Welcome to my website
About me
My name is Jimmy, you can call me Dongyi Xie.
I'm a student, multilingual writer, and creative learner. I enjoy exploring different cultures through language, food, and everyday experiences. I am currently studying in the United States, but I have a background shaped by living between cultures. This has influenced the way I think, write, and connect with others.
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In my work, I explore how small, personal experiences—such as moving to a new environment, trying unfamiliar food, or communicating across languages—shape identity and storytelling. I often write from a personal perspective but also connect my experiences to larger cultural ideas. I don't just see writing as an academic skill; I also see it as a way to express my personality, reflect on change, and build understanding with others.
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In the future, I hope to continue using my writing and projects to share my perspective and connect with different audiences. I want my portfolio to reflect who I am now and who I am becoming: someone who learns through experience, values culture and communication, and uses creativity to express identity in meaningful ways.
Artifact
1 / Reflection Writing
This reflection was created for an FYE class writing assignment where we were asked to think about our academic habits and personal development. The piece focuses on how I handle challenges such as time management and motivation, and it shows my ability to express self-awareness and connect experiences to learning goals. It also demonstrates my ability to revise based on feedback and organize my thoughts clearly. The genre is reflective writing, and it highlights communication, critical thinking, and improvement through self-evaluation.
2 / Group Discussion
This artifact comes from a group discussion activity where we were asked to respond to course readings and build on each other’s ideas. I contributed by sharing my perspective, asking clarifying questions, and helping connect different viewpoints in the group. The work reflects my strengths in communication, cooperation, and listening. It was created as part of a collaborative classroom task, and it represents the genre of group discourse. This artifact also shows how I engage with others and support a collective understanding of the topic.
3 / Culture Shock Essay
This essay was written by Engl-1004 last semester, it explores the topic of culture shock through personal experience and observation. I wrote it as part of a writing assignment that focused on analyzing cultural adjustment and identity. The paper reflects my ability to organize ideas into a clear structure with an introduction, body, and conclusion. It also shows engagement with real-life context and thoughtful reflection. The genre is personal academic writing, and the work demonstrates skills in narrative expression, critical thinking, and connecting personal insight to a broader social concept.
About this collection
For this project, I chose three artifacts that demonstrate my growth in various areas. The reflection essay is about my habits and struggles, such as staying motivated and managing time. Writing it helped me be more self-reflective and consider ways to improve. The group discussion revealed how I collaborate with others. During the discussion, I shared ideas, asked questions, and tried to connect what people were saying. This experience made me realize that writing isn't always a solitary activity; sometimes it's about listening to others and building on their ideas. The culture shock essay is based on my personal experience. Writing it helped me process my feelings and relate them to real aspects of my life.
Though these three pieces are different, they're connected by communication and personal growth. Looking at them together, I can see how my writing has changed — from focusing only on myself to focusing on others and the world around me. Putting these pieces side by side helped me realize that writing isn't just about completing an assignment. For me, writing has become a way to understand my experiences, share ideas, and connect with people.