This movie illustrated the everyday realities and horrors of a broken healthcare system. Daniel Blake, the protagonist, tried to receive employment and support allowance after being prevented from working by his doctors due to his failing health, yet faced constant opposition, from the very services that are supposed to help the people, by frustrating and humiliating him to such an extent that it almost appears that they want the claimant to drop out and stop pursuing their right to ask for aid. Daniel’s journey illustrates a Kafkaesque journey; he is forced to look for jobs despite knowing that he has to deny any that he is accepted to due to his doctor’s orders, in order to qualify for benefits, while simultaneously being given demerits for trying to appeal the government’ worker’s decision that he was still able to work (despite what his healthcare physician said). This bureaucratic nightmare illustrates the indifference of the government, and how its crushing silence leads to its people’s lives spiraling downwards into deeper poverty. Though this movie was based in England where healthcare is provided to all, this made me wonder what happens to those in need in the US, where the government is offering partial healthcare to some.
My Thoughts on Nanette
As somebody who genuinely enjoys comedy, I was thrilled to watch this especially because I had never heard of her. This was more than just comedy though as it intertwines a lot of social commentary on being a member of the LGBTQ+ community, tools of comedy and it really demonstrated the strength that she has and has had to display being a part of such a marginalized community. I really liked this stand-up comedy/one woman show because of how she destabilizes the preconceived notions of what a stand-up comedy show is and restructures it to cater to her speaking agenda.
Film with Judge Scott Miller
When watching movies involving complicated judicial trials with complex lawyer client relations and heated debates between defendant versus plaintiff groups, it is often the case that one just assumes that a lawyer will try to “win” the trial on behalf of their client. But what if the client unremorsefully commits a crime in response to an injustice done to their loved ones? This grey area can understandably make representing clients a much more ethically and morally difficult task: to what extent should a lawyer take their client’s version of the story as the only truth, and how do you use this “truth” to successfully defend the client, especially if the client has committed a crime. Judge Scott Miller gave interesting examples of challenging cases he encountered in which he had to reconcile what would be the lawful versus ethical thing do to. After discussing the Attorney’s code of ethics, it became very clear to understand that what is lawful versus ethical can become very difficult to determine, especially since it is often very difficult to completely separate one’s opinions and values when making such calls, as was shown by the interesting debates/discussions this brought up in the group. Regardless, this watching this movie with Judge Scott Miller was an incredible opportunity to delve into the judicial world with an expert to guide us through.
Nanette
Nanette was another great example that shows us how humor can be used to spark much needed debate and conversation about controversial issues and problems facing our society. As individuals, we all have identities that shape us (i.e. gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, physical abilities, etc.) and how we move in our daily lives within society, with some of those identities giving us more privileges and advantages over others. Hanna Gadbsy does an incredible job of discussing important struggles facing the LGBTQ community through humor: her use of her own turmoils and childhood struggles with issues surrounding gender and sexuality not only makes her narrative more approachable, but also invites the audience to reflect on their own experiences, regardless of how similar or different they might have been from hers. While there is still much progress left to be made regarding LGBTQ, perhaps comedy-based platforms can be a start to help people become more aware of the problem in order to hopefully promote more “serious” conversations that can ultimately lead to reform.
Cascadilla Gorge Cleanup
Even before many of us become Cornell students, the phrase “Ithaca is Gorgeous” becomes a staple of our Ithaca experience. Talking walks around the multiple trails we are privileged to have near campus, it is quite easy to become enthralled in the beauty of the surrounding environment. But while we take our selfies by the gorges and upload them onto Instagram or on our Snapchat stories, few of us stop to think about how the Cascadilla Gorge Trail remains so clean despite so much foot traffic, especially now that the weather is finally getting better- at least it’s something that I seldom thought off. Having gotten the chance to participate in this gorge cleanup was a great opportunity not only to walk the trial one more time, but also goes to show that doing our share to keep the gorges clean is a simple task that can help keep “Ithaca Gorgeous.”
Black Panther
This Marvel movie provided twists which differentiate it from other movies. By casting a predominantly black cast, they are going against Hollywood norm where diversity is lacking in the roles of main characters. They also chose to portray woman as strong and independent characters that were able to lead their own lives. Similarly, they portrayed the villain as a complex character who’s anger and desire for revenge stems from his father’s death at the hands of the protagonist’s father. This illustrates the difficulty in labeling things as good or evil since reality cannot be as easily defined as those two categories, and is instead a mixture of the two. These additions to the movie allowed me to appreciate it as more than just another superhero movie.
A Man Called Ove
This film is an interesting mixture of drama and comedy. It’s the story of a Swedish 59-yr old man, Ove Lindahl, struggling to cope with the recent loss of his wife Sonja to cancer, and also frustrated for being forced to retire from his job with the train company after 43 years. Although Ove tries to kill himself in several occasions, every time he fails interrupted by sudden mis-happenings in his townhouse neighborhood. In one of his attempts, he has a flashback to his child-hood and we learn that after losing his mother, his father dies hit and killed by a train. In other attempt to kill himself, we also learn how Ove met his wife Sonja, a school teacher, and how they lost their unborn baby in a bus accident in Spain while Sonja survived but became paralyzed. It is remarkable that despite all the tragedy that surrounded Ove’s life, he was not a bitter person as he continued to help others and became close with many of his neighbors, including an Iranian immigrant woman, Parvaneh, her Swedish husband Patrick, their two children, and new baby. Parvaneh felt also very close to Ove and he listed her at the hospital as next of keen. Parvaneh makes fun of the fact that Ove tries so hard to kill himself but does not succeed. Soon after, Ove dies in his sleep during a winter storm and his funeral is packed with neighbors that appreciated how much he cared for others. Overall this film brings an important message for many communities, about how your neighbors become your extended families as you learn to share and care about their joys and sadness, while you share and support each other on the daily challenges that life brings us. The fact that Ove, being Swedish, did not care that Parvaneh was Iranian, but adopted her symbolically as a daughter and her children referred to him as grandpa is remarkable!!! An important message for inclusiveness and tolerance particularly at a time in our society when people do not realize that there is much more than makes us similar than different from one another!!!!
V for Vendetta
At what point does a government impede our rights as humans in the name of ‘peace’. At what point should we stand for what is right against tradition and comfort. The movie served as a template of a nations’ revolt against a tyrannical government. What first started as one man’s plight to expose a corrupt government’s agenda, led to an outright revolution ending with the destruction of the government’s parliament, symbolizing the end of an era. This led me to reflect on current governments and their roles in our lives. While this portrayed the government to be completely corrupt, by spying on its people, portraying a false media, causing an epidemic in their own nation to cement the government’s power, and to have endless wars, I started to wonder at what point does a government actually become corrupt; is it when it causes one major offense to its people, or is it after an accumulation of offense? And a continuation to that is when should people should revolt against their government? Even though the people were able to elect government officials in the movie, they were deceived to believe that the current government was the only possible solution to their problems. Therefore, a dilemma arrives; people can elect officials to change their laws, yet at what point is it ineffective to continue a government and instead be remade. I highly recommend this movie to anyone, as it is not only entertaining but also provides a social commentary on the roles of governments in our lives.
How to address global hunger
Despite the fact that in the last decade we have been able to reduce acute hunger substantially, famine and malnutrition continue to plague our world. The panel-discussion explained the application and effects of a cash vs. food-based approach to solve global hunger. The four pillars of food security have to be met in order for a society to be successfully devoid of hunger: availability, access, utilization, and stability.
Availability: food must be available in sufficient quantities based on production, carryover stocks, trade, and aid
Access: people must be able to acquire adequate healthy food based on purchase, gifts, and safety nets (which is the biggest problem)
Utilization: translate food accessed into positive health impacts via cooking, storage, and hygiene practices, WASH, and intra-hh allocation
Stability: must be able to maintain access and utilization over time, through lean seasons, disasters, price spikes, etc. resistance is key
While a free meal addresses one or more of these issues, it does not fix all aspects of the problem. Therefore the solution depends of the situation, based on what the impoverished people need and how fast they can receive it.
Cash-based programs are favored when (cash transfers, food vouchers, jobs, or locally purchased foods):
- Reduce delivery delays by 14 weeks
- Reduce basic grains cost by >50%, less for processed foods
- No effect on price levels/volatility in course markets
- Recipient consumers prefer local over imported food
Food is favored when:
- When people/governments can’t contribute cash
- When food availability is limited by infrastructure damage that disrupts commercial supply chain (natural disasters)
- When specialty foods are need and cheaper to send
- When there isn’t enough local food
- There are some context in which a “free lunch” shipped from the US is best
This served as a reminder to me of my privileges of being a student in a university where my priority is not determining where my next meal would come from.
Up in the Air
When I first started watching the film, I was shocked that there were jobs that required you to fire people. When the main character started firing people, I wasn’t sure if he was good at his job because he was simply following a procedure or if his success came from his apathy, as he lived a relatively simple life devoid of relationships with his only joy coming from traveling the country to acquire ‘air miles’. As the movie progressed we came to understand that the character was in fact living a life devoid of happiness as his desire to reach a certain amount of air miles, served as an excuse from developing loving relationships with his family, significant others, and friends. The character’s growth in the movie served to illustrate the importance in maintaining relationships with those you care about in life, and not completely focusing on work. This is a relatable life lesson since as a student, my priority is to learn from my classes so that I am able to graduate, however I need to also have time to have relax and have fun with friends.
This Movie Was Difficult…
Of all the Flora Friday Films, this one would have to be the one that resonated with me the least. I found the plot difficult to follow and even after doing an extensive google search afterwards as to the meaning behind the movie, I was still left a bit unenlightened. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed the AI portion of the movie with “Hal” the computer that started to become conscious and experience emotion which resulted in it going rogue. This was interesting because this is a taboo concept in our society because we can’t fathom this ever happening but with the technological advances that we make every day, I’m beginning to wonder if a situation like this will happen in the next 100 years or so.
Fading into the Background
If it had been up to me, I probably never would have watched Sunset Boulevard because I don’t really like watching old movies especially those in black and white but this movie was actually quite enjoyable. It follows a fading film star who wants to have a comeback so desperately. This movie really showcased the effects of changing fads on the lifestyles and hopes and dreams of people. Additionally, I really liked how different the plot was in terms of Max being very subservient to Norma because oftentimes it’s the woman that is portrayed as being subservient to the man.
How the System Fails Us
I, Daniel Blake is a movie that really highlights how the public health system and the government continuously fail those in need. Oftentimes, there’s this idea of “pulling yourself up by the bootstraps” that is fed to us as a drive to work harder to acheive our goals and financial security. At the same time, there are a lot of barriers to this such as health conditions (as demonstrated in the movie) and structural barriers that prevent people of a specific gender, ethnicity, sexuality, etc. from navigating through life in a manageable way. Furthermore, I think this movie highlights the unrealistic expectations of our government to continuously work even when going through hardships.
The Power Behind Individualism
I had heard of the movie V for Vendetta prior to the Friday Film but had never been inclined to watch it but I’m glad that I did. This movie preached the importance of individuality and fighting for what is right and not necessarily sticking to the status quo because it’s easy. This is a lesson applicable to not only government but many other areas of life. I really liked the LGBTQ+ themes displayed in this movie as I feel that this is an often underrepresented group in movies where the general theme is not explicitly that topic.
A Perfect Intersection
When I read the description for this movie prior to the Friday film, I figured this would be another very serious and tragic movie about the extents to which disease can wreak havoc on your body. While we did get to see the extents to which cancer took a toll on the main character’s, Adam, body, it was also a bit of a comedy mixed in with the super emotional tone of the movie. I think that this went on to aid de-mystifying illness as things like cancer and other life-changing diseases are almost like taboo in our society.
It’s Better to Have Loved and Lost than to Never Have Loved at All
Prior to this Flora Friday Film, I had not even heard of this movie but by the end, this film had quickly skyrocketed to one of my favorites to date. The movie follows a man, Ryan, that is constantly on the move because of his job; as a result, he doesn’t really have a home, doesn’t have strong familial connections and lives a life with seemingly no baggage. This all changes when he meets Alex, who he has a strong romantic connection with and who leads a similar lifestyle to him (seemingly) and also when he meets his new hire that he is supposed to be training. Throughout this movie, I feel like Ryan learns so much about how to live your life with no regrets, spontaneity and so much joy through Alex and Natalie, the new hire. Unfortunately, this movie doesn’t have the happiest of endings because Ryan finds out that Alex has a husband and kids at home and that he was merely an escape for her. Even though this unfortunate situation happened, this movie made me realize that it’s better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all because of how much being in love changed him (for the better).
Representation for Black People
Black Panther will always have a special place in my heart and that’s why I was so excited to go and see the Flora Friday Film when this was showing. This film does more than just fit into the Marvel Universe but it also goes on to do what is not typically done in Hollywood for black people. For starters, this movie had a predominantly black cast, multiple strong (dark skinned!) black female leads also portraying roles uncommon for black women in Hollywood and the most obvious: there was a black superhero and villain! Hollywood really lacks representation of people of color overall but especially in movies that could be viewed by kids/adolescents. It’s so important for kids to see people that look like them doing big things and in roles they may aspire to be in one day and I think that Black Panther does a great job of this!
Finding the Strength to Go on
This Flora Friday Film, A Man Called Ove, was about a man who had suicidal tendencies all while facing tragedy after tragedy. While I was watching this film, I was initially very sad and “shook” by all of the tragedies he kept encountering and his repeated failed suicide attempts but once I gave the movie more of a chance, I realized and saw the message that I think the movie was trying to convey: the importance of having and finding a purpose through connections with others.
50/50 – An Emotional Rollercoaster
I could not fathom to think how I would react if I was told that a malignant tumor was found along my spine and I only had a 50/50 chance of survival. The same probability as a flip of a coin. I can only hope that I wouldn’t be defeated, that I would remain strong. But truly, I don’t know. I believe you can only know your true strength when you experience your toughest moments. I believe that we all have the capability of surprising ourselves and don’t realize our true values until those moments. 50/50 for me was an emotional rollercoaster and I recommend watching it!
Black Panther- Greatest Marvel Film?
It appears that I could never get tired of watching black panther, so when I heard this was the movie that was chosen to be played at rose dining hall, I was thrilled. It seems that I continue to get excited, laugh, cry at the same parts that I did when I watched the movie for the first time. Other than the most recent avengers movie, endgame, this has to be one of my top marvel movies for the reason that it continues to elicit so many emotions every single time that I watch it.b
Art Attracts and Elicits Change
I had the privilege of meeting the artists that had worked on the amazing project in Rose dining hall. It was very inspiring to learn that their efforts in creating this art piece and attending different universities was to raise awareness on bullying. “You Will Rise” is an anti-bullying campaign and meeting the artists of this organization taught me that you can not only use creativity to attract people’s attention, but also use it to elicit change.
Yoga – Good for the Soul
There are a few things I believe are good for the soul, and are my go to during stressful times, some include –hot chocolate and boba. After my experience, yoga has been added to the list! I am not a flexible person, so I’ve always steered away from trying yoga. However, I found it be very relaxing and rewarding. Whenever I’m feeling stress, I’ll now consider taking a yoga class at Cornell (instead of going to order bubble tea at Kung fu or hot chocolate from CTB lol)!
Intense drumming with Yamatai
I have always admired how talented students on Cornell campus are! I’ve watched Yamatai perform at the commons on freshman year for the first time, and was truly awed by their talent. I remember thinking how I would make a fool of myself if I even attempted to try what they do, especially since my arms are not that strong. Thus, I was very excited to learn from Yamatai and although no one would want to watch me drum, it was a very fun and enjoyable experience!
Breakfree showcase – a true thriller
I attended the breakfree showcase with my friend, and we were truly blown away by the performances! As an avid viewer of, World of Dance, I love watching everyone’s unique choreography and how each dancer masters their performance. I can say I was truly jealous by how talented the breakfree dancers are! I definitely will return to watch them next year!
House dinner with Martha Pollack!
I didn’t get the time to personally have a conversation with Martha Pollack, but I appreciate her willingness to interact and engage with the students on campus. She is a representation of a strong, woman leader, and is truly a role model to all on campus. I am glad that she can be so approachable as well! I would rate this house dinner a 10/10 🙂
sunset boulevard – main takeaway?
As a movie that came out in 1950, it was definitely interesting to see the production of the film and recognize how much hollywood has progressed since then. Although hollywood has changed in many ways since then, I believe the purpose of films is to evoke thought within the minds of the viewers, and I believe sunset boulevard did just that. The main takeaway for me was that it is unhealthy to cling on to the past. One can appreciate and look fondly upon past accomplishments, but we should all try to live our in present.
starting off the semester with fun!
As a kid, my favorite part about the winter time was going ice skating. I always looked forward to the days when my mom and I would bundle up and head over to the skating rink. The nostalgia hit instantly once I was able to go with all of west campus to Lynah rink. I was happy to make new memories with my friends, and felt like I was starting off the semester on a right note!
I, Daniel Blake and its true message
I ,Daniel Blake is a classic example of bureaucracy being inefficient and whose only purpose is to make itself richer. He was a carpenter who suffered from a hear attack. Following this event he was deemed unfit to work by his doctor. When he requested his unemployment benefit he was deemed fit to work and therefore his request was denied. This sort of things happened over and over in every country. This further makes me want to become independent by the age so I do not have to rely on an incompetent system.
Dinner with the President
Martha E. Pollack is the current president of Cornell University, but more importantly she is a prime example of a strong individual. Through her work she been able to advance the field of computer science. She has done this by researching Artificial Intelligence. She was also very kind and allowed me to take a picture with her to keep as a memory. I hope she continues to inspire young people to follow their dream even in they are a minority in the field they want to pursue.
Ice skating to start the semester
The west campus ice skating event was a really wonderful way to start off what would prove to be a tough semester. Without it I think there are several friends who I would not otherwise have stayed connected with and for that I’m very appreciative. I’ve always tried to go ice skating regularly, ever since some of my group of friends started going far back freshman year. It can be difficult to keep track of ice skating events that are available or even free to the public, especially early in the semester when you’re trying to figure out your schedule and everything else. Id love it if we did another ice skating event!
Being Forgotten
Sunset Boulevard is a movie about actress Norma Desmond who was once a Hollywood star but has been forgotten over the years. The lost of the spotlight caused her great suffering, but she was not ready to give up. Instead, she planned to write a script for a movie sis she would be the protagonist. Joe Gillis, a screen writer, convinces her to hire him to help her improve the script. She begins to fall in love with him and he with her money. Their relationship heads downhill to the point Joe does not want to be with her anymore. So, she decides to kill him so nobody can have him. This , of course, made the press cover the story which displayed her as an actress who has gone mentally insane and overall just a loser. It truly makes you wonder if living with the pain of being forgotten was better than being remembered as a criminal.
Doing Yoga For the First Time
Yoga has taken over the world due to its ability to relax the body and mind. I had always been curious as to how yoga worked , but never found myself to actually do it. This all changed when I had the opportunity to practice yoga as a Rose Scholars event. During the yoga class we performed various exercises that helped our body relaxed. Also, we closed our eyes and focused on our breathing to fully relax our mind. With the help of music and snacks the effect of relaxation was further and a very pleasant one. This experience has truly made me want to include yoga in my weekly routine.
Nanette
The writing was brilliant and it had excellent callbacks. I loved the way she combined art history and comedy. Separating the art from the artist is a conversation I’ve heard a lot about recently especially in light of the Cosby case and what that means for reruns of the Cosby show. Using Picasso as her example, Gadsby argues that the flaws of the artist bleed into the art and that is an extension of who they are, so it is naturally hard to separate the two. I really liked the point she made here, because by separating their actions you’re validating or glorifying them. Picasso is a perfect example of that. I had no idea that Picasso had affairs with underage girls until this special. I had always just thought and heard of him as a revolutionary artist, but hearing those details of his personal life made me question that and see his work differently. Highly recommend watching the special!
making leaders
What makes a leader? How does a leader lead effectively? What traits do leaders have? What do we look for in a leader? I was given the chance to discuss this with a group in Rose Main.
It turns out, what traits I desire for myself don’t make me a good leader of others, but makes me a good leader of my life, one with independence and the freedom to do what I want, directing my life in the way I choose. That is what makes a good individual leader, but not a leader of many.
I think for a leader of many, what we really look for traits that allow one to direct many people, resolve many issues, and create a safe feeling for their “people”. If I was unsure about the future of a company I worked for, I would probably be searching for another job elsewhere since I really can’t expect stability here.
Overall, it was a good discussion that let me really question my beliefs. I like discussions like that since they tend to always stick with me for years
Ithaca book sale
I was given the chance to go to the Ithaca book sale happening. Although I didn’t get to buy any books, I did get a nice hit of nostalgia for one of my favorite niche genres. That genre being Alternative History, we are given the chance to see what a simple change would do on the rest of history. One popular timeline is that of the author who’s publish dozens of books of this genre, Harry Turtledove, and this timeline being named Timeline-191, where the Confederate States wins the American Civil War. As expected, world history diverges and I won’t spoil the story. I saw many of his publications, those that I’ve read but no longer own the books of. Great reads and a great experience. (James Patterson really has a lot of books published, wow!)
Star Child
I think this was the first time I had to google what I saw after the movie. This was a confusing but at times interesting film. I think the AI part of the movie was definitely revolutionary for its time considering the amount of work that is going into it today. I don’t know if it’s possible for AI to ever become that advanced, but it’s certainly plausible that an AI computer could make a mistake which could end up being lethal. Another apparent theme was man vs machine/tool. In the initial scenes, we see the gorillas use tools as a way to advance themselves over the other tribes. As time passes, there is an increasing reliance on tools as the tools become more advanced. Ultimately, the very thing they created is what leads to their death.
You Will Rise
Speaking with the artists that worked on the art piece in Rose Dining definitely made me appreciate the work a lot more. The piece was drawn on paper-mached maps and featured the portraits of several young women and men. I thought it was interesting that the colors were chosen by the health and wellness center, so that they would be uplifting. The piece featured a lot of turquoise, lavender and yellow tones. It was incredible to see how every detail was carefully chosen and thought out; from the colors to the material of the canvas. The maps represent our various paths to our present identity while the arrows show our interconnectedness. I hope they come again to do another piece next year!
They also spoke briefly about their anti-bullying project (You Will Rise) which gives people a platform to showcase their art. I don’t do a lot of art, but I think it’s a great cause and all of the art they showed looked beautiful.
Films with Judge Scott
Did a lawyer commit perjury? Judge Scott is here to let us question that, and to provide some insight that he’s encountered. The films premise is that a lawyer is given a case with a man shooting the man who raped his wife. He himself knows he shot the man and feels no remorse over this. For the lawyer, what should he do? Your defendant feels no regret and may just admit to the crime in court. Its the defendant’s lawyer’s role to absolve him of his crimes. His approach comes close to perjury, but I believe that he doesn’t. Maybe scummy, but legal.
Judge Scott’s experience covers one of his first cases. Amazingly funny, with details hidden, and a difficult case. His defendant admits to the crime privately, but later on claims otherwise. Too comedic! Even after that, he gets his not-guilty verdict! Nice!
Black Panther review
I was given the chance to rewatch black panther. I don’t regret watching the movie and I made sure to take focus on what I could have missed. I ended up just enjoying the movie and didn’t notice anything, except something I’ll mention later.
The movie takes a really nice stance on international politics and outreach. Should we be ignorant to the issues of the rest of the world. Should we do something about it, or keep to ourselves. Wakanda is at a crossroads.
To what I missed, for all the good parts the movie has, there is some really bad CGI work in this movie. I could notice the artificial-ness whenever it came to something natural (typically sunset) and the final fight scene with the vibranium trains. Super green-screeny, which sucks. Movie was still great though.
Lyon Hall Memorial
Who knew that Lyon Hall had such a history? What’s interested me is how this building has current students living here, with each room associated with a student who went overseas during WW1.
Whats even more interesting is that there’s a secret club! You need to be marked and you can join, no sophomores though.
When you get in, you get to do community improvement projects which are nice.
Pretty cool event, maybe one day I can join this secret illuminati in a year or so.
Volunteering at BJM Elementary
One of the kids, perhaps around age 7, was painting so I offered him gloves. He told me he didn’t need gloves because he was a gangster. He also took his shirt off in one of the previous sessions. Real G stuff.
There was a scandal about a kid paying a girl five dollars to kiss him in another class. The kids were interrogated about who did it. They eventually coughed up.
I helped a kid spell radioactive. I could do this all day, guys.
This was my sixth time volunteering this semester. The seventh and last time was on Slope Day. I prepared to tell Mr. Vitucci how much I learned from watching him over the past year and how I appreciated him having me around even when I didn’t do much. But when I went, Mr. Vitucci was gone on vacation, the Makerspace was closed, and I spent my time in the Lego room. It was a very disappointing end to it all.
— Hartek
Sunset Boulevard Review
Sunset Boulevard was really good to watch. I usually avoid old films because I can’t get used to black and white from a color perspective (oof)
This movie though was really good. The heartlessness of the main character in scamming this older actress out of her prime. His increasing relations with his friends fiance (really cheap weddings in Arizona huh?)
He gets trapped by this actress who may kill herself if he leaves her. One thing that weirded me out was how her butler is her… ex-husband. Kinda offputting for me, but if that’s what you’re into I guess its fine?
In the final scene, he tries to leave after he decides to finalize his affair, but he gets shot. Before that though is an amazing acting scene with the fiance where he ends the relation (but not really). As I was saying, he gets shot. Movie ends with a cinematic reveal that the actress was finally looking for. Good ending, +1
Volunteering at BJM Elementary
This, too, is off of notes that I took.
This time was interesting. The kids opened up a pretend store. They put a plank of wood on top of two stools to serve as their counter. They assiduously wrote up a menu. They had shopkeepers and customers and fake money.
Two kids kept stealing the fake money. I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to intervene because it was their game and fake money. Mr. Patel ultimately did intervene. He told the thief that he could go to jail and then quickly added, “but, like, not real jail.”
The kid with the mullet forged a bill by writing 1 followed by a ton of zeroes, spilling onto several lines, on a piece of paper. He spent a lot of time on it and proudly presented it to the shopkeepers. Someone could have told him that that sort of thing could land him in not-real-jail too, but we gave him a pass.
Mr. Vitucci told this kid’s parents that he was the best in today’s session, even though that kid called him ugly the week before. I’m no Christian, but that’s what Jesus would do.
— Hartek
Nanette review
Nanette was pretty funny, I really enjoyed the comedy throughout the session. But what had more impact was not the comedy, but the story’s behind the comedy. Nanette goes into depth her experiences as a lesbian, how its shaped her life, her family, and her comedy. Nanette provides her story, with some jokes in between (facial expressions are typically just enough for a laugh), to give the audience impact. In one second the audience is laughing and in others silent (not because some joke just fell flat)
Pretty good comedy show, with good life lessons at the end. +1
Volunteering at BJM Elementary
I took notes on this one too; it’s okay.
This day was quite uneventful because half the kids were just playing with Beyblades the whole time. It’s a little disappointing when there isn’t some cool activity planned, but Mr. Vitucci only has so many supplies to work with–especially at the rate small children go through supplies.
They also had a Barbie doll which they stripped of clothing and tore apart, which is pretty common kid stuff. Then someone threw it at someone else over the Beyblade game which is less okay.
Every time I volunteer, the kids seem to have a catchphrase that they repeat ad nauseum. One time it was avocado. This time it was ebola.
— Hartek
Volunteering at BJM Elementary
This post is late, but I’m prepared this time because I took notes shortly after my visit.
This visit was nice because one of the kids called me by my name. I wear my name tag, so this isn’t insane, but it is a first. We also have to consider that many of the kids can’t read, and that my name is Hartek. The kid’s name was Abram. I’ll probably remember it for a while too.
One very small kid did a backflip. It was pretty cool. This is one of those gray areas that I struggle with as a volunteer. I wasn’t sure if people are allowed to do backflips in the classrooms, and I didn’t want to overstep my bounds by telling him not to. He also tried a little parkour with the tables and chairs. I did stop him on that.
There was a kid with a mullet that he pulled off very well. It was pretty cute, and he was good with legos too.
All in all, a smooth experience and some interesting new characters this time.
— Hartek
Face Tats and Coat Racks
While the topic of sexual assault cases is not talked about much, I was surprised that in 40 years there were no changes in the rates of sexual assault. I really liked the river analogy Laura used about trying to focus on the upstream issues in the community rather than pulling and helping out the victims downstream. While there definitely should be resources put towards the latter, there should also be attempts made to change the overall culture so more cases do not occur. Currently, a lot of attempts are focused on education through videos or lectures. These approaches can be seen as victimizing and I have seen a lot of people be turned away from them.
Laura’s approach is definitely more promising, I think it is more subtle and people will be more open to it. I hope there’s a follow-up talk about the results and if any improvements have been seen.
Making Chocolate Healthy
It was great meeting Ben and learning about his company Five North Chocolate. I’ve always wondered about what it would be like to start your own company. Overall, it seems like a lot of work, but it is also rewarding. For me, I think the hardest part would be coming up with an idea that is marketable and something other people would want to buy. Ben’s story behind his company was equally interesting. It was cool that he went from making chocolate in his dorm to starting his own chocolate company. I also liked how he touched on some of his struggles along the way like getting supermarkets to promote your product. I had no idea how hard it was to get supermarkets to sell your product. This probably explains why there aren’t many new chocolate brands hitting the shelves other than the usual Mars, Nestle brands.
I would also highly recommend the chocolate! The flavor combinations are tasty and definitely do not taste like you’re eating dark chocolate.
2001: A Space Odyssey
Going to space is one of the biggest dream I hope one day I can make a reality. So, it was a no brainier for me to want to attend the showing of 2001: A Space Odyssey. However, I believe this movie is very different to the usual space movies. In fact, I would say that space is not the main theme of the movie. Rather, it is the evolution of the human species. This can be seen when a tribe of human ancestors living very primitively when when compare to early humans. But, everything changed when the use of tools was discovered. Before this a black monolith appears and it raises an important question. What is the purpose of the black monolith ? To preserve the movement of human evolution or to record the main events of human evolution. Also, who is the creator of the black monolith ? Perhaps, it could be extra terrestrial beings. If so, what is the motive for aliens to want to advance as a society? This , in my opinion, makes this movie great. You come in with high expectations and you leave with tons of questions.
A new look at an old space
I’ve lived in Lyon for two years, and I’m very fond of it. It was nice to take a more thorough behind-the-scenes look at my home away from home. I didn’t know that the rooms were dedicated to individual people. I also liked learning a little more about Quill and Dagger. Inside the war memorial room, inside of a cabinet, there were old newspapers, which were very neat. We also talked a bit about the construction of the gothic buildings and the construction of the other West Campus houses. It was interesting to imagine what West Campus would look like if the original plans were followed. Apparently, the dorms were meant to create a wall of sorts around the residential area. Also, I had never really considered the lack of available seating on West Campus. It would be nice to have more benches out there instead of pure lawn. I’m sorry that I’m going to miss the renovations that they’re planning for the outdoor spaces. Overall, I enjoyed the tour very much! It was very informative.
Opening the Door
I enjoyed hearing Asad L. Asad speak, and I’m glad that I had the opportunity to learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of “legal” status for immigrants. I was most impressed by the process of the whole study and the time spent talking to individual families. I was surprised to hear that people opened up so easily. I’m fairly paranoid, and my mom is always telling us stories about home invaders that ring doorbells and barge into houses. So, I definitely wouldn’t let a stranger inside, no matter how carefully cultivated their image, let alone tell them my life story. But I’m glad that trust payed off.
Adding to the Collection
I always love the crafty events, and this one was no exception. It was very neat to make my very own little books. Going into the event, I didn’t know anything about zines, so this was a nice learning opportunity. I liked looking at the samples that they brought in. There was a lot more variety than I was expecting. It was surprising to see how creative that these little books to be. There were several unique styles and formats. They also provided us with a nice assortment of materials to work with when we were crafting our own books. I love collecting journals – even if I never fill them out all the way – so I’m happy that I can add two more to my bookshelf.
Checking off the list
This was my first time attending Pao Bhangra, and I’m glad that I got to check it off of the list of must-do things at Cornell. I wanted to attend last year, but I was busy on the day of the performance. So, I was very excited when I saw the opportunity to go with Rose. I didn’t know anything about Pao Bhangra coming in, and I was completely surprised by this event. I wasn’t expecting the competition aspect of it, and I had no idea that groups from other schools would be there. I also wasn’t expecting to see the drums or the other Cornell groups. I was most impressed by the heart that went into the performances and the introduction videos. It was nice to be a part of such an exciting and beautiful event.
Behind the Scenes
I loved watching the creation of the mural in the dining room, so I’m glad that I had this chance to meet the artists involved. It was neat to see the time lapse of the entire process. It was also inspiring to hear about the creation and success of the You Will Rise Project. I liked hearing stories from each of the artists and seeing their own individual styles and creations, which were more varied than I was expecting. Not to mention, I got to walk away with a bigfoot sticker, which is a plus in any situation. It’s been a while since I’ve spent time drawing or painting. Maybe this summer I’ll make some time for it.
Breaking Open a New Book
My friend is a fan of Viet Thanh Nguyen, so when this event was posted, he immediately texted me about it. I had never read anything by Nguyen before, so it was nice to take The Refugees home with me. I definitely enjoyed reading it. It was a nice change in format as well, since I don’t usually read short story collections. I’m looking forward to continuing on and reading the Sympathizer.
I’m sorry I missed out on hearing the author speak at the reading series last semester. I’ll have to attend more of them in the future in case anything like this happens again!
Sushi Sampling
I’ve attempted sushi making before, but in the past my work has generally left something to be desired. The last time I tried it my rolls wound up looking very crooked. Hopefully, these new tips will help me to be more successful in the future. But even if I never create the perfect sushi roll, I’m still glad that I stopped by to try the samples, watch the process, and learn about the nuances. This was a fun event to be a part of, and I can’t wait to apply my new knowledge in the kitchen.
Tracing binge-drinking
I didn’t know what to expect walking into this event. In the end, I found it both fun and informative. It was interesting to hear about the history that shaped binge-drinking and bro culture today and to take a closer look at our own perceptions of drinking. Recreating the painting was especially entertaining. It was nice to get the answers to questions that I had never really thought to ask before.
Can I be a leader?
This was definitely an interesting seminar. We first started by associating qualities we value and don’t value into categories. Then we narrowed it down to the 5 most important qualities to us. I noticed a lot of mine were centered around friends and family. Since coming to Cornell, I think my appreciation and respect for my friends and family back home and here has increased, because I often rely on them for support during difficult times in the semester. We then talked about important qualities of a leader and what we think makes a leader a good leader. I’ve always thought of good leaders as people that are respected by and inspiring to others. Some people that I think are good leaders are Tom Brady, Elon Musk and Michelle Obama. After our discussion, I realized that you don’t necessarily need to respect and love them on a character basis for them to be a good leader. Often, their ability to make good decisions and have enough forethought is enough.
We ended our discussion with 5 traits of an ideal Cornell student. It was interesting that the student we came up with did not seem like a fun student. Some of the main traits were passion, knowledge and responsibility. We ended up ruling out a lot of traits like humor, empathy and being adventurous. It was hard to narrow it down to 5, since people are a mix of so many more, but I think these are present in everyone.
Super Bowl LIII
Overall the event was great. The dining hall , as always, served great food and their big screen was perfect for the big game. The only bad part of the Super Bowl LII was the game itself. It was the most boring football game I have ever watched. The Los Angeles Rams had proven themselves to be a top notch offense yet they were only able to score three points. The half time show by Maroon 5 was OK but I believe they should have picked another artist. At least I am happy to say that Tom Brady won his 6th ring.
My first Cornell game
I have always been a fan of attending sport events back home in Miami. It has always been fun for me to watch a basketball game in the AmericanAirlines Arena or football in the Hard Rock Stadium. But, once I got to Cornell this hobby of mine got trampled by schoolwork. Attending this event made me really happy and it took me back to the good old times. The team performed excellent and the spectators were full of energy.
PAO
Wow, what a showcase. The Bhangra performances were very colorful and energetic. This was my first time at Pao Bhangra and it did not disappoint. All of the dances were amazing and very intricate. There was a lot of jumps and high steps and they had various props they used alongside their formations. There was a mix of English and Bollywood music. I also love that they had samosas and mango lassi at their intermission. I definitely will be going to the next one!
There’s 2 Helen Newmans?
The Cornell’s women’s basketball game vs Brown was great. We missed the 1st quarter however, because we thought the game was in Helen Newman Hall on north campus. Turns out there is a Newman Arena in Bartels Hall. After a lot of walking, we finally made it to the right one! We were in the lead most of the game, but there was a moment in the 4th quarter where Brown made an attempt at a comeback. My favorite part of the game by far was the half-time show. A junior biddy or elementary school girls team came to scrimmage. They were adorable in their oversized jerseys and pennies. It was an intense scrimmage even though no points were scored. There were so full of energy and it reminded me of when I used to play basketball. Any time anyone got the ball, all the other players would swarm them and there was a lot of handoff passes.
I thoroughly enjoyed the game and it made me want to see other Cornell teams. This was my first Cornell basketball game. I don’t go to many Cornell athletic events other than the annual Homecoming game and the occasional hockey game, but this definitely made me want to check out more!
Test Anxiety
The talk with Dr. Katrina was definitely helpful especially during Finals week. I often have test anxiety in the forms of appetite loss and not being able to fall asleep. One of the big things I took away was establishing a routine before exams to help calm myself. During finals week, I tried getting food before my exams as part of my routine and doing something other than study. It definitely worked for my early morning exams. Another big takeaway for me was that it was nice to know that other people have similar experiences with test anxiety and it made me more comfortable to talk about it.
Coping with Exam Anxiety
Anxiety is an issue I feel a lot of us are familiar with. It can be difficult to manage the stresses of maintaining a social life, getting adequate sleep and being well rested, and doing the best academically that you possibly can. Especially for a lot of us, being at a university like Cornell means that we feel pressure to meet some level of academic expectation, and we hold ourselves to a certain standard. Because of these things, exam season can be increasingly more and more stressful, more so than the rest of the semester for sure.
I was glad to have the opportunity to attend the Test Anxiety Seminar last week. While this semester I was fortunate enough to end up with an exam schedule that was very light, I knew that the skills I’d learn in this seminar would be helpful not only in my last two semesters at Cornell, but the rest of my life beyond. And to that point, I think my biggest takeaway from this event was the mindset that you need to have when in this sort of stressful environment. The idea that you shouldn’t say anything to yourself that you wouldn’t say to a friend is a very powerful one. Furthermore, the idea that you shouldn’t lie to yourself, only sit down and think about if something is really worth the level of stress and pressure you’re putting onto it, was also very eye-opening. There was a lot to unpack in this seminar, and I’m incredibly glad that I had the opportunity to attend this event. I think I’ll be processing everything we talked about for a good while still.
I sincerely hope for more events like this one next semester!
You got 4 finals on the same day!! I’m there for you…
I think I related to the protagonist, Daniel Blake, even though my problems are nowhere similar to what he faced. Every student at Cornell goes through a cycle of stress at some point of the other. And unfortunately (or fortunately) those days are the ones that I find myself bonding the most with people. It’s the adversity that brings people together and not the non-existent bright sunny days of Ithaca. The protagonist too connects with the single mingle over the hardships either of them faced. And both of them lift either of them together when things didn’t go the right way. That’s what I think my student life has been as well. I have been fortunate to have my friends there at my lowest and I strive to be with them when they need me.
When was the last time you read for fun during the semester?
I had seen the advertisement for this book sale first during freshman year, I was really interested to explore Ithaca outside the bounds of Cornell. I had been to the commons a few times for dinner but had never been there during daylight. Unfortunately, I went to this event independent of the group because of an emergency but still, I found the entire affair very wholesome and nice. Reading is something I didn’t focus on during the semester. Unfortunately, I get bogged down by the coursework that reading seems to be a secondary activity which it should not. I am planning to extensively read over the summer though. Also now I have the science center and the library off my Ithaca exploration list.
Environmental impact–humans and animals
Andrew Zepp’s visit as a representative of the Finger Lakes Land Trust allowed me to learn a little bit more about the environment around us and how we affect it. Zepp’s explanation of the algae in the local lakes reminded me of the models we had explored in my BIOG 1500 class freshman year–adding too much of the nutrients found in common fertilizers caused populations to bloom and leave the ecosystem imbalanced.
The discussion took a new turn, however, when Zepp mentioned that it was hard to attribute all of the algae blooms in the lake to the fertilizer runoff of farmers in the region. It was possible that a large portion of it was due to some new kind of clam? fish? zebra clam? in the lake. This was new information to me, but it made sense. You can’t blame all the trouble on human activity when the animal activity could just as well be causing the imbalance. This just reasserted, in my mind, the importance of conducting studies regarding the environment and specific organisms’ affects.
Cuisine as an art and as a practicality
Attending the Rose Cafe with a sushi making demo opened my eyes to the functionality underlying cooking. Sushi, as far as I was concerned, was good because it tasted good. I, perhaps, had a vague idea that Japan was an island and that fish was probably pretty common, so the dish emerged from fresh fish being available. This cafe demonstrated to me, however, that there was more to sushi than that.
Historically, fish was preserved for long periods of time using fermented rice as packaging. Eventually, technology changed and the fish was able to be preserved without the rice, but people had become used to eating the two together. The fact that this widely popular dish originated out of necessity and practicality boggles me. For all we know, some of the dishes that we make for practicality’s sake today could become widespread, cultural dishes tomorrow.
How to make bureaucracy better
I, Daniel Blake had many themes and points, but one that struck me immediately was its portrayal and commentary on bureaucracy at the Jobcentre. When Katie, a single mother, is late for her appointment, she is told to leave and make a new appointment. Things get a bit heated, and the manager tells Katie to make a new appointment and leave any complaints there. Even when a sympathetic worker at the Jobcentre tries to help out, she is reprimanded by her manager.
Bureaucracy being inefficient and impersonal is no new critique. But this scenario in particular made me wonder, what exactly is the alternative being proposed? If someone is late, and there are others waiting, what can be done except to ask them to reschedule? If someone is making a scene in your business center, and you can’t appease them by offering the one thing they’re asking for, what can you do but ask them to leave and file a complaint if they so choose? Ensuring management and workers are as compassionate and informed as possible is one way of mitigating the negative effects of bureaucracy–however, being compassionate is difficult when your department is understaffed and your position is underpaid. There may not be any clear solution, and perhaps the problem lays further back than simply the institution of bureaucracy itself.
Past, Present, and Future: West Campus
Professor Blalock’s cafe with us the other evening focused on a topic I hadn’t really thought about, despite my constant immersion in it: West Campus’ history. When I first moved on to West Campus, I wasn’t too happy about having to live in a Gothic building. I had no clue how old it was, only that it was old. I eventually learned to live with the silverfish and the spiders, and grew to appreciate the view from Lyon tower. Professor Blalock, however, brought to my attention the history behind the Gothic buildings and just how old they were–though I knew about the war memorial and the various plaques across the buildings, I hadn’t realized that they had mainly been built with donations in honor of fallen Cornell veterans.
Additionally, though I knew main houses were newer, I hadn’t thought about what had preceded them. Several West Campus house plans had been implemented in the past, and West Campus as it stands today is really not that old at all. Professor Blalock mentioned that in 20 to 30 years, West Campus as we know it today may no longer exist, and a new house plan could be constructed. That comment in itself put me into a new perspective, and I reminded myself that the present can’t be taken for granted, since it too is going to be history at some point.
It’s all about the path, not the career
Speaking with Lisa Nishii at the Rose Cafe the other evening provided me with some unforeseen food for thought. I expected to learn more about Nishii’s field in organizational psychology, but ended up learning more about the process of finding your own path instead. One of the most reassuring things I heard from Nishii was — “At your age, I didn’t know at all what I wanted to do, either.” As a student who is rapidly approaching senior year, I often feel like I should have my life planned out. However, hearing that many people just wander where opportunities take them until something feels right–and that this works— was very reassuring.
Another thing that struck me from our conversation was that Nishii found her passion through following things that interested her. This may sound obvious, but when you’re young and looking for the “perfect career”, you consider just about every field out there instead of focusing on what you already know you love. If you notice that you’re very into writing papers for a certain class, or that you spend all your free time researching one specific topic in the news, it might be a sign that you’d like to continue doing that.
Overall, speaking with an adult who has actually been through the same experiences and has come out the other end in a happy, satisfying career (and who is not necessarily at the end of her career path–there is always more to explore) reminded me that it isn’t a race to finding the “perfect job”, and that following opportunities and exploring interests as I go is a worthwhile method for enjoying my post-college worklife.
Human Connection, Emotional Intelligence, A Man Called Ove
A Man Called Ove played with a trope that might be familiar to viewers who have seen Up (and other media, of course, though I’m struggling to remember them at the moment): an older man who, in his youth, fell in love with a woman who helped him come out of his shell, but who lost her in some tragic incident and consequently withdrew from society and human connection. This man will, over the course of the story, learn to love life again and form new connections, no longer relying on his now-dead wife as an intermediary for connecting with others. Even though this is just a media trope, I feel like there is some innate truth to it that causes it to crop up so often in media. Women are often seen as emotionally intelligent, sensitive persons compared to men, and often wives and girlfriends are expected to be the sole bearer of a man’s emotional baggage. When suddenly deprived of that sole outlet for emotional expression, men in the real world might react in a way similar to Ove–cutting themselves off from all other people. If we think about it, how often do you see depictions in the media of women who can’t bear to have any human connections or work through their emotions on their own after their husbands die?
I won’t say that this trope exists solely because of this phenomenon, or even that this male behavior is universal (it’s probably a very Western-centric take), but I do think the trope can provide some insight into how we view the emotional capabilities of men and women.
FLEX Cycle
I am not an athletic girl and let me tell you cycling was still fun. The atmosphere allowed you to get lost and really get into cycling. It is fun with friends but it is meant for you to be by yourself. This was an experience that allowed me to work out my issues and really have a space where for about an hour I can just grind.
We Hooping
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This was the first ever sports event I have ever been too at Cornell. Overall I was kind of bored with the basketball playing because I myself am bot a sports girl. But my favorite part was when they brought out the little middle school girls to play on the court. I liked how everyone in the crowd was hyping them up and supporting them. It is so important that children especially young girls are encouraged to do sport. I really liked how that experience made them happy even if none of them even scored a point.
Guilty or Not
So as someone who wants to be a future lawyer I always enjoy the movies with Judge Scott Miller. This movie was all about the idea of how much control do lawyers have when it comes to what their clients defense is. Do lawyers manipulate their clients so that they have a better chance of winning the case. I think that this is funny because people often think that this is what all lawyers do based on movies and television shoes. People think of lawyers as sneaky but they have a code against these forms of manipulation. But in addition it is not always the lawyer sometimes the client knows the lawyers job and tries to manipulate it so that they get less time or better treatment. Lawyers are good people but they are always seen as people who do not care whether you are guilty or not but someone worried about winning. Lawyers have a code and they make sure to follow it.
It’s NOT Funny
As someone who is considered a funny girl I see what Nanette was talking about when she said she was considering stoping comedy. I seriously am one of those people who always tries to laugh through anything and sometimes that’s not okay. It does ruin how you remember things, memories try to morph into jokes. This does not allow you to feel things fully it also does not allow for closure because you are constantly reopening up the same wound. I very much was dumbfounded by this idea because it is something I always do. I need to re examine how much I joke about things because not everything needs to be a Joe. Sometimes you need to fully feel something painful without joking about it.
New!
I saw the most interesting presentation at the Entrepreneurship Conference. Basically the idea was an AirBnB service but for farms. At Cornell I feel like people tend to overlook CALS students. In places of higher education, there always seems to be a hierarchy set up based on majors. For example at Cornell University engineers are at the top, this is because we live in a society that admires those in tech. At the bottom of the hierarchy would be C.A.L.S majors, especially the ones that work on the farm. Despite being s.t.e.m majors they are rarely referred to as such, this is because they do farm work which makes peoples think of rural areas. The association with having a future on a rural farm causes people to not respect C.A.L.S majors as much as other s.t.e.m majors. This presentation was a perfect mix of the tech world and the agricultural world.
Frozen Water
I am not a fan of anything that has to do with water, even frozen water but with the help of my friends I was able to get on the ice and skate (or at least try). I would personally not try to skate again but if my friends are there with me I know I would be more willing to throw on skates. I am happy that this was an option for me because even though I was scared I am happy I went on the ice and even got to complete the whole rink.
Let’s Party Like The Greeks
I go out and party every weekend. I am constantly trying to avoid real life running away to the closest frat party or kickback (a small get together with friends). Every weekend I overindulge with drinking often doing way more than I need to because I like the feeling of not being in control. Growing up partying was something only the white kids did and I was always jealous of the freedom they had. I grew up with very strict parents and had to hide everything. So when I came to college I fully got into the partying culture because it was version of freedom. The loud beats, the dark room, and strangers all give me a sense of freedom that I didn’t have as a kid. Drinking is very much a weird part of college it’s something we do but never really think about till it get’s bad.
Let’s Get Ethical
I think of myself as an ethical person but this showed me that life is very much grey. Because in my mind there is always a right answer but that might not always be the right answer for you. The situation that makes me believe this is the one about would you read your significant others messages. I believe that you should not read those messages but like what if I don’t trust you or I heard you were cheating, then for me I have to read those messages, and I am not at fault. I know the most adult thing to do is to just ;eave said person but I am still young and if I need answers I will get answers. I am ethical in I treat others how I want to be treated, but when it comes to matters of the heart I get a little unethical.
Trust Me I Got This
I was very interested in this experience. I was lucky enough to be paired with a man that himself was a lawyer and was able to make a connection for the future. This was also interesting because these people were in our shoes a couple of years ago. It showed me that I am here for a reason, I have a future ahead of me. There are always times when I get imposter syndrome, do aI belong here, but hearing that I can do it from someone who was able to do it themselves very much reassured me. I was also lucky enough to do this like how I do most things and that is I was able to do this with my friend. I am very afraid of meeting new people and having a friend there allowed me to be comfortable and show the trustee sitting across from me, the authentic me.
Legal or Looking? No
I went to my first Rose Café the other day because it’s the first time that the timing worked out. I have to say I regret a little not going to more. I really enjoyed hearing about his research and fieldwork talking to immigrants about their views on having legal and illegal status. I found it surprising that to most of them it didn’t matter, but that also says something about our legal system. I think if that’s the case, then we aren’t doing enough to protect our legal residents. One thing that Asad talked about was how the only thing that can protect you from being deported is being a citizen. And that, quite frankly, doesn’t seem right to me, especially given the abuses of power that there seems to be in our legal system and the things it makes illegal. One thing he brought up was that marijuana is now legal in some states, but illegal federally. And illegal drug use is something people can get deported over, so how is that legal situation going to effect immigration law? I can already see how under Trump that will be used to trick even legally residing non-citizens. And personally, I’m worried because all of this only shows that there is a lack of empathy in the United States, which doesn’t bode well for anyone.
Humor in Drumming
After learning to drum with Yamatai a few weeks ago, I thought it would be fun to see them perform at their annual show. I went to see them at Bailey hall, and I’m not going to lie I was a little jealous at how many people came. I wish my shows got that many people. But I definitely understand why so many people came. They were really good, as always. I was surprised at how much humor was in the show, which I hadn’t expected given that the taiko drumming is from my understanding, a fairly serious art form. And of course the performance was even more physically demanding that I had imagined. There was one song where the drummers were basically doing one crunch for the entire song. And another, that was my favorite, where a girl was playing a drum twice as big as she was. The only thing that confused me was when Big Red Raas came out and started dancing and drumming with no mention of it in the program or anything. But overall it was really engaging, it was two hours long, but didn’t feel like it.
Zines Versus Hardcover
I was really excited when I realized that one of the Rose Scholars events was bookmaking. I’m an amateur bookbinder, but I often don’t have the time or space to make anything, so this was a great opportunity for me. I thought it was interesting to learn about what Zines are, but personally I found the actual binding part far more interesting. I made two booklets, one with rounded edges, which made me now want to buy an edge rounder, through the method they showed us, and the other by messing around with some of the stuff I know. Both of these were through a simple folding method, basically like a magazine. This made me realize, though, that I far prefer making hard cover books because they’re less limiting. With the simple folding method, you’re limited to a certain number of pages or else your book won’t lie flat, but with a hardcover book, or I suppose a perfect bound book too, you can have as many pages and configurations as you want. And you can have more creativity with how you bind.
Lessons in entrepreneurship (or not really)
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I was really disappointed by the entrepreneurship conference. Because of classes and tech week for a show I was in, I could only go to one session. I decided to go to one about the entrepreneurial mindset, but it ended up being really only about the academic entrepreneurship programs at Cornell. I learned a lot about the BEST program for graduate students and the Kessler Fellows Program for engineering undergrads, but really very little about the entrepreneurial mindset. I was hoping to hear more about how I could incorporate that mindset into my life and academics, but it was really just a few people talking about their experiences in the programs. I think it would have been more interesting if I even could have participated in some of these programs, but I can’t. It did expose me to some new startups around my hometown which was pretty interesting. I want to look into more community oriented companies in my community. But I wish there had been more that I could have gleamed from the session or applied to my life.
West Campus Revamp
I wasn’t intending to go to a rose scholars event this week, but I saw that they were presenting the design ideas that the landscape architecture students came up with and I happened to be free, so I just had to go. It was pretty cool to see everyone’s ideas and how they all had different styles of presenting architectural plans. And I was presently surprised to get free ice cream out of it. But I have to say I was a little disappointed by the lack of things to do in some of the designs. A lot of them had cool designs for places to sit and new paths, but most of them didn’t seem to address the snow/rain issue that personally I think affects people going outside the most. Also, I didn’t see a lot of dramatic improvement of things to do. While a lot of the designs featured outdoor amphitheaters, most of them had that as their only activity area, which I really wanted to see more of. And very few of them added covering to protect from the elements. I’m probably biased on this, but my favorite design was from the girl who explained hers to me. Her design included these light up swings and at least one awning.
It a good thing I never became a drummer
I saw that Yamatai was going to be having a lesson at Rose, and I thought it would be fun to learn. I’ve seen them perform at lots of different events before, and I always thought it looked physically draining, but not that hard. I was very mistaken. In the course of trying to learn how to drum, I realized that I am not good at non-4-count rhythms. It’s a really good thing I didn’t try to peruse drumming like I’ve thought about doing in the past. I was right though about it being physically taxing. The stance and way you move the sticks is exhausting. It only solidified by respect for the people in Yamatai. Even though I wasn’t very good at it, I did have a lot of fun. I especially enjoyed playing the big, deep drum. Something about it was just a lot more satisfying than on the tiny drums.
FLX Cycle Tested me
I had a really cool experience cycling with some of my closest friends. It was nice to get off campus and forget about our stresses. It was hard to keep up with the instructors pace sometimes…but I fought through it and made it work. The uphill threads were physically tasking but with the support of my friends and fellow rose scholars, I was able to do it all without stopping.
It is always nice and refreshing to start your day off with a workout, so I really enjoyed this. It really set the mood for the rest of my day. I was extremely relaxed and felt super productive. Now that I know about FLX Cycle, I will make sure to visit there again and go cycling every so often!
Entrepreneurship is my favorite hobby
Attending the 2019 Entrepreneurship at Cornell Celebration Conference was a new and beneficial experience for me. Not only did I get to see my friends organization win an award at the conference, but I got exposed to so many initiatives and businesses started here on campus. Furthermore, I was able to hear from extremely successful alumni and business owners. Entrepreneurship is something that I have recently become interested in. I hope to become a successful entrepreneur in the future, and will use the information I learned at the conference to help me do so. I did not know that this conference existed (prior to the rose email about it), but I am so glad that I got to experience it and I will definitely be coming back next spring for the next ! 
What Does it Take to Be a Strong Leader?
This semester, I decided to explore leadership more deeply. I took a three-credit course called Foundations of Leadership. In honor of the course ending, I attended this Rose Scholars event to compare and contrast the lessons learned through this course to the lessons learned from this event. I was excited to discover similarities in the characteristics of good leaders explored during this event and the ones introduced in this course.
My leadership course and this seminar emphasized the importance of vision, an openness to learning, and an alignment with values. Both the lectures throughout the course I took and this seminar introduced other characteristics of good leaders as well. However, I have chosen to focus on discussing these ones here. Also, to avoid redundancy and confusing syntax, I will refer to my hypothetical leader as “her.”
A leader with a strong vision motivates her mission and centralizes the people she works with. A vision provides a clear path and description of an ideal future for her team and offers a goal for her and her team to strive toward. When I think of vision I often think of Elon Musk and the startups he leads. For instance, SpaceX’s mission is to make mankind multiplanetary. This vision is beyond a single person and has helped motivate the engineers who work for him. He emphasizes this vision by mounting paintings of mankind on Mars visiting the largest volcano in the solar system (Olympus Mons) and touring other sites on Mars on the walls of SpaceX’s development sites. These images and his vision are so powerful that they inspire others to wonder about his work and imagine futures that were previously unimaginable. This is a clear example of a strong vision.
An openness to learning allows a leader to be adaptable, to choose the best (not necessarily the initial) path, and to grow both herself and the mission that she is leading. I remember one of my computer science projects in CS 3410 pushed me to be open to learning. My partner and I had worked intensely for several days to build a fully pipelined RISC-V processor for our third project. We decided to attend midnight office hours before the project was due to double check our work. About five minutes before the office hours were over, I noticed another group had mentioned something about one specific implementation not working. Even though I really did not want to ask about the problem (because it was midnight, and I wanted to submit our work as the project was due the next day), I did. It turned out that our implementation would not have passed a very specific test case. This problem was discovered in a past office hour session. Despite the late time and the work we had already put into our project, my partner and I were open to learning how to fix the bug. We stayed up all night modifying the processor so that it worked, and we successfully turned in our project and earned a very high score. If we had not been open to learning about a new implementation and had stuck with our initial one, we may have failed several test cases. Our path was much more difficult than turning in what we had, but we had to be adaptable if we wanted to produce a product that truly worked. Our teamwork and decisions demonstrated our openness to learning and how this adaptability and quick turnaround can lead to success in both teamwork and good leadership.
Finally, alignment is an important characteristic of leadership. What this means is that a leader makes decisions that are aligned with her values and hires people/chooses people to work with who also believe in those values. This idea stems from the concept of vision. Both the leader and her teammates should somehow be invested in the mission and the values upheld by the project. This helps the team produce the most genuine and successful product and inspires powerful motivation and true interest in the success of the project.
These are my opinions on leadership I developed after the seminar. I enjoyed comparing and contrasting what I had learned in my course to the lessons learned in the seminar. I also really liked choosing my most important values during the card sort activities.
history and art
It was a really cool experience learning about the history of binge drinking, but my favorite part was watching the portrait being drawn. It is cool to see peoples art abilities, and it was fun watching things come along. I never knew much about the history of drinking, so all the information was pretty new to me. There are many reasons explaining why people abuse alcohol and how it became such a popular pastime.
Aside from learning about binge drinking, it was a cool experience to interact with Professor Fontaine in a casual setting. I don’t always get to speak to professors in a non-class setting, so this was especially interesting for me.
The importance of representation
Growing up as a black girl, I have not seen much representation for myself in the media. This is why I feel like this movie is so important, and can have such a large impact on young black kids everywhere. Black Panther is the Marvel’s first black superhero, and the first non-white superhero headlining his own movie, period. It is humbling to see that there is a thirst for representation, and that people can support diversity in huge films like Black Panther. This was huge for the black community, and for the future of film and media as a whole. Growing up, I remember always wishing to see characters that resembled my family and I on TV. Its super cool that I now have the opportunity to witness that on such a huge platform. Black Panther is also an amazing movie because it brings up societal issues like systematic oppression and the unequal allocation of resources in society.
Furthermore, I LOVED Lupita in this movie. She is an amazing actress and an inspiration to many many young girls out there.
How to Take Risks
As an Engineer, I feel like I have spent most of my college experience developing my technical abilities and skillsets, but not so much room for adventurous growth. Personally, I would never be satisfied working a 9-5 cubicle job — I want to spend my life innovating and leading. Of course, this comes with a lot of personal and financial risk, so I wanted to attend this talk to learn how to take intelligently take those risk. The most important lessons I took away were to not just take opportunities from people, but also to give back, and to be a “giver”, which is how to go from having 3 connections, to 100 great friends. The speakers also preached lessons about having others catch your blind spots, listening to criticism, and above all take care of your health.
The Most Important Ingredient
From the dining hall to Rose residence hall, it was such a cool experience to be able to witness a chef construct sushi rolls in front of you. I always find myself procrastinating online, and I am an especially an avid fan of watching videos on how to make your own “sushi roll”! Even from watching those countless videos, I still had plenty to learn from the chef, such as needing to dip your hands in cold water before touching the rice, which side of the seaweed goes face down on the board, and how far the roll should be on the bamboo board before you start rolling. Above anything, it was an amazing experience just to witness how excited our chef was about his passion in sushi making, and demonstrating that the most important ingredient in every roll was his love and dedication!
Being a Leader
Greeted with 100 little cards and a bowl full of jelly beans, I didn’t really know what to expect when I walked into the Rose Conference Room to discuss “Leading Etiquette”. I had just been elected to a leadership position for an organization on campus, and I was eager to discuss the best way to be an effective leader and I was curious to see what others had to offer as advice. We started by sorting cards, all printed with a different value, into piles of things that we thought about “always”, “sometimes”, or “never”. As we discussed our values amongst each other, I began to realize how my core beliefs differed from other people, for example religion has never acted as a huge influence in my life, but for others it functions as a really important part of their daily lives, and their thoughts and actions. The most interesting thing we discussed was how the values we have as a person may or may not differ from the values we hold as leaders, and how different situations require different approaches. This is definitely something that I will keep in mind as I continue my journey through college and beyond.
Angry Feminist
What started out as a comedy show gradually revealed itself to a serious commentary on the problems facing the LGBTQ community. I found myself laughing, and snapping, and tearing up with the people around me as I watched this show. Hannah Gadsby really understood how to engage the audience exactly when she wanted to, communicating her thoughts and experiences while also giving us our own space to think about our societal attitude to those who do not identify as heterosexual. I’ve always been a feminist, but after this show, I was angry. This show made me feel angry for people, like Hannah, who have been mocked, mistreated, and abused because of their sexuality and identity. I left the show with a flame lit inside me that wanted to do something to change the current climate surrounding this issue, and make life feel a little more safe for people who feel lost and hopeless.
Talking Vaginas
A melting pot of lighthearted jokes and dark recollections, the Vaginal Monologues was one of the best shows I have ever witnessed. I sat there with my friends and laughed and cried, and I realized how sparsely we discuss the female anatomy and sexuality, and how rarely we appreciate it. Through the dramatic costumes and excellent screenplay, I really able to identify with the actresses on stage, and gain more of an appreciation for my body and inner peace. I really enjoyed the stark dichotomy between the joyful/humorous aspect of acknowledging and praising female sexuality and the dark reality of sexual assault and violence that women fear on a daily basis. I appreciated how the show opened conversation for women to express themselves and defend themselves, and also for the entire audience to realize the horrors that are realities for many women. Definitely an emotional rollercoaster, would recommend seeing this show at least once in your life!
~ Wandering Through Book Aisles ~
I love wandering through book aisles and selecting stories and manuals to skim through. I find that old book shops and used book sales are some of the most interesting events to attend. In high school I was a book worm. I would read everything from fantasies to realistic fiction to magazines about gardening to manuals about architecture. What sparked my curiosity was the starkly different stories, messages, and realities each book contained. Ever since leaving high school, I have lost the time I used to spend reading. As a result, I appreciated the opportunity to explore books again offered by this Rose Scholars event.
During our visit, I explored the fiction, short story, gardening, and computer book sections. I enjoyed skimming through a wide variety of books. In particular, I liked that the book sale was for used books. Often these sales offer a quirkier and more interesting variety of books than bookstores do.
I ended up buying a book of short stories presented on the Moth Radio Hour. The Moth is a famous radio show that allows people to tell their stories to others. I really enjoy listening to the wide variety of hilarious, powerful, and inspiring stories told through this show, and I was surprised and excited to find this book at the sale. I am looking forward to reading it this summer.
I also read through many interesting computer books at the sale. Several of these books were about how to use the Linux operating system, learn different coding languages, and use several interesting and useful software resources. I thought it was cool how the book sale did not just include books meant to tell stories but also practical books such as these.
When I return home, I would like to explore my local used book sale after enjoying attending this one so much. Overall, from this experience I learned about this annual book sale in Ithaca (which I may attend in future years) and about the value in attending used book sales versus traditional book stores or online book stores. I am also very happy I left the event with a new and exciting read for this summer!
What Would You Do?
I love talking about ethics. What to do, what’s the right thing to do, and what would you really do?? In high school, I used to love watching videos from the TV series “What Would You Do?”, and observing how regular people react to ethical dilemmas. However, I never really got the chance to discuss these issue with people in real life, so being able to have this conversation with my peers was such an exciting and insightful experience! From small issues like telling your friend if their haircut looks bad to more sensitive issues like informing them that you think their significant other was cheating, we discussed how each issue had different perspectives and arguments for each side of how to address the situation. Overall, this discussion really got me thinking about my own morals and how I approach each decision in my own daily life.
Real Life Artists
I have loved drawing for all my life, but I always considered free-lancing as too risky as a career path. My dream job was to create art every day, and eventually be able to display my work in the Chelsea galleries and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, sipping champagne with my sophisticated artist friends and chuckling in French. Unfortunately, through my college career thus far, this part of my life became neglected more and more as my work load becomes increasingly heavier, so much that my sketchbooks and paintbrushes are left to collect dust in the corner of my bookshelf.
When the four ~professional~ artists introduced themselves, and explained how they held full time jobs as graphic designers and still had time to pursue free-lance on the side, I was immediately in awe. This career path — doing art professionally and free-lancing on the side — was an option that I had never considered before. I admired these people so much for taking the risk to pursue their dreams, especially a risk that I was never willing to take. They were super heroes to me.
After their presentation, I brought up my own online art portfolio from high school to show them, and recited my own sob story of wanting to do art, but also never being able to risk my stable interest in math and technology to go for my dreams. They sympathized, but told me that they were pursing something that they really loved, and that they had to make sacrifices and risks of stability and certainty for their dreams. That’s something I’ll take to heart, and apply even beyond the scope of art and work. They left me with the hope that they would probably revisit Cornell in two years, and if they did, I could help them paint their mural. I am so excited.
Pao!
This was the second year that I attended the annual Bhangra showcase, and for the second year in a row, they did not disappoint with their colorful costumes, passionate dance moves, and cheerful energy. It was so fun to cheer and shout for my friends on stage, as well as watch teams from other schools and little kids perform their dance routines. The show was so exciting to watch, and it made me very nostalgic for my days as a dancer. I believe performing and making art is so rewarding to both the artist and the viewer, and I was so happy to be able to support my fellow peer artists. Hopefully in the near future, I’ll be able to pick up this hobby again, but in the mean time, I’ll definitely still be cheering in the audience!
The Bigger Issue at Hand
The comedy piece, Nannette, was a great break for my Friday night. It included a lot of social commentary, particularly about LGBTQ issues. In a unique way, the comedian inserts serious personal narratives about her experiences with gender and sexuality. She brings up personal revelations on gender, sexuality and childhood turmoil…topics that are not always easy to talk about, especially publicly.
I think it is important to bring awareness to LGBTQ issues, and to broadcast stories like the ones brought up in Nannette. Sometimes humor can make things seem less serious than they actually are, so it can be difficult to add humor into discussions about serious issues like this. Gadsby, the Australian comedian, uses a different approach to comedy, to change things up. Her style makes the audience feel both tense and relaxed as they take in serious bits of information a long with frequent jokes.
Destressing Before Finals
In the midst of finals, this is exactly what I needed. Waking up, putting on a tie-dye t-shirt and striped leggings, I walked into Rose Common room. Standing up on my mat, I felt the stress of final projects, and papers, and exams momentarily faded away in the background music, and I tried to concentrate on my physical and mental presence in the room. We started out by noticing our breathing and sitting with our legs criss-crossed, then shifting into stretches and planks, I actually began to build up a sweat. In high school, I used to run really often, about 4 to 6 miles a day on average. Some days, we would have really intense workouts and sprints around the track, and other days we had relaxed runs in town, chatting and laughing with friends along the way. It was physically strenuous and rewarding, but I rarely took the time to hone in on my mental awareness of myself and my surroundings. Yoga was both physically strenuous and rewarding, but also helped me feel more calm about my worries and anxieties. Also, it is definitely not as easy as it looks — I definitely worked up a sweat! It was such a refreshing experience to be able to work on my mind and body at the same time!
Is it ethically right?
For this Friday film with Judge Scott Miller, we watched a portion of a famous film about a murder trial. This brought up the issue of ethics and the law. I thought it was interesting to hear what everyone had to say about the case, and about whether or not it is ok to skew the truth a little bit. Judge Scott Miller told us about some cases he personally dealt with where he was the attorney. Sometimes it can cause cognizant dissonance for lawyers, when they have to defend a client that may not be disclosing the full truth. Should the client’s words be taken as the truth? Lawyers must use their judgment along with sure facts, in order to make decisions like this. We went over a small portion of the Attorney’s code of ethics in order to help tackle the issues at hand. Some of us had differing opinions, but it was a great conversation to have. We were lucky to have Judge Miller’s lawful insight while viewing the film!
Entrepreneurship at Cornell
As a result of this Rose Scholars activity, I was lucky enough to experience one weekend full of exciting entrepreneurship discussions, talks, and events. The Cornell Entrepreneurship Conference introduced me to the strong and active entrepreneurship culture at Cornell. I met passionate graduate students starting a plethora of different innovative and exciting businesses developing products pushing boundaries in several fields.
My favorite event was the final startup competition winner ceremony and showcase. Because I want to protect the products developed by the graduate students, I would prefer not to discuss the innovations in detail here. Instead I will provide a broader description of the particular startups I really liked.
One student is creating a new spin on coffee using healthy and tasty foreign herbs. I got to sample her coffee as well as learn about her experience as a business graduate student at Cornell. I enjoyed trying out her product and learning about her background and process in developing her product.
Another student is developing an exciting new tech platform to help users gain money with very little additional work. I thought her platform was creative, innovative, and intriguing. I really enjoyed discussing her product with her and learning about how she came up with such a clever idea.
Overall, through this event I learned about Cornell’s startup culture, the creative and technical processes involved in starting a company, and the backgrounds of several Cornell University business students. I also learned about Cornell’s business graduate student program and the career opportunities available as a result of pursuing a degree through this program.
Let’s Take a Break
Yoga has never been my thing. Before I came to Cornell, the extent of my abilities in yoga was being able to do child’s pose. I can’t say that it has changed since then, but I have gone to a couple of yoga events at Rose. It is a very different way to try and push yourself to do something that you’re not used to and, in my case, something you’re not very good at. However, I have definitely felt more relaxed after each time that I have gone to a yoga event, this time being no different.
I believe that events like yoga at Rose show the interest that the house has in promoting good mental health. Especially with an exam period coming up, it is a welcome break to be able to take the mind off of classes. For me, it was a good way to de-stress after turning a paper in that morning. While yoga is not something that I would do regularly, I do enjoy having the opportunity to do it whenever Rose offers it.
Learning about Test Anxiety
With finals coming up, I decided to check out the Managing Test Anxiety event. I think all of us have heard about how to try to avoid test anxiety, with methods such as reviewing class content frequently and starting to study early, but this event was different. Although it did mention the aforementioned strategies, the event focused on how to work with test anxiety once you are actually experiencing it. We also talked about the different ways that we, as test-takers, may be thinking negatively about ourselves, our abilities, and/or our outcomes and how that affects the way that we approach tests.
This event helped me learn more about the symptoms of test anxiety as well as how to deal with them. I had never thought of myself as having test anxiety, but after reviewing what it actually was, there are common symptoms, such as blanking out at the beginning of an exam, that I have experienced. I did end up using some of the strategies during my exams to calm myself down and focus, which did make me feel more confident while taking the exams.
Have You Thought About Graduate School Yet?
Lately I have been thinking about graduate school. As a computer science major, I have also been wondering about entering industry right after obtaining my undergraduate degree. Cornell also offers the Masters of Engineering degree, which is another option I could pursue. With all these ideas lingering in the back of my mind, I decided to attend this seminar on graduate school in hopes of finding some clarity.
I really enjoyed learning about graduate students’ experiences at Cornell. I was surprised to learn how important teaching is to Cornell’s graduate school student program. Before attending this event I did not know that Masters of Computer Science students at Cornell receive a stipend and free tuition as well as T.A. for undergraduate courses. This option seems really exciting as I deeply enjoy learning and teaching others, and I have enjoyed my time studying at Cornell. After the seminar, I explored this idea further.
From the seminar I learned about other graduate students’ experiences at Cornell. I really appreciated learning about the chemical engineering graduate student program. This is because I am in the College of Engineering, and these experiences are relevant to my career path. I enjoyed learning about the programs Cornell offers to students studying fields related to the humanities. If I do plan and am accepted as a graduate student at Cornell, I would like to take courses across both disciplines (engineering and humanities).
Overall, this seminar did provide clarity and opened my eyes to new opportunities for graduate school and my career that I had not explored previously.
What Makes a Good Leader?
Looking back on the applications I’ve done, essays I’ve written, interviews I’ve participated in, I think I can confidently say this question, or perhaps the more popular “Tell me about a time when you showed leadership”, has shown up 90% of the time. College is a time when we’re growing, constantly taking on more responsibility and pushing ourselves to try out new things. It’s a time when we’re supposed to develop those leadership skills every company out there seems to want from us, even if we don’t necessarily want to be a leader and not everyone can be one. In this seminar, GRF Sam challenged us to identify personal values mattered to us the most, and then connect those to the qualities we thought were the most important for leaders to have. When choosing my five most important values, it was fascinating to reflect on how those have changed over the years, and how those changes reflected on my personal development and what were my priorities. I definitely feel that I’ve changed for the better since my time as a freshman in high school and learned more about myself. During our discussion of the most important qualities for a leader in Cornell, most of our disagreements on values revolved around morality. The consensus agreement was that what made a good person did not always make a good leader because it would make a leader too “soft” and not strong enough to be a representative for the people. During these discussions, I realized that we might always want good people who act kindly and make moral decisions as our leaders, it may not always for “good” people to lead effectively.
Learning a Personal Story about Cancer
As someone who has never heard the experience of someone who has had cancer firsthand, the talk by Jason Hungerford was very impactful. Not only was I able to hear a very personal story, I was able to learn more about cancer and its social effect, as well as some of the resources available for people affected by cancer in Ithaca. Last semester, I did the Cancer Walkathon that was offered as a Rose event. It was a great experience, since I was able to see the support the cancer community has in Ithaca.
In Jason’s talk, I was able to hear more about what the funds raised by events, such as the walkathon, go to at the Cancer Resource Center. This talk definitely made me see a different perspective on cancer, and made me appreciate the openness with which Jason spoke to us. Often during his talk he would joke about how he felt that some of the things he was telling us about his experience might make us uncomfortable, but that he wanted to be as clear as he could about his experience with cancer. Rather, I feel that many of us saw his openness simply as someone who wanted to share a very personal experience and was willing to answer any questions we may have. I believe that Jason’s openness was the key to us feeling comfortable in approaching him about the topic.
A Better Experience
My only experience of attempting to learn to make sushi happened when my cousin came back from studying abroad. Since she had studied in Spain, she had mentioned to my aunt that she had missed having sushi during her semester abroad. My aunt, wanting to surprise her, decided that we would all have a sushi-making session. Of course, none of us had ever tried to make sushi before, so what had my aunt thought would be a fun night ended in frustration and hunger.
Fortunately, the sushi demonstration event was not a repeat of my previous experience. Instead, I was able to see how sushi is actually supposed to be made, by someone who had made a living making sushi. I also learned a few tips about how to approach making sushi, if it ever does come up. If there was a need for another reason to change my perception on me making sushi myself, it was that we were able to sample the sushi that was made for the presentations.
A Trip Down Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard is a classic Film Noir movie that is haunting, engaging, and at times difficult to watch. Before this Rose Scholars event, I had never seen the film despite its popularity. I enjoyed pondering the messages and warnings about Hollywood stardom introduced in the film.
In particular, I was intrigued by the character and villain Norma Desmond. Her role as a past silent movie actress unwilling to let go of her young fame emphasized Hollywood’s focus on youth and image. The film’s portrayal of Norma as narcissistic and crazy unveiled the dangers of being consumed by Hollywood’s image-focused side.
However, I noticed another character that introduced hope for Hollywood. Betty is also a character in the movie who is young, passionate, and straight-forward. I interpreted her as Norma’s foil and as a symbol of hope for Hollywood’s transformation. I appreciated her honesty, genuineness, and true passion for film.
I enjoyed the film and learning about the clearly developed and meaningful characters. In particular, I was captivated by the haunting last scene in which Norma Desmond deliriously speaks straight to the cameras after killing the main character. This scene left me to reflect on Hollywood’s sometimes materialistic treatment of actors, actresses, and screenwriters. When watching films in the future I will question my focus on image and the film’s focus on image.
On the other hand, through Betty’s character the film also underscored the potential honesty, genuineness, and passion a film can portray. I appreciated this hope and left the film hopeful that Hollywood will mirror Betty’s personality more closely rather than Norma’s in the future.
I’m Soy into Sushi
Sushi is my absolute favorite food, so you can probably imagine my reaction when I realized the Rose House Dinner was Japanese themed and I could eat sushi for dinner. After loading up on rolls during House Dinner, I headed to the Rose Cafe where I…yep, you guessed right, ate even more sushi. I’ve made sushi many times before but watching a YouTube video or winging it with my sister was definitely a different experience than learning from Chef Jeremy, who went to culinary school and made sushi for a living. I learned that the most important component of sushi is rice, which was way different from my expectations. I thought having fresh fish and good ingredients was most important because they added flavor to rolls. Chef Jeremy told us rice is arguably more important because it is the foundation for all sushi; it creates a bed for ingredients to lie on, then serves as the glue to stick nori together. I appreciate Rose for inviting Chef Jeremy to teach us an unexpected but delicious lesson.
Out With the New and In With the Old
Having never heard of the film, Sunset Boulevard, I wasn’t sure what to expect of it. Detailing the life of a former movie star whose fame was lost in the transition from silent films to spoken films, the film weaves in the perspective of a struggling screenwriter who, in an attempt to take advantage of the actress, gets roped into her life. The actress, who has some serious attachment issues, falls in love with hum and manages to ensnare him into her life that is spent living in the past.
With the film showing clearly that the actress would never be able to reach the same level of success that she had achieved in the past, the twist and turns that it takes were what made the film on of the most fascinating things I have watched recently. Commenting on insanity, fame, and changing times, the films able to make connections throughout the film to show that in the end, a star can find a way to become a star again (even if in a completely way from what was expected).
Tolerating the Truth
In a discussion, the idea of tolerance is a prevelant issue in today’s America and world. We are becoming more open and seeking more connections with everyone overall than people before the 2000s. However, there comes the issue of tolerance and what people truly think. Some people have a different mindset than others and focus mainly on that rather than connecting with others. In this day and age, we shouldn’t be doing that and making safe spaces for people that have different ideas. I can see why though as, no matter, no one is extremely wrong on what they think. The entire issue stems from the fact that some people cannot connect with other people mindsets or even relate to them
An Eye-Opening Perspective
This week, I attended Jason Hungerford’s Rose Cafe, during which he spoke his struggle with and survival against cancer. Despite the seriousness of the topic, I was surprised to hear how he was able to insert humor and make us laugh throughout the discussion. His ability to do that really demonstrated his personal growth and how he’s changed his viewpoint about cancer. I gained a lot of awareness about cancer and how to support someone going through cancer by how open Jason was on his struggles; he spoke candidly about embarrassing topics others were afraid to talk about and exposed a lot of the stigmas around cancer, including racial, gender, sexual orientation, and the type of cancer people had.
A particularly strong takeaway I had was his words regarding how others described him as brave. Instead of considering himself as brave, Jason compared himself to a firefighter; he didn’t choose this path or to go through adversity, he was instead forced to go through it and overcome all the challenges thrown his way. Although he doesn’t consider himself to be brave, brave, directly quoted from the dictionary definition, means “ready to face and endure danger or pain; showing courage.” Jason may not have chosen this path, but I believe the way he adapted to his struggles and chose to change his perspective can definitely be described as brave.
Firing and entertainment
Up in the air is a film about a man having fun firing people. At first, actually being entertaining and somewhat comedic watching how indifferent he gets in firing people, it actually is a depressing film in the end. He lives to destroy lives at first but it is quickly shown that he cares somewhat. He cares enough to have the respect of at least appearing regretful and appears to dislike firing people. Even when his new coworker gets proven wrong and people are becoming suicidal, he questions himself rather than others on what is going wrong in his life. In the end he finally regrets it all and finally decides to change his life, which is an amazing end to the film.
Legal Status… or Not
The talk by Asad L. Asad was very interesting, especially as someone with parents who immigrated to the U.S. While my mother came into the countries with papers by association with family in the U.S., my dad had to endure the much longer process of becoming a citizen. Asad gave a very compelling argument about the way that legal status is perceived by undocumented immigrants. Instead of pursuing legal status, the different dynamics in this country make being of legal status (but not a citizen), can have similar risks to being undocumented. Having conducted his study in Texas, the places that Asad went to conduct his interviews were largely neighborhoods that had a majority Latino population. One of the questions that I had related to the talk was if this view on legal status would change if the people interviewed lived in neighborhoods where they were vastly outnumbered. Instead of being surrounded by people that share similar experiences, it would create a different atmosphere. I look forward to reading Asad’s book about the topic because of how relevant it is in the current political climate.
161 (160 Now!) Things to Do At Cornell
Pao Bhangra is one of those events on Cornell campus that everyone hears about, one way or another. This week, I was able to check off another event off the famous list of 161 Things to do at Cornell by attending Pao Bhangra, this year in the theme of Olympics. The energy and mood of the event was amazing, and I loved that I could clearly see how Bhangra was more than just a dance, or a single performance; it was a celebration of culture uniting people of a singular background and sharing the joy and pride they felt in their tradition to the people watching. It was the first time I’ve ever seen a full Bhangra performance, but I definitely understood why it deserved a place on the famous list. The excitement was just so contagious and I felt myself cheering on for the teams and looking forward to the next performance coming on stage. I enjoyed the show a lot and would definitely recommend it to anyone who hasn’t seen Pao Bhangra yet.
So many orchids
If there is ever a time to go to the Botanic Gardens, it’s on Earth Day. Having never gone before, it was a great experience to explore a part of Cornell that I hadn’t been to, especially with senior year right around the corner. The Conserving Native Orchids talk was very informative. Since my mom loves orchids (and always manages to kill them), I knew that they had a very particular way of growing. During the talk, I learned more about the conditions that orchids need to even be able to grow, and how preservation efforts are going.
I never knew how many orchids were native to our New York area. As they were going through some of the ones that can be seen in different parks, I was astounded with the sheer number of different species of orchids there were. I was able to see how different orchids can look from one another, especially since because before the talk, I had only seen one kind of orchid and had based my perception on that.