A short reflection on my time as a Writing Fellow and the Barnard Writing Center.

A year ago I anxiously submitted my application to become a Writing Fellow for the Barnard Writing Center. Before even coming to college, I knew about the center and during my first semester, I regularly went to meetings for my essays. I went into my first session thinking that the Fellow would edit my paper and tell me what was good and what was bad, but instead I met with a peer who wanted to hear more about my ideas, amplify my voice, and give me a space to discuss my frustrations and thoughts without fear or judgement. From my first experience with a fellow, I knew I had to figure out how to become one. 

Months after I had been accepted into the program, I began the required course titled “The Writer’s Process.” The class is only taken by Writing Fellows in Training, so there is not much talk about what goes on in the class and what the discussions will be focused on. The first day of class I was met with sixteen other new fellows, all eager to learn more about how to be a ‘good’ fellow. But the class taught me so much more than that. I learned critical approaches to reading, general theories surrounding writing and teaching pedagogy, the experiences of multilingual writers, and how to create a radical space within the center. Each reading for class reshaped my view of the center and what my role as a Fellow would be.

Outside of what we learned in the class, I also made amazing connections with everyone who sat around our small table on the fourth floor of Barnard Hall. I connected with my classmates over shows we love to watch, experiences in high school, and our favorite cookies to bake. I explored new bookstores around the city with other fellows and fell in love with the community that the class and the program created. 

Heading into my first meeting with a student, I focused on strategies I learned in class, experiences the TA had spoken about from her fellowing sessions, and the ideas shared in class by my new friends. I sat at the table, my leg bouncing up and down, and greeted the first year with a smile, excited to talk with her about her paper that I had read the day prior. I could tell that she was also apprehensive about the meeting, considering that she did not sign up of her own free will and was forced to come as a requirement for her First Year Writing class. Throughout the session, both of our nerves wore off. She was able to discuss her ideas, and I was able to help her through some of the frustrations she was having with the assignment. By the end of the meeting we had connected not only through discussing her paper but also through our experiences at Barnard. 

Being a writing fellow has completely changed my experience at Barnard. It has given me a community of peers who I can confidently call friends and rely on when I need someone to look over my paper at the last minute or someone to confide in when I need to vent. Beyond that, working with the students has opened my eyes to new knowledge and different lived experiences that I take with me after each session. I cannot recommend the center enough for students who want to discuss their writing or who want to help champion the voices of their peers.

Image via Bwog Archives