I sat in a class with 12 other students, intimidated by the small, intimate classroom setting. It was the first time I had ever taken a writing workshop and I was the one of the only freshman in my class.

I vaguely remember the first poem I had ever workshopped in the class. It told, rather than depicted, the connection between music and color, one of the most overworked clichés known to writing. But after, I learned not just how to write but to also think in different ways. To view the world in stranger ways. To take an interesting perspective on different issues that affected the personal, political and societal spheres of life. A variety of styles, subject matters, and a distinct range of poets motivated students to explore new forms of writing.

Workshops create also create a small, tight-knit community. With only 12 people in the class, not only do you trust these students to workshop your personal experiences and narratives but you also expose yourself. At first it may seem uncomfortable. This discomfort, however, leads to growth and maturity. You learn to listen to constructive feedback for your work rather than criticizing yourself.

More importantly, you can develop an incredible relationship with the writing professors, who willingly see you during their office hours (held often). You can discuss anything with them, like questions outside class, help with your work, or personal matters. I am lucky enough to have taken naturalist and poet Liz Bradfield’s workshop for three semesters in a row, and she helped me to grow not only as a poet but also as a person.

I learned to open myself up to become more vulnerable and more self-confident. The act of writing helped me to recognize things about myself I would not have compartmentalized. All the bottled-up emotions, desires, forces, and other unconscious drives subtly hurt me. I never spent enough time paying attention to them. Through Professor Bradfield’s class, I learned to love myself.

During the summer, I experienced a rough time trying to find internships and jobs. So I wrote...a lot. I became inspired. I cried and laughed while reading authors who experienced the similar emotions I was feeling at the time. I submitted my poetry to publications outside of the Brandeis scope.

Eventually, a writing workshop near my home that I applied to accepted me called The Ashbery Home School Program in Miami. The workshop, set right back home, became one of the most incredible experiences I have ever participated in. I met inspiring people from all different places around the U.S., eagerly got Natalie Diaz and Maggie Nelson’s autographs, and even got certified to become a Scream Emo Protest Deep Aerobics Instructor!