picked an older band because, they have been around longer and have much bigger fan bases, meaning there would overall be more research information on the bands, giving more feedback to support the thesis in the paper.
I enjoyed using the same topic throughout each essay. I understand that we write about the same song through several papers so we have plenty of time to analyze and follow the song to the best we can. It would have been good to have variety maybe, and to analyze the artist more rather than the song, because that would give us a chance to better analyze different perspectives from the artist’s angle.
My best advice for a student just starting En101 would be to pick a song that is meaningful to you in many ways. Also to choose a song twenty years or older, to ensure there is enough information about the artists and or songs.The analysis part is all individual, but having the proper amounts of research and information for the topic drastically increases your chance for success for all of your DIS papers.
Andres Neyra
“The Pretender” by Foo Fighters
I decided to pick my DIS song by taking a long look into my music files of my Ipod and narrowing down which song made a larger impact to me. I listened to at least one hundred or more songs until I heard my DIS song come on. At first I thought of my song as something I had heard time and time again. But then I started to remember how I really first came across my song and what it had done for me. I really felt like I could listen to the song over and over and never get tired of it. I then made the decision to have “the pretender” by the Foo Fighters to be my DIS song.
Now that the semester is over, I still stand by my decision of keeping my DIS song. I would not change it for another because it really is a great song and the way it is put together makes it very unique. Knowing what I know now, I would not change my song because it has helped me to write a lot this semester in EN101. It also has helped me to really understand and get in depth with the history of the song through analysis and research. I was able to take the time to understand how music is a great impact in my life and how one song can really give power to meaning.
By using my DIS song as the basis for each essay, I felt that I was able to learn a lot of essay structures and learn how one topic can be used in many different formats. It really made the learning process easier for me because in my point of view, I feel that switching topics can be confusing. By writing about one song I feel that I was able to capture more writing lessons than in any other English class. It was also easier for me because it was a topic that was really interesting to me and made it fun to write about.
A good piece of advice that I would give to other students just starting EN101 would be to take their time in choosing what song to write about. They have to really sit down as I did and go down the list to each song and choose one that really means something or gives them a memory that they can talk about. Also, I would tell them to really take their time when planning out an essay. I have made the mistake to start writing a paper without really planning out how it should be put together. I would then come out and have many errors and mistakes when it came down to grading because I didn’t take my time. So for future students this would be a lesson to them.
Krista McCall said...
Krista
No Air by Jordin Sparks
I chose my DIS because it was something that I had a connection to in my own life. I wanted to have a song that I remembered so evident. I thought about songs that conveyed messages about love. I was in a relationship at the time and my DIS song was me and my boyfriend’s” love song I was thinking of choosing Changes by Tupac as my DIS, but eventually turned that down when the professor said you have to have full memory of how you encountered your DIS. I felt passionate to write about No Air and I wanted to know more about the song.
Now that EN 101 has come to an end, I wouldn’t stand by this song. My relationship with my former boyfriend came to an end and it hurts me to think that I devoted my time on my DIS when it played a huge role in my past relationship. When my boyfriend left me for another girl, I hated this song more than ever. It kept reminding me of all the good times we had shared. I didn’t want to hear this song because it made me want to love someone who isn’t in love with me.
Using my DIS as the same topic for each basis for an essay was annoying to me. I wanted to write about other things, other than music. I liked when we wrote the essay on “The Last Supper. This allowed me to put my opinion and thoughts that I felt described each character in the movie. Time after time, I became annoyed by hearing my DIS. When we would do the email group, there were songs that I rather had chosen for my DIS. After a while, I adapted to the write the essays that dealt with my DIS. It made me have a better understanding and full knowledge of my DIS. The learning process was easy because I already knew what the song was about and knew most of Jordin’s Sparks life.
For the new students who take EN 101, they should turn in their work on time and ask questions. The professor takes her time to help explain and give examples to each new essay. This will help with any confusion. Also, use the feedback that the professor gives to you, because this can make you r writing style more efficient and effective.
Samantha Zarger
“Don’t” by Billy Currington
When deciding what song to choose for my DIS I started thinking of all the emotions I would go through being stranded on an island, ranging from happiness to loneliness. I also wanted to use a song by one of my favorite country artists, Billy Currington. So I had to choose one of his songs that can make me feel good no matter what mood I was in and “Don’t” seemed like a perfect fit. “Don’t” has a very upbeat and lively vibe whenever I hear it I can’t help but sway along with the music. Billy Currington also has such a soothing voice. I felt like this song was a great choice for my DIS because it is by one of my favorite artists and it can lift me up no matter what mood I’m in and there is no better time for a pick me up than when you are deserted on an island.
At the beginning “Don’t” seemed like a great choice but now that the semester is over I realize I should have gone with a different choice. I would choose a song that has more meaning behind it other than wanting to spend the day in bed with a loved one. Since there was no deeper or underlying meaning to the song it made writing some of the essays a little difficult to write, mainly the analysis essay. Having to break down a song that is pretty much repetitive turned out to be pretty hard. There are many more songs by Billy Currington I could have chosen from that would have made working on the essays much easier. Songs of his with a deeper message and a more personal meaning such as “Must Be Doin Somethin’ Right” or “Here I am” would have been better choices essay wise but they aren’t songs I want to be deserted on an island with because they are attached to too many memories.
Using my DIS as the basis for each essay did make me a little sick of my song choice at times. Although it was difficult to write five essays on the same song it was also a learning process. It was difficult to come up with something new about “Don’t” for each essay without sounding too repetitive. At the same time it can be a good challenge because you have to start thinking out of the box and really experiment to think of fresh ideas. I would have rather chosen one artist and based the essays on different songs by the artist instead of just one. This would make things a little more interesting because you won’t get too annoyed with one particular song. As well as being able to write essays based on the artist themselves which gives you a chance to hear more songs and some that you may not have heard before.
My advice for incoming En101 students is to choose a song that has a personal meaning to you so you can have more thorough essays. If you take the whole stranded island theme as literally as me then you might not chose the best song. It is important to choose a song you don’t think you will get tired of as well as a song that you will be able to talk about and describe in many essays. Also it helps if the artist is very well known. Even though Billy Currington has been in the music scene for around six years there aren’t as many magazine articles and interviews with him like there would be for more famous artist such as Tim McGraw or Shania Twain. There are many things that go into choosing a good song as your DIS so choose wisely.
Mary
"ill be there for you"
I decided to choose “I’ll be there for you,” as my DIS song, and how I choose this song was I thought of the one song that has a lot of meaning to me and the one song that I could listen to over and over again. My thought process behind it was that this is a song I knew a lot about, and that I understood the best. It was a story and I thought it would be different if I choose a different structure of a song then what you usually see. Another reason was when we first got the DIS assignment it asked you to choose a song you would have with you on a deserted island, and this song came up in my mind because it’s a song about friends and family. That’s what I would want to be reminded of if I was stuck on an island.
Now that the semester is over, looking back I’m glad I choose this song and if I had to do it all over again I would choose the same song. It was a song I knew a lot about, but what I liked the most is as we went on through the semester each assignment taught me more and more about the song. I learned a lot more interesting facts then I had known before. It was interesting to use the same song in different style essays. Even though some essays were hard to write about ,I found that the song I choose was perfect for the assignments and it was the truth that this is honestly the one song I would listen to over and over again on an island if I had to.
Using the same topic for every essay was very different for me. It made the process more difficult with me because I felt like I was writing the same essay over and over again. It made me kind of bored with the song for a little bit. Then when we got to the documented essay it turned it all around. That was the one essay I had the most fun writing because I learned so much more facts then I had before. I like writing different kinds of essays with all different kinds of topics. I feel that having the same topic for all the essays just bores you out by the third essay.
Students who are just starting EN101 have fun in the class. It was actually one of my favorite classes and most interesting. Come to every class and turn in all your assignments on time. Pay attention to every class and you will have a blast. It is a lot of work but you will learn so much after the class is over. Don’t slack in the middle of the semester because it will come back towards the end and you won’t like the result. Overall try your best in the class and you will do a great job overall.
Joey Guy
“No Matter What” by T.I.
I decided to pick “No Matter What” as my DIS because the first time I heard this song I was going through something similar to what T.I. is talking about in the song. This song really helped me to get through my situation with my head held high and I’ve just kept it close to me so I can always remind myself that there will always be a brighter day. I’ve heard this song many times and I knew that I could write a lot about where I first heard the song, what the artist is going through, how it’s changed me. I knew that this song would be fun to write about because I wanted to get deeper into the meaning of every word and this semester has helped me do that.
Now that the semester is over I stand by my choice. I would not have changed my song because this song has helped me get through many tough times and it will help me through even more. Looking deeper into this song has changed my perspective on certain situations in life and I wouldn’t even think about changing my song for this class. This class has helped me get through some more tough times just by having me look at this song from a different perspective. You can’t take that for granted and change that.
I felt mixed feelings when I used “No Matter What” for every topic. I really liked looking at this song in a different light on every paper. On the other hand I felt like it started to get repetitive near the end of the semester. I don’t think it changed the level of difficulty because I stayed with the same song. I think that it started to flat line by the last two papers.
Next year for the students coming into EN 101 I would tell them to get into the mind set of, “I’m going to write a lot this semester”. I would let them know that they would need to make sure they have a song that they will have a lot to talk about. I would also tell them to be organized because if you lose one paper you are going to get screwed. Be prepared to write at any moment. Finally I would tell them to come in with an open mind, and be ready to look at many things in a different perspective.
When we were handed over the 'Desert Island Sheet' I read the scenario and quite literally tried to imagine myself stranded on a beautiful desert island. Thinking of a song to be stranded with only brought one song to my mind over and over again and that was somewhere over the rainbow. As I pictured myself lying on the cold, silver sand under the star blazed sky with this enchanting song filling the mystic, tropical air, the mere idea gave me chills. That gave me the notion that the effects of these lyrics under the given circumstances can be quite strong and intoxicating. So I believe given a situation where you have to choose a song to be stranded with, there is no better choice.
Although the semester had nothing to do with actually being stranded on the island, it did give me an enormous opportunity to analyze this song in every possible way. It opened my eyes to a world of possibilities and a number of realizations by helping me open up and expressing myself by just being myself. I am grateful for the chance to reflect upon my decade long love affair with this song and how it sparked the passion for writing in me once again in the process. So, given an opportunity, I would most definitely like to stand by my choice by all means since this experience has been so rewarding and enjoyable.
Although the topic remained same, the theme for each assignment was variable. Each time I had to analyze the song at a completely different angle and had an opportunity to reflect upon a different aspect of the song. Each assignment was unique in a way that it required the research and critical thinking in its own specific way. Each assignment I wrote gave me an opportunity to learn something new about the song as well as providing a great medium to put forth some facts in return that have been so dear and near to my heart. Having the same song as a topic was an excellent way not only to learn more about my favorite song but also to form a deeper connection to its contents so I could write with enough passion and enthusiasm.
My only advice to the future students, please choose a song you are passionate about. A song that touches your heart like none other and gives you a lot to think about and reflect upon.
William
"TNT" by ACDC
I decided to pick “TNT,” by ACDC as my DIS because I can remember listening to it often when I spent the summer at my grandmother’s house during the summer before sixth grade. I remember spending time with my friends, Cory and Brett. We would listen to this song repetitively, due to the fact that Brett only had two CDs; surprisingly the song never got old.
Now that the semester is over, I regret my choice of making “TNT,” by ACDC my DIS. There is little meaning behind the song, which makes it somewhat difficult to write about. Knowing what I know now, I would have chosen a different song with more meaning behind the lyrics.
Using my DIS as the topic for each of the five essays was helpful to me, yet somewhat difficult. It was helpful because I learned more about the song throughout the course of the semester, which in turn made me more knowledgeable of it. On the other hand I chose a song which has little meaning behind the lyrics, so it was difficult to write five essays on.
If I could give a piece of advice to incoming EN101 students, I would tell them to pick a DIS that really relates to their life and has meaning behind the lyrics. Don’t make the same mistake as I did and choose a song that has no meaning behind it.
Keith Obendorfer
"Take It Easy" by the Eagles
I chose “Take It Easy” by the Eagles as my DIS for EN101 because it was the first song I remember truly listening to a song. The song has a lot of different instruments in it that all tie in together very well to make the beat breath taking. Along with the beat the lyrics of the song are just as spectacular, telling us to live our lives to the fullest and to take it easy. By combining the beat with the lyrics of this song it is easy to see why I chose it as my DIS. The song pulls you in right away with the beat and than gets you thinking about life throughout the song with the lyrics. I found this song mind blowing from the first time I heard it.
Now that the semester is over I still stand by my choice, picking “Take It Easy” by the Eagles as my DIS. Even after writing our essays about this song and constantly thinking about them I would still pick the same song for my DIS. I would still pick the same song again because I have a real connection with it. I know I could listen to it over and over again without getting tired or annoyed of it, I know because I have done it. Every time I listen to it I always remember the first time I heard it, driving along the beach, sun shining and the wind blowing, perfect environment for a relaxing song like my DIS.
When I first found out we were going to use one topic which was our DIS for every essay this semester my initial reaction was that it was going to be boring and drawn out. After realizing I had a real connection with my song it definitely made the learning process easier. I feel it made the process easier because I was constantly writing about something I am very passionate about as well as very interested in.
A very helpful piece of advice for students entering EN101 would be to make good use of the writing center; the people there are very friendly as well as very helpful. Another piece of advice would be if taking EN101 with Prof. DiFabio, make sure your song choice is a song you won’t get tired of hearing and are very passionate about.
I decided to pick my DIS after long consideration. When asked to pick a song I was going to write five essays about, I literally panicked. I could not remember a single favorite song. I attempted to start singing randomly, hoping that a song I favored would come up; I still could not think of anything. When I returned home from classes, I turned on the television to music channels. No song I truly liked was played. I no longer knew what to do.
What I knew was that the correct song was important because it would make it easier for me to write my essays, thus I feared that my grade in English depended on one song. The next day in class, when asked to select a song again, I felt pressured. I stared at my paper, and finally I remembered one song that had recently grabbed my attention, Live Your Life, by T.I., so I selected this song.
I selected the song hoping that it was good and easy enough. The day after my selection, I heard this really nice Country song, Fried Chicken by Zac Brown. The title may be a little bit of a turn off, yet the song is very touching. So I changed my DIS to this song. The day after my decision, we received our first essay, and I realized that the song Live Your Life was going to be easier to write about, so I changed my DIS back.
Now that the semester is over, I would change my DIS again to perhaps a song from one of my favorite artists, Beyonce, or Lil’Wayne. I would change my song because as time went, I grew really tired of listening to my DIS. I would choose one of my favorite artists because I learned a lot about T.I. from constant research on my DIS artist. If I had chosen one of my favorite artists, it would have been pleasing to learn about them. The idea of a DIS, I believe, was creative; it was different from any other English classes, and it was interesting, so the learning process was easier.
When choosing a DIS, you should select a song that is fun, interesting, and meaningful to you. This song should always be appealing to you because you will “marry it,” as had said Professor Difabio. The essays will be made easy if you truly like the song and, especially, the artist. You will learn a lot about the artist, so choosing an artist that interests you is also important.
Gabriela Castro
“You’ll Be in My Heart” by Phil Collins
I decided to choose "You’ll Be in My Heart" because what it represents in my life. I first heard this song on a beautiful day share with my family. I remember the look in my children’s eyes as we watched the movie Tarzan. The lyrics represented everything I felt as a mother. When the professor asked us to choose a song to be stranded on an island that was the first song that came to my head, this song would make a perfect companion as it has a great beat and meaning to me. Moreover,it reminds me of my loved ones.
Yes, as the semester ends I would still choose this song for my DIS. "You’ll Be in My Heart" is one song I will never get tire of hearing. Actually,it is played constantly by my children every time we enter the car. And a magic feeling invades me every time it is played. Knowing what I know now, I would not change the song because this song has so much meaning to me. That made the writing process flow naturally.
Using the same song throughout the semester it was something unique. I actually like it, it gave me a new perspective to look deeper into the song. I was familiar with the song and I liked the artist. That also plays an important role. I believe that because I chose a song that I care, from an artist that has done so much, made it really interesting. This approach to learning was not easy, rather challenging. However I thought it was a very pedagogical approach, as it engaged most of the students.
My piece of advice to other students would be to get involve. Participate in class, ask your teacher, get help. Because writing is a challenging task for most people, it is mostly subjective, and there so many ways to express one’s thoughts. I will also tell them to make sure that they look into the professors, as they make a big impact on the learning process. They could be the key to your success or failure.
Name: Jonathan Hyon
DIS: My Savior My God, by Aaron Shust
I decided to choose my DIS because I liked how it was put together musically, because I liked the message it had, and because the meaning of the song is readily apparent. Musically, My Savior My God is recorded in a simple, “no frills” style. However, though it has a calm rhythm, the artist’s inner passion is still apparent in both the way he plays it and from the lyrics he sings. The clarity of the song’s meaning appeals to me very much, especially in this age where one might have to dig excessively deep into most songs to analyze its true meaning. That is not to say that I prefer not to think, but on the contrary, I enjoy thinking. Sometimes, at the end of the day, I just want to be told what I’m listening to. Shust delivers that in My Savior My God, without making the song boring.
Now that the semester is over, I still stand by my choice. Knowing what I know now about my DIS only makes me more attached to it. As the semester has gone on, I have analyzed, compared, and researched about My Savior My God. While doing so, I have confirmed my original opinion of the song: that it is a well- written, well- performed worship song possessing a powerful meaning and sincere, simple style. I have also done a bit of research on Shust himself, particularly for the Documented Essay. What I found was a humble, down- to- earth man, whose speech (found in interviews and in the content of his blog) matches the tone of his music: simple and sincere. He also has great love for his family and his Savior, a fact which is readily made available in his blog posts and the anecdotes he writes in the pamphlets included with his albums.
I rather enjoyed using my DIS as the topic for every essay. Having to write about one thing every time simplified matters for me, as it took away the need to choose a different topic each time, and has allowed me to utilize any relevant knowledge gained from one essay in writing the next. All this made the learning process easier as well, as I was enabled to focus on the writing style the class was assigned to practice, and I was also prevented from procrastinating on the assignments. This was because of the fact that, unlike some other classes where the students are often assigned topics they find uninteresting, I was always writing about something I enjoyed. The only significant difficulty I encountered with this process was the relative lack of research sources available that talk about either my DIS or its artist, but that is mostly due to the fact that Shust is still counted as a relatively new artist, after having his debut in 2005.
A piece of advice that I would give to future EN101 students would be to take accurate notes. I have found that, in my personal experience in this class, every assignment that I received a relatively low grade on was accompanied by a set of messy or incomplete notes or even the total absence of any notes in general. However, by the same token, I have also received high marks on the assignments for which I also took notes well. Even if you feel you already know the material being taught, I would still suggest you take notes, if only as a precaution against forgetfulness or misunderstanding. Taking notes vastly simplifies the writing process for the assignments, as they can keep the material fresh in your mind.
Sebastian Louis
05/05/2009
DIS and artist: “Kick out of you” by Dwele
I decided to choose the song “Kick out of you” by thinking about what songs make me feel relaxed and mature. Also I thought about what my brother and I listen to all the time. As I put these two thoughts together, I came up with the song that is close to me. The message is delivered in a serious, mature manner. It also has a humorous expression. As I listened to this song more, I matured emotionally. It helped me to think about what love really is.
However, I would change my DIS. One thing I learned about my DIS artist is that he is very creative in his songs. He has a wide variety of interesting subjects that he sings about. I would change it because he talks about more subjects than love. One song he is talking about “Flapjacks” and another song he is talking about what “A Pimp’s Dream” is. So I would be interested more in those types of songs than the one I choose. His songs are unique and different. Also, choosing one of the songs above would improve my ideas in essays. The song I choose was too simple and short too give innovative ideas in my writing responses.
I did not feel content about using the same topic as a basis for each essay. At times it made it hard for me to write essays and mini-writes. My DIS was very short and it did not provide me with sufficient information to compose my essays. Also, I wanted to write about a different subject than love all the time. Assignments such as the analysis essay were especially difficult for me to describe my DIS. The positive thing about using this essay is that artist touched on the subject of love. It is very broad subject and it helped me to brainstorm different ideas and thoughts about it.
My advice to the other students starting EN101 is to take notes, think about your favorite song, and have a relationship with the teacher! EN101 is a class that is based on music so the student who enters this class has to have their favorite song in mind. You have to talk about your favorite song throughout the semester through many essay formats. Also this class goes a fast pace and I strongly recommend to take notes and talk to the teacher frequently about assignments. The teacher will be glad to help you in whatever form of writing you might be struggling with. You will see a significant improvement in your essays and your overall grade if you constantly ask for help.
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