Good class to take as a first-year for a G.E.. Very similar to high-level high school English classes but Dr. Mehdizadeh is engaging and good enough that it doesn't feel like a total waste of time. You will build good skills for writing that will help you throughout many different classes. The diversity aspect promotes interesting conversations without seeming shoe-horned in or overly forced. The weekly posts can be long, as you often have to read many articles and create lengthy posts. But if you stay on top of it, you should be good and you should have enough time to work on them.

Dr. Mehdizadeh is a great teacher. She is willing to help you and if you follow the instructions and complete all your work putting enough effort, then you should not have much difficulty getting an A in this class. You have two assignments per week which I thought wasn't bad at all but If you are not a strong advocate for social justice, some of the readings might feel boring. I personally don't think I was compatible with her but I still recommend people to take this class because everything was reasonable in terms of difficulty, workload and content.

A very interactive class with a focus on wellness. The entire course slowly builds and prepares students to write their final essay, which is the final assignment for the class. This class is the perfect class to prepare any new students for college and teaches students how to write more critically and analytically, and gives a taste of what college professors expect from students. As long as you complete all homework and participate in class, you're pretty much set for a good grade. The professor only offers individual feedback during individual meetings or office hours, so if you want feedback on your writing, you'll have to reach out on your own. Class sizes are relatively small and discussion-based, and is mainly a place to discuss what was learned in the homework and how those topics will be utilized in future assignments.

I love professor Mehdizadeh. She is pretty nice in grading and holding all the in-class discussions. The only problem is that the homework (weekly post) workload is somehow heavy. However, I would say as long as you put enough effort into this class (do all the homework, get engaged...) it is very likely that you can get an easy A.

Overall, I truly enjoyed this course because Dr. mehdizadeh centered the class around the theme of Wellness. This curriculum did not only push me to think critically but also led me to integrate geniune wellness in my personal life. Dr. Mehdizadeh is an incredible professor who ensures that her students grasp a proper understanding of the material. She articulates complex topics into straightforward examples. Moreover, she is an exceptional communicator who addresses everything directly--whether in person or through emails. In class, there is a chance for everyone to participate and ask questions. Besides class time, there are always office hours that can be scheduled. The homework assigned two times a week consists of readings and writings--just like any typical english class. The level of difficulty increases gradually and accordingly to what is being discussed in class. Therefore, I recommend to take notes during class while asking a tons of questions. It's genuinely helpful. When it comes to tests, there are no quizzes nor midterms. The final exam was an essay reflecting our:
1. Well-rounded understanding of Wellness but in a PRECISE argument.
2. Application of argumentative writing framework.
3. Incorporation of academic lessons learned from the book. As a side note Dr. Mehdizadeh provides all reading materials for free!

One of the ways to succeed in this class is by showing genuine curiosity towards the material. It is very crucial to follow instructions. And I know this sounds convential but it is the essence for thriving in this class. As long as you do what you are being asked to do, you're all good! Dr. Mehdizadeh expects her students to incoporate the writing strategies she emphasizes. However, this does not interfere with personal writing styles. In this class, you have the freedom to write with your own voice. The professor reinforces the idea of how we are the authors of our own work, so we should never force words/ideas that feel unatural to us. On the other hand, she encourages the merits of time in writing. The more time you have to complete an assignment, the more you have a chance to achieve better quality and thoughtful writing. Dr. Mehdizadeh genuinely cares about the success of her students. I feel way more equipped with writing skills and intellectual abilities to tackle not only english but other subjects!! I learned to shape a strong critical lens that helps me understand not only myself but others around me.

My advice :)

1. Please give yourself time to write. In my personal experience, I believe this class is way more different than AP LANG/LIT. Back in high school, some teachers are not so hard on deadlines and might give students some extensions. Dr. Mehdizadeh expects all students to finish homework BEFORE CLASS.

2. Do not procrastinate. Please just don't. Begin with homework as soon as you see it. Even if it's only for 5 minutes of reading/writing. Just start. The good thing is that all homework is on the syllabus so you have access to everything from the first day. This gives you a chance to brainstorm and develop connections between one homework and the upcoming one.

3. Make friends! Since this class is small, you're going to notice that by week 3, you've already memorized everyone's names. I regret not speaking with more students. I truly think it's nice to have someone you can do homework with. It's a mutually beneficial experience.

4. Be ready at all times. In other words, do readings thoughtfully. Complete writing not perfectly but with clarity, intention, and most importantly, with a growth mindset. You are here to slowly flourish and not instantly.
Come to class feeling ready so you can participate easily. This is an active way to stay engaged while allowing others around you to keep thinking. Participation is graded!

5. Be yourself. Being at UCLA, I often felt like no mistakes are allowed. However, Dr, Mehdizadeh breaks that rule and creates a space for imperfections. Being yourself means sharing your ideas authentically while engaging with your peers truthfully. Moreover, being yourself is about accepting the fact that you will make mistakes. Always seek to display that value of being yourself in and outside of class.

Good luck bruins :D

Out of all the classes I took this quarter, I definitely enjoyed this class the most. Dr. Mehdizadeh is a great lecturer and is super engaging and helpful, I would recommend her to anyone trying to get rid of their Writing I requirement.
The class is themed around wellness, and the writing material comes from the book They Say/I Say. Classes are usually discussions with a small group or the whole class, combined with Dr. Mehdizadeh lecturing. Each week, you submit an online discussion post for homework, with each week building on the previous. Some of these discussion posts would honestly take me hours to write, but I think they were pretty useful to really ingrain the material in my mind. And as long as you don't procrastinate and try to write it all the day before, you should be fine. The discussion posts are graded, and my scores ranged from 4.5/5 to 5/5. There are two weeks where she holds one-on-one conferences, but these should be an easy 5/5. Make sure you are following the instructions and implementing what she talks about in class. The final essay is also about wellness, and you start drafting it pretty early on, so there's a lot of time to refine it. I recommend taking time to go to office hours to get personalized feedback.
Participation counts a lot in this class, so really make sure to pay attention and offer your thoughts. I was scared of participating at first, but there is really never a wrong answer. Dr. Mehdizadeh always finds a way to spin what you say into something that contributes to the conversation!

I took this class in Fall Quarter 2025. Honestly, It was probably the best english class that I've ever actually learned from. She taught me how to become a better writer by not giving me individual feedback and allowing myself to gauge into a writing process. Her work in the beginning is hard because she grading harshly on these summarization paragraph that could stunt and make you rethink the class. Don't be worried the second part of the year is free points as long as you put in the effort. Yeah, that's to mention. YOU NEED TO ACTUALLY TRY IN THIS CLASS. This is not some cluster where you can just zone out half the time. Participation is mandatory and honestly its potent that you pay attention otherwise your summary paragraph is going to look terrible and affect your grade poorly. Overall, awesome lecturer and would definitely take again!

Super kind professor! The class is easy and engaging, with grades based entirely on weekly assignments due before each class (Monday & Wednesday) and one final essay (no midterm). She cancels class in weeks 5 and 10, giving students time to study for midterms and finals. Instead, she holds 20 minute one-on-one Zoom checkins. During the week 10 check-in, she reviews your final essay, which is the only essay required for the class.

Grade Breakdown:
Community Engagement 20 points

Peer Review 10 points

Weekly Homework 45 points

Final Project 25 points

Community engagement: Rather than provide guidelines for “participation” or “attendance,” this class centers on a Community Engagement framework. For more information about Community Engagement, please visit the “Course Resources” module in Bruin Learn and read the document “Community Engagement,” which outlines best practices for being an engaged member of a learning community.

Dr Mehdizadeh seems to genuinely want us to internalize her advice and improve our writing. She is at times unclear and sometimes rigid, but if you follow her train of thought and write according to the way she wants you to, you'll be on track to receive an easy A. Additionally, she gives readings and weekly homework assignments that are sometimes tedious or intimidating, but you'll receive a fair score if you put in the effort. Overall, I think I was truly able to take away something useful from this class; all her modules will come together and make sense in the end, in my opinion.