Part of the reason I decided that the topic of this class was something I was interested in taking was because "Coming-of-Age" is something that directly applies to me at this point in my life. I am a lot more "of age" physically, mentally, emotionally, etc. than I have ever been, however there are still so many stages of my life to go and I know that I'm going to do a lot more growing up later on (I'm also growing up as I'm typing this even if it isn't noticeable). I think that Coming of Age is a continuous process. There are certain stages where it's more accelerated, and specific events that act as cornerstones, however it is definitely ongoing until you reach a plateau. This plateau comes at different ages for everyone.
I think this class is so important because the topic is so universally applicable and relatable. Everyone grows up. Everyone who's already grown up has gone through the process in the past. It's important to discuss the various facets throughout the different stages. Comparing different Coming of Age stories helps you to understand your own. I want to be able to analyse other people's (even if they're fictional) for the intellectual value, yes, but also to look at them in context of my own life-- what I've been through already as well as what I'll be going through in the future. I kind of wish I'd started keeping a daily journal starting when I learned to write just to be able to look back on everything that happened to me and everything that went on in my head. In a way the blogs are an insight into our current states of mind. I don't really see the internet going away any time soon and since these are on here forever we'll be able to look back on them when we're older.
The idea of these blogs being "on here forever" might be kind of a scary thought to some of your classmates--I don't necessarily want you to be thinking of "posterity" as you write these. (And you do have the option of deleting them once the class is over.) But what you say is really interesting, and I could definitely see the blogs functioning this way for some students--a record of where your thoughts on this subject are in the midst of a transitional period in your life, arranged in a quasi-journal/diary format. But for that to work, we need to not be thinking of them being read later by an older version of yourself--like Stephen, we'd need to render ourselves oblivious to that ironic, smirking older author-self who's undermining you every step of the way.
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