I plan on double-majoring in chemistry and math, but I would also like to, if possible, minor in English. Chemistry has always fascinated me which is why I plan on making that my focus while attending St Lawrence, but math comes easily to me, so in a way, I am just following the path of least resistance. My feelings toward english are ambivalent, so I think it will be good for me to spend some time on the subject, at least until I become more decided. I am from California and have spent the vast majority of my life either hiking in the mountains or swimming at the beach, so New York is an interesting change for me. I played water polo throughout high school but joined the Saint Lawrence Crew Team upon arriving on campus last year. I also ran cross country, briefly, and was on the swim team as well. Chess is another passion of mine: during long runs, I would play games in my head with a friend of mine who was also on the cross country team. Boxing and grappling are also hobbies that I enjoy devoting time to whenever I am home in California. Sports have always been a significant part of my life and I do not forsee that changing in the near or distant future. I don't really have any experience with feedback on my writing because I have never before been graded on anything other than essays, a type of writing to which I am not at all partial and, therefore, have no feelings toward with regard to feedback. I really admire Edgar Allen Poe's work, particularly because he manages to write with such elevated diction without coming across as pedantic, although that applies to his stories more than his poetry. He also manages to conclude his poems, especially The Raven and Annabell Lee, with such distinction that the last few lines are remembered long after the poem's bulk has been forgotten. I also admire Leonard Cohen for the lyrics in his songs. The words, coupled with his deep voice, eclipse the melody of his music which makes him, in my opinion, more poet than musician. To me, what makes poetry so admirable is the fact that each word has meaning. There is a perfection to it, even when it is chaotic or nonsensical. One of my favorite poems that exemplifies this is The Jabberwalky by Lewis Carol. When I have tried to write poetry in the past, I have felt that my poems were a bit monochromatic, so I hope to add diversity, in both technique and content, to my writing. Hopefully, with the help of this course, I will be able to do just that.