I loved this class. This quarter, she created her own curriculum that was focused on wellness.

Though it was challenging due to the fact that homework was due before each day of class, I actually learned so much about how to write at a professional level. This is definitely not the type of class that you was to procrastinate in, however, and it does require a lot of your time.

Things I loved about her class:
* She had us start our final project super early, and all of the material we learned in class was for the purpose of preparing us for our final project (scholarly essay and public facing project).
* She taught us how to write and use our own voices, while ensuring that we were being critical thinkers.
* She allowed us to create our own rubric for our final project.
* She actually cares about you as an individual.

Things I found challenging:
* The workload was gnarly, but definitely manageable. The readings were minimal, and all of the material we had to read and watch were actually super interesting. It's definitely not busywork, which I love.
* She grades heavily on participation, but I loved the fact that it wasn't about "Who can talk the most?" or "Who sounds the smartest?" She encouraged everyone to not only speak and voice their response, but to actively listen to other colleagues. It was great.

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.

Dr. MEHDIZADEH is a 10/10 professor. Clear, to the point, and inspiring.

A heavy workload will have you writing 4-5 pages for homework due one day later. The topic is wellness, which is incredibly boring in the context you are learning. The final project is more manageable than the homework.

Easy A as long as you do what she tells you to do in the SPECIFIC ways that she tells you to do. As long as you do you homework (like 3h/wk) and not procrastinate (IMPOSSIBLE) you will be basically guarenteed an A. She has an extra credit thing at the end that gives you like 3 extra points on your final essay (out of 20).

One thing I liked about her lectures were how engaging they were BUT THAT WAS IT! It was clear she had favorites and spoke to people differently for odd reasons. She would dock points off on your assignments and never leave comments on why. She assigns long assignments and says to answer them thoughtfully, but when you do it's apparently not enough. I honestly was pissed about my grade because I believe I deserved an A but due to her randomly docking off points I received a B-. Like for example, on an Community Engagements doc where everyone was supposed to write down one thing they would like to see in the class regarding how we would like our class to be structured she docked off like 5 points off the assignment even though I completed it. She docks off how much she wants then never gives an explanation on why even when you come up to her and ask. She also has her email set to an automated message where you rarely get a response back. I wouldn't recommend taking her please choose someone else!!!!!