Critically Minded

Image found on http://betterwritinghabits.com by Suzannah Freeman.

It’s amazing to see how many connections I can make between my IT degree and my English degree.  One connection is having a critical mind in regards to writing–whether it be poetry or programs.

I took a Software Testing & QA class this semester, where the primary goal of a software tester is to eradicate defects and make sure that the product fits the needs of the customer.  Hmmm, doesn’t that sound like editing?  Make sure that there aren’t any errors (grammatical, spelling, usage, etc.) and make sure it pleases the customer (teachers, professors, especially if they have a particular grading style).  Whenever an English major would ask me about this class, the response every time was, “Ew.  That sounds awful!”  In response, I would note the comparison to having someone edit a paper.  The same occurs on the IT side of this argument.  I have nearly, if I didn’t actually do it, compared a concept in Software QA into writing a paper, which most of the students would not relate quite as well.  The teacher might see the connection, but not the students who never want to think about the prospect of papers.

Both being an IT major and an English major have given me a critical lens.  After seven literature courses, and writing classes like Visual Rhetoric and Writing & Digital Media, I can analyze a poem, story, image, even a song, in order to find a greater meaning.  I can look at things to find what is wrong, with a constructive criticism purpose, of course.  Through these courses, I’m learning to look at things with an analytical mindset.

Even though, I am someone who hates getting the red marks in papers and getting comments that suggest things that I thought that I had already done, I know that these things are helping me to become a better writer, as well as a better programmer.  Sometimes we have to take a bite out of our own pride to make ourselves better.  This is not limited to writing, programming, or anything else school related, but can also apply to life.  I want to be the best person I can be.  However, I physically cannot see myself the same way as everyone else can.  I need to rely on my friends and family to point out my flaws.  It may be painful, but sometimes you have to bear a little pain in order to get better.  Just like testing out programs or editing poems, we, as humans, we need to work on ourselves and have a solid group of people to keep you accountable and point out what is wrong.  This is not to say that we need to nit-pick each other, but we need to look at each other in love when help each other.

Don’t you love how I turned a technical post into a sappy post about life?