Today marks the end of the first month of class, a point in the semester when you may look back and ask yourself whether the skills you have developed and the habits of mind you have practiced will benefit you in the real world. Yesterday’s reflective writing asked you to consider your literacy-narrative writing processes in particular; today’s blog post asks you to meditate on all aspects of English 1103.
Last week, High Point University’s president, Nido Qubein, emailed some members of the university community a link to an article that addresses employers’ dissatisfaction with Gen Z graduates. In his email, President Qubein quoted John Hardage, who emailed the article to Qubein. Hardage wrote:
“The Fortune article . . . prompted me to reflect on how grateful I am for the great work HPU does in shaping young people (my son included) to meet the challenges of a modern work environment. The value of learning life skills at HPU should not be underestimated.”
Read the article “Bosses are Firing Gen Z Grads Just Months after Hiring Them . . . .” Afterward, compose a two-paragraph journal entry, a paragraph of summary followed by a paragraph of commentary.
To earn bonus points for your next Check, Please! assignment, complete the exercise at the end of this blog post.
Work Cited
Qubein, Nido. Email: “Bosses are Firing Gen Z Grads Just Months after Hiring Them—Here’s What They Say Needs to Change.” 29 Jan. 2025.
Bonus Point Opportunity
- Review the article and your journal entry, then compose a blog comment that addresses (1) one of the specific skills or habits that many Gen Z workers lack, and (2) one or more of the assignments you have completed or practices you have engaged in for English 1103 that has helped you develop that skill or habit.
- Post your comment as a reply to this blog post by 9:00 a.m. on Monday, February 10.
- To post your comment, click the title of the post, “ENG 1103: From the Classroom to the Office,” then scroll down to the bottom of the post. There you will see the image of an airmail envelope with a white rectangular box for your comment. Type your comment in the box and hit return. Voila! You have submitted your response. I will make the comments visible before class on Monday, February 10. Students who post comments by the deadline will earn five bonus points for their third Check, Please! worksheets.
Next Up
Wordplay Day! To prepare for class, revisit the Dictionary and World Builder pages on the Scrabble website, and review the blog posts devoted to Scrabble tips.
Jane Lucas 
Brady Battista
1). Good Initiative
2). Pop quizzes on class activities and blog posts:
This has helped me get into a habit of checking the blog every day and taking notes to make sure I am ready for each class. This helps make the pop quizzes less intimidating and shows the benefits of being prepared.