DRAFT
Student Success
DRAFT builds a supportive community, challenges you academically, and prepares you for success.
“Getting back into journaling keeps me in touch with what is going on around me and what is going on for me emotionally. I also recognized that being in an academic setting makes me happy, and I can begin college this fall excited to be returning to a setting where I can continue to learn and grow.”
“I both spoke and listened with people whose insights were thought-provoking and humbling. I have been both given and instructed on a set of tools to use for the rest of my writings — including a revision process that is efficient and (sometimes) enjoyable.”
“This program embodies the essence of diversity, the fact that throughout this week our differences don’t corrupt things but instead they are used and valued to exist in harmony I hope to continue in that harmony for the next 4 years.”
“What I truly hope to teach that I learned here is that together we are powerful. Together we can listen and be listened to. Be bold. Ask better questions. We owe that to ourselves. I learn something new about myself every day, but here I got to do in the comfort of a non-judgmental group that was on their own independent journey or discovery. I have been so lucky that DRAFT has been the point in which your journey of self-discovery has crossed mine.”
“I both spoke and listened with people whose insights were thought-provoking and humbling. I have been both given and instructed on a set of tools to use for the rest of my writings — including a revision process that is efficient and (sometimes) enjoyable. I am grateful to say the first friends I made at Southwestern were the people in this program and regardless of what the next four years look like, we’ll always have had… this community.”
“I think it is really important for me to remember to be relaxed when I am writing and that writing does not have to be this stressful task that I fear. Writing can be a creative outlet and something I can do to get my emotions out instead of just bottling them up.”
“Being around new people and staying at a new place and feeding off of each other in every way possible. Whether that be insightful conversations in the classroom or watching the basketball game together and doing karaoke afterwards. Being able to bond with new faces was amazing, since I’ve gone to the same school for 10 years.”
“Being in a new environment with new people allowed me to grow in ways I did not imagine. This community not only provides different perspectives, but everyone here is very supportive and kind to each other, allowing me to become more comfortable when sharing my thoughts. I want to be able to teach people that any form of writing can be personalized and authentic, and that writing can become a life practice rather than something for a grade.”
“DRAFT created a community of people I would’ve never interacted with, but everyone here is amazing and supportive. I would want to teach others that learning how to write doesn’t have to be reading a study guide, but instead a conversation with your professors and peers on how to better yourself and your writing skills.”
“You can try to build a community, but only the people in it can make it come alive with how they show up for the experience. DRAFT is a collaborative experiment in community-building and world-building that is generated and sustained by the spirit of openness, attentiveness, compassion, and curiosity that the participants bring to the table”
“I’m not what you would consider an experienced writer, or someone who enjoys writing. Though one thing I discovered… is that I enjoy journal time. I like writing about what’s happening in my life, how I’m feeling at that moment, and sharing it with friends.”
“The idea that most of us came from different places yet we all share a lot in common is interesting and it made me feel like I could finally be a part of something that isn’t solely based on cliques and preconceived judgments of one another. I have never really been able to connect with people on a level where it’s both intellectual and friendship oriented and being able to use my voice and be supported by my peers has changed my entire mindset of how this fall will go.”
“I’ve learned that writing is more than just an assignment I have to do to pass a course. I can bend prompts to what I want to write about and don’t have to filter my thoughts. World building is a large component of success and asking for help is definitely the best thing you can do for yourself.”
“A big thing for me was just writing. That’s it. Creating a space to simply write. I feel like I always get so wrapped up in wanting to create something great, that i wait for that something great to hit me, to start typing. I learned that nobody is a good writer, but there are great revisers. I learned that writing is thinking. I learned that good thinking is good writing. I learned that writing is a practice. This led me to realize that me feeling the need to have inspiration to write poetry roots from me not practicing writing enough. I don’t give myself many opportunities to grow as a writing. Aside from all of this writing stuff, I think this [program] has built upon the idea of creativity and uniqueness. We are all our own person and we all have different avenues of self-expression and that within itself is beautiful. I think that we kinda celebrated individuality… and that’s something that I will remember from this [program]. If I had to teach others about something I learned here at DRAFT, I would teach them about the importance of practicing writing. I think that, like I didn’t, not many people realize the significant growth you will find when doing so.”