Week One, Getting Acquainted With the Writing Center

The small, windowless room or two that is the UR Writing Center is located in the Administrative wing of the Boatwright library. Tucked away where no students can see or be seen, the center is not very welcoming to first time students. The dark shadow of the large clock tower keeps the red brick surroundings outside the entrance chilled and discouraging. Pulling open the heavy wooden door reveals a skinny hallway with a low ceiling and bare white walls. The hundred feet to the entrance of the Academic Skills and Writing Center is lit brightly by stinging UV lamps. I, already nervous about what I might find here, am tempted to turn around and walk briskly out the door. But met with the smiling face of a UR Writing Fellow, I begin to relax and recall my purpose here: learning through observation.

The warm face of my assigned fellow is perhaps the only warm thing about the writing center. The atmosphere is clearly not one that allows for students to relax and learn, and being that a student’s emotions should be taken into consideration during a tutorial, this place does not seem like an appropriate one for any type of learning. The five by five room, cloaked with the intrusive rumbling of a noisy air vent, was definitely crowded with just me and my fellow, leaving no room for a third should a student ever come into the center during one of my apprenticeship times.

However, since my writing was not being scrutinized by a strange set of eyes, I felt at ease after my introduction. My Writing Fellow, Claire, introduced me to the writing center, since we did not have a student scheduled to come in during her hour, and no one came in without an appointment either. She showed me what a valuable resource Writer’s Web can be, and told me that in her last session it helped her to explain comma use to a foreign student. I watched as she filled out the report form for her last session. I saw that not only was she kind in appearance and person, but her reflective thoughts were also very positive and encouraging. She seemed to truly take to heart what some of our readings have said about considering the emotion of a student who has worked up the courage to come in for help. I will take this to heart, especially after taking that first intimidating walk down the narrow hallway to the writing center.