Week 1 - Introduction to the Course & the German Empire

Introductory Writing Assignment

To start off the semester, I would like you to compose a brief text introducing yourself. Feel free to write as much as you would like, but it must be at least one page (roughly 300 words). Please address most if not all of the questions below in paragraph form. Do not worry about structure or grammar. Feel free to use spell check, but please do not use Grammarly. Please either submit it on Moodle or email it to me at bvanzee@brynmawr.edu before 11:59pm on Monday, 1 September 2026.

Please include the following pieces of information:

• Your name
• How you like to be addressed (nicknamed, pronouns, etc.) 
• Where you are from 
• Possible major(s) and minor(s) at Bryn Mawr 
• What do you think are your strengths as a writer? 
• What are some areas where you think you may need to improve? 
• What challenges have you encountered in previous classes you have taken and how have you managed them? 
• What particular structures or practices best support or hinder your learning?
• What brought you to this Emily Balch Seminar in particular and what do you hope to get out of it? 
• What would you like me to know about you?