What you've done right.

At the end of the semester, it can be very easy to look back over the semester and ruminate on the things you wish you had changed: deadlines you wish you had met, revisions you could have made, all the procrastination.

Don't do that. The semester is almost over. No time to second guess. You have to push through, cross the finish line, and then take a much needed break. I would prefer for you to look back on what you accomplished this semester.

For your final online lecture, I wanted to give you a quick breakdown of what you did RIGHT.

• You advocated for yourselves. You were not intimidated by the prospect of sticking up for your work. Being in college means looking out for yourself now, and you have done that very well. Also, in the Peer Review evaluations, you showed how seriously you take your work, and how you expect others to do the same.

• You took accountability for yourselves. Sometimes we drop the ball. That happens. You accepted your missteps and learned to recover from them. Then you applied what you learned to make sure it did not happen again.

• You learned to communicate professionally. Emails included salutations, complete sentences and farewells. Your emails were professional and cordial.

• You learned lots of new software and programs. For many of you, this was your first online class. This was the first time you used Canvas, Wix, graphic design programs, iMovie, Twitter or Google Hangout.

• You communicated in a supportive way. When your fellow students were freaking out on Twitter about all the work they had to do, you sent them encouraging messages. When they asked for feedback, you provided it. When they had questions, you answered them.

• You worked well in groups. Many of you commented that you would love to work with your teammates again. Well, you can. You have developed a professional relationship. Get their contact info so you can keep in touch after the class is over. Ask them to help you with future projects in other classes.

• You didn't complain. At least not publicly. I appreciate that you used our public space to talk about ideas instead of displeasure. You didn't whine. You should give yourself a hand for that.

• You maneuvered Twitter, bringing the platform back to its roots: When Twitter began many years ago, it was a relatively small space for people to get together to have short conversations. They pitched jokes, posted songs they liked, reviewed movies, and made observations. The adage was "Facebook makes you despise your friends while Twitter makes strangers your friends." For at least the past year, Twitter has changed. People talk less and yell more. Our class Twitter account has engaged in more interesting conversations this year than my regular account. Reading your Tweets has been a lot of fun.

• You learned how to successfully use the FSU databases. ENC2135 classes on campus meet in the library and a librarian walks them through the specifics of using the FSU databases. Online classes do not have that luxury. However, you figured it out with the videos and instructions on Canvas and did just as well, if not better, than students who sat through the library instruction.

• You were attentive in conferences. While video conferences were bumpy at first, you took notes, asked thoughtful questions, and accepted the feedback which was given to you.

• You repeatedly engaged with the materials. You talked about genre, subgenres, informative, persuasive, pathos. You learned our key terms and used them.

You have accomplished so much in this course, and you should be pleased with your products.