Gourd Night Lights

This was one of the most unique Rose Events I have attended so far. Not only was it very fun to learn how to carve gourds into night lights, but it was also interesting to learn about a type of art that I had not heard of before. I think it is a really cool and creative to use dried gourds to create something beautiful. It was also amazing how enthusiastic Graham Ottoson was about her art. There was true passion in her voice when she talked about her creations and the practice of carving gourds. When someone has found something they really love, it’s fun to listen to them talk about it. It is clear that Graham has found something that she cares about that makes her very happy, and it is always interesting to hear people share their passion. Overall, this Rose Event was very interesting and a lot of fun.

Pumpkin Carving!

Halloween has always been my favorite holiday, so I was excited to sign up for a Rose Event that fit so well with the season. I always carved pumpkins when I was growing up, so it was nice to continue the tradition this year with my friends from Rose House. I had so much carving pumpkins with them and we got to laugh together while reliving stress during prelim season. It was a great way to relax and spend some time together without having to worry about tests and homework. The jack-o-lanterns were great Halloween decoration for our suite. This was an awesome Rose House Event, and I am happy I signed up!

Stress Relief with Art

Sculpting at the Johnson was the perfect way to de-stress after my prelims! After a week of doing nothing but studying, this was a great way to relax with my friends from Rose House. I’ve always liked doing art as a means of stress relief, but I have had trouble finding the time to do so. Last Sunday afternoon was the perfect time to take a break and work with an art medium that I rarely get to work with. Sculpting with clay was highly therapeutic, especially throwing it onto the table to flatten it. Overall, my friends and I had a lot of fun and were able to forget about the stress of prelims for a little bit. The Johnson is also beautiful, and as someone who enjoys art, it was very cool to see. It was also very inspiring to create in the museum with beautiful works of art everywhere. Even though we cannot drink from the mugs we made, they add a nice decoration for our dorm room. So far, this was my favorite Rose Scholar event.

A Good Employee

I found last week’s Rose Cafe with Mary Opperman very interesting and useful. She provide tips on how to succeed in the workplace in a way that will not annoy your supervisor and potentially derail your career. In my previous work experience as a whitewater rafting guide, I did not encounter many of the problems that Marry Opperman talked about, as I got along well with my friendly and relatable bosses, However, as I get older and move away from my hometown, I will likely take jobs with a less casual work environment. I highly appreciate the advice offered at the Cafe, so I know what behaviors to avoid in the work place. She also talked about conflict resolution with coworkers and the supervisor, and I think this advice could be helpful in all interpersonal relationships, not just the place of employment. Overall, I am glad I went to Marry Opperman’s Cafe, and I will use her advice to guide how I conduct myself in current and future employment opportunities.

The Ever-Changing Earth

Dr. Todd Bittner described the formation of Ithaca’s beautiful gorges in great detail. It was a fascinating talk about how erosion and glaciers changed the face of the landscape. The most interesting part about the talk to me was the fact that the earth is continuously changing. Erosion and glaciers change the earth at an incredibly slow rate, so the amount of time that passed in order for the gorges to be formed is staggering. The forces of erosion are working on the landscape on a daily basis, chipping away at the rock little by little. If these gradual forces can shape Ithaca so much, it is interesting to think what the earth will look like after millions of more years. It will likely be unrecognizable, and landmarks we take for granted now will likely be gone. The power of natural forces has always amazed me, but the talk with Dr. Bittner highlighted how they could form beautiful natural attractions in our local area. It really inspired me to go hiking on the gorge trails, which is something I have been wanting to do since I moved in. He also told me about a website detailing the various trails around Ithaca, and I have already used this resource pick the trail that I hiked on Friday with a friend. We went to Robert H. Treman State Park, and it was a beautiful hike along the stream with an amazing waterfall. I highly recommend it, and the talk with Dr. Bittner enriched the experience by giving me a thorough understanding of how the gorges were formed, and I was able to see evidence of erosion along the trail.

The Importance of Networking

I found the Rose Cafe with Christa Downey to be an incredibly useful resource. Networking seems to be very important at Cornell. As a transfer, Cornell can be overwhelming at first, and it is difficult to even know where to start when trying to make connections. However, the advice from everyone, both peers and faculty, in regards to securing internships and research is to reach out and talk to people. Christa Downey provided some good advice on how to make the connections necessary to find enriching opportunities at Cornell. This is my first semester here, but as I start to become acclimated to my classes and the work load, I would like to start looking for research opportunities and unique experiences that could only be achieved by talking to people. As a  shy person, it can be difficult to make the first move , so I greatly appreciate Dr. Downey’s advice and the booklet she handed out at the Cafe.

The Other Side of Justice

I really enjoyed the Rose Cafe with Scott Miller because it offered a very different perspective on a system that is very familiar to me. I have family members who work in law enforcement, so I grew up with an understanding of how that aspect of the justice system worked. Essentially, law enforcement receives a call, evaluates the situation, and makes the proper arrests and files appropriate charges, after which the defendant goes to court. I had never given much thought to what happens to these people in court and who defends them. Scott Miller spent a long time working as that person and it was enlightening to hear his views on defending the guilty.

I think that it is incredibly easy to write off a criminal and assume their guilt.  In some cases, these people have committed atrocious crimes, and defending them can seem unconscionable.  However, I also believe that everyone has the right to a fair trial, regardless of the accusations. People like Scott Miller use the law to defend people, and this helps preserve the freedom of the people and helps keep the penal system just. The work of a defense attorney is difficult and raises many moral questions. Is it moral to defend murderers and rapists? Are terrible people deserving of the same defense rights as everyone else? In the interest of democracy and freedom, I believe the answer is yes. I do not think I could do the work of a criminal defense attorney, but I respect it and recognize that it is an important job that helps preserve our justice system.