Caira Week #1 – One Big Magnet

Nature vs. Nurture is one of the most famous topics that people debate. Which matters most: your genetics, or the nature of the people and environment around you? I am a supporter of the latter, and the biggest reason is because of the life I live.

All of my writing skills come from the English language class I took from 1st grade all the way up to the end of middle school. Mrs. Margie, the name of my wonderful teacher, taught me everything I know about English, from verbs and adjectives to how to analyze a text. If it weren’t for her, I doubt I would be here typing this blog in an AP English class. Ms. Becker, my 6th grade teacher, taught me perseverance in writing, and how to never give up in writing no matter the circumstances. Mr. Howard, my 10th grade English teacher, taught me to look at literature with the perspective of the whole world rather than just my English classroom. 

But English isn’t just about what or how I write, it’s also about how I communicate with people in day to day life. The words I use and my way of talking comes from those around me. Through watching TikTok or listening to my friends, I find new funny phrases to steal and start using. Me being born and raised in California shows through my constant use of the words "literally" and “hella.” Even the Youtubers I’ve watched growing up introduced me to British people’s funny vocabulary.

The other languages I speak besides English have also played a big part in shaping the way I talk. Sitting in 黄老师’s (Ms. Huang) classroom for three years and listening to her drill the structure for Chinese sentences in my brain has resulted in me sometimes even structuring my English sentences weirdly. 

   (The Chinese sentence structure from Ms. Huang's slides)

None of us pop out of the womb knowing how to write a perfect 5 paragraph essay or how to talk in full sentences, at least I surely didn't. But we learn through observing the people around us and day-to-day life. So, I believe that I am a collection of everyone who I’ve ever met. Every word that I speak, every word that I text, every word that I write down on a piece of paper has come from everyone I’ve heard talk, everyone I’ve texted, and everyone I’ve seen writing.

In reality, everything I’ve learned “for my English classes” has shaped me into the person I am today. Language to me is so much more than my ability to write for AP English Language and Composition. Language gives me the ability to tell every corny joke that I please, to read every single menu I see, and to write all of the texts I send my friends. My identity is not only shaped by everyone I’ve ever met, but also by every single word they’ve spoken or written.


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