English: Important (even for STEM!)
A big reason why I emphasized English class specifically (for what you shouldn't use generative AI for) is because it is the most compelling class to use AI for. We think it isn't that important, especially at a STEM school. We want to ignore it because I'm at T-STEM to learn engineering, because the country I came from only cares about technical writing, because I am an immigrant and it is hard to adapt to new writing conventions... I saw it as a required bother.
Yet the skills I've learned from writing an essay, I'm using it even now. Not only to write the paragraphs in a convincing manner (YOU are the audience), but to organize them in the best way that appeals to most. For example, I've had to decide what to take out of the 'Guide to using GPT' page, and add here (many ideas overlap). I had to choose the order in which I present things (do I tell you at the end or start my struggle with the class?). All of these seemingly little things and choices are surprisingly hard to make. And you need to learn how to cope with that discomfort. Not only to cope, but to learn how to get faster at it. Me in 2021 would've spent far longer in indecisiveness. It's the growing pain!
Being a good writer comes in handy for many unexpected reasons. One reason is to keep you engaged enough to read this. Another is that getting the observational skills from learning to analyze detail will be helpful
Being a good writer, clear communicator, and observer will come in useful for anything you do later on (not only for English class, but for research papers, college apps, debates etc.). Also helps you think faster + more critically overall!
"Clarity is the most important thing you can achieve in your writing. A writer's job is to make sure that the audience understands what they are saying." - Brian McDonald