I had a weird feeling come over me today when Sean and I were presenting our website. I didn’t realize until later that it was pride—in the website, all the work we did, and what we were able to present. It’s not that I wasn’t proud up until that point, but I’m usually not the best at public speaking, so I don’t usually experience that level of pride where I want to show everyone everything about my project if I don’t have to. But that’s what happened today. I wanted to brag about how awesome, at least to me, everything turned out. I was worried I was actually going to take up too much time. It was a great feeling, but I also know that it just means I’m going to take the critiques of my website that much harder. I understand the necessity and that it will only serve to make the website better, but I’ve always been a bit afraid of criticism even if it is constructive. I’m looking forward to improving my website based on the feedback, but I almost wish that part was over with already. Similarly, I find it hard to wait for criticism. I know, it makes no sense. Why would I say I hate criticism and then say I’m impatient for it? It’s because I know it’s coming; I want it as soon as possible, so I can address the issues as soon as possible.

I’m plan on keeping my fears in mind when using Hypothesis to evaluate UNC Ashville’s website. I can already tell they put a lot of work into it and that any suggestions I have are just things intended to strengthen the website rather than point out something they missed.

I’m been looking over the other websites for the past few weeks now, both inside and outside of class, but I’m looking forward to doing an in-depth study of Buncombe & The Bluest Eye. I have never read the book, but I have studied Toni Morrison, so I’m interested to learn more. Furthermore, their challenge was more recent, so I definitely think that will lend to a website structure and information portrayal that differs from ours. I’m planning on going over the website throughout the week to really get a feel for it, so that my feedback is useful and not just criticism, which I definitely understand is hard to take.

I don’t handle constructive criticism well at first, but after moving past the initial feeling of being uncomfortable, I take it for the often valuable advice it is. One thing I really like about the COPLAC class is that even though we are not attending in the same space, it’s such a small group that it makes for a more intimate setting. I’m more comfortable with these fellow students critiquing my website because I’ve known them—stared at them over a computer screen, really—for weeks. Sometimes, with a bigger in-person class that doesn’t happen. I’m glad I got to experience a class like this before I graduate.