Encouraging

Today I had a final meeting with my Advanced Writing professor. He set up individual meetings for all twenty of us to discuss our writing and responses written though out the semester. All I can say is: what an encouragement. I've never been very confident about my writing; I always feel like something more needs to be improved. I never felt my writing was 'college level,' despite encouragements from high school teachers. It's nice to hear, from a college professor, that I am doing well. He told me my style is pretty well developed and that I have little else to work on, and "you're only a fu**ing freshman." I'm not sure about any of that (I know for a fact my formal writing needs improvement), but it made me laugh. He also encouraged me to pursue my BFA and BS majors. So all around, a great meeting.

Then there was Myth. Two more groups presented today. One, Hawaiki, actually put on a play. I love watching people come out of their shells to create these societies, especially when the only requirement my professor gave us was: "Make a society, make the myths believable, and make sure it is . . . half way decent." Even though our group had a hard time coming together to make things work, everyone was equally excited. The first day we were allowed to meet in class, everyone was talking over each other at once. "What if we were an evil society?" "What if we were centered around fire?" "What if we had a pleasant society front but really we were poioening everyone?"  "What if we. . ." And so it continued.
What would happen if a teacher in a high school was to do that in a group of 30 kids? I wonder if they would run with it, or if kids that age aren't responsible enough? What's the difference between juniors, seniors, and college freshman? Have we really matured that much? I don't think kids are used to being in control to that extent, to have that much responsibility expected of them. I wonder what would happen if someone gave them that much power. I wonder if we are creating our own monsters; teaching kids to expect so little of themselves that they are confused when someone asks more of them. I wonder.