Dear Future English 110 Students

Dear Future English 110.01 students,

I took this class as my one of my GEC requirements. Just like any other new classes, I was nervous at first. Honestly, I am not a big fan of writing, especially in English since I am an international student. Sometimes I got the idea but failed to express it in a convinced way and explore it deeper. However, I am so glad to tell you after I took my English 110 this quarter, it seems that I am not afraid of writing class any more!!!

It is a really intersting class if you follow your lecturer step by step and choose a theme you have a great interest on and are able to find countless resources to explore. For instance, my theme is food and foodways. During my English class, we read articles of food history, various foodways, attitude towards food, etc. We listened songs, watched movies, and discussed in groups frequently.

During your lectures, your professor will provide a lot of materials before the class. I strongly suggest you read them and get prepared. Later you may find those materials turn out to be some great source in your paper.I understand it always takes a long time to find satisfactory materials. As a result, one of your lecture is great helpful during which your professor will teach you different ways to help you find your resources. If all don’t work, then talk to your professor. I am sure he or she is always willing to help you.

In addition, like what I said before, it is really crucial to get prepared or schedule it forward. My experience told me that it is better to start your assignment early, maybe leave a week to finish your work. You don’t need to complete all in one day. Sometimes you can separate it in a couple of days. Everyday before you start read what you have done before and see if there is any chance you can improve it. Then, after you are done, you can go the writing center or get peer review to make it better.

What’s more, the class is considered. It develops not only your ability of writing academic papers but also your ability of free public writing. Besides of the analytic research paper, you need to write an essay which is published on Commonplace to all OSU undergrauate students and related to our campus life. From the individual and peer review, it helps you to become a qualified writer.

If you follow the instructions your lecturer teach you and attend class everyday, I can say you are approching A.

So, take a deep breath and love this class, I am sure you will do well.

Good luck!!!

Best Wishes,

Yiwei

I am a carnivore!!!

I made all my favorite food as a collage. As you see, yes! I am a "carnivore". I still remember when I was very small, I didn't like vegetables at all. In order to make me have a healthier diet, my grandpa made a deal with me: if I had amount of vegetables everyday, he would prepare one or two my favorite "meat dish". Apparently, I compromised, because I couldn't imagine my life without meat. Nowadays, as more and more people recommend healthy eating, such as being vegetarians or flexitarians, I thought and thought, and decided NO, I cannot give up meat!!! When Cain " brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord"(Genesis 4:3), Lord preferred Abel's offering of a "firstling of the flock", and this becomes my best excuse why I prefer meat.

Laba Rice Porridge

Chinese people have long followed tradition of foodways in a lot of important festivals. Like mooncake in Mid-autumn Festival, dumplings in the Spring Festival, we have laba rice porridge on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. The date usually falls in the coldest day in winter and is a traditional Chinses festival, called Laba Festival. On that day, family gather together and have the laba rice porridge to worship god. Similarly, that day is also a reminder of approaching to Chinese New Year. Laba rice porridge contains glutinous rice, red beans, mellet, Chinese sorghum, peas, dried lotus seeds, and some other ingredients. Normally, it is also called Eight treasure porridge, because of eight kinds of ingredients roughly counted. As I know, it is the only porridge which kids are free to add sugar in it. Regarded as one of the precious memory in our childhood, laba rice porridge has a special place in Chinese people's heart. I always remember after I got up in the freezing winter, my grandmother sitting at the table preparing me a bowl of warm and yummy laba rice porridge. The house was saturated with the aroma of laba rice, so was my childhood.

FOOD!?--Dilemma....

When talking about food and food ways, I always have countless ideas colliding in my mind which make me fall into a dilemma. It is really hard to pick up one or two as my primary source. Fortunately, two sources caught my eyes after sitting in front of my mac for a long time hunting for interesting materials.

1. "Are ' Kid Friendly' Foods a Defeat" By Lisa Belkin

From http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/06/are-kid-friendly-foods-a-defeat/?scp=1&sq=healthy%20eating&st=cse

I chose this as one of my possible primary source because it recalls my childhood. I was brought up by my grandparents till 10 years old. The most important thing to care about for the elder is their grandchildren's health, either healthy diet or healthy habits. However, what is a healthy diet?! It's not only about the counting calories, fat or portions on the nutrition facts chart. I find it's interesting because sometimes we understand some food is junk and fatty, but we cannot help eating it. I still remember when I was back form the boarding school weekly, I begged my mom " Mom, can I have instant noodles as my lunch?"....... While reading this article, I think I can do some research on food and health. How do parents compromise on frozen fast food and healthy fresh food with their children? Why do vegetarians become vegetarians? How do they fight against meat? ( because it seems impossible for me :( )

2. KFC Commercial- Fried vs. Grilled- Multicultural

I chose this commercial as another primary source because it opens many doors to me as the theme of food and multi-culture. As an international students from China, I have a mixed diet. I love traditional Chinese cuisines, and I love burgers, steak and ketchup either. When new food enters the a foreign country, it may have to make some changes to satisfy different eating habits. I think there might be some potential to talk about. How do those fast food empires challenges those countries which have never had it? What solutions do they do? Are there some reasons why some countries stick to their recipes or ingredients?

I really enjoy the sources I found, and I want to figure out the mystery behind food.

Good night~~

Hotpot Hotpot Hot~~Pot~~

When it's cold out, there is nothing like a nourishing and convivial hotpot can warm you up. In my hometown Chengdu where is famous for its spicy food, the hotpot is served regardless of seasons. One may be amazed to find the hotpot business is more flourishing during sweaty summer time. It is well-known in China that people in Chengdu love hotpot, herbal tea and chatting. I really enjoy the lively atmosphere in the hotpot restaurant. Friends, family members sit around a boiling pot with flavorful and nutritious soup base and talk with each other. The heavily oiled and spiced soup boils with hazy steam. The fire dances under the pot. Thin Sliced raw meat, all kinds of vegetables are the main ingredients for this dish. All of them are boiled in the soup, and then you can dip them in a little bowl of special sauce.

As the old sayings goes, you are what you eat. As a big fan of hotpot, I conclude a couple of theorems for hotpot, and we can see how they affect me:

1. If you have a pot, looked around, it seems all food can be put into the hotpot.--I am a person who prefer diversity and willing to try new things, especially for food :)

2. Putting meat into pot, I can't help counting the time.-- I am sometimes short tempered.

3. When all see lamb, actually we are out of lamb...-- I'd like to arrange my plan first in case to be in a rush.

I am hungry now...