Author Archives: Lauren Chan

Taking a Time Out

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On Wednesday, I attended the Rose Café series talk given by Sarah Rubenstein-Gillis and Andrea Gerding from Gannett Health Services. The focus of the discussion was on techniques to better handle stressful situations, such as finals week. I liked that Ms. Rubenstein-Gillis and Ms. Gerding first gave some background on what exactly stress is and its’ positive, as well as negative effects. Most people can instantly identify with discomforts that stress brings, but we often forget about the benefits that a little bit of pressure can have in helping us effectively accomplish tasks. Some resistance is necessary for us to experience achievement and to survive.

Taking a course on children’s play and one on anatomy and physiology, has given me a broadened view on stress and stress-relieving activities. I echo what Ms. Rubenstein-Gillis mentioned about how important it is to take time out of one’s busy schedule to exercise and engage in fun activities. As children get older, they are given less time for free play and recess at school. This then translates to less time for fun activities as adults. Meanwhile, research has shown that play can aid in cognitive, social, and emotional skills and coping. This also connects to the point that Ms. Gerding raised of how the body cannot distinguish the difference between utilizing physical versus emotional energy. We essentially have to adapt and find ways for our brains and bodies to better adjust and relieve the stress.

During my sophomore year, I took a physical education class teaching Chi Gong. It involved both mind and body through a series of calming, repetitive movements and meditation. As of late, I have not been keeping up with practicing the moves, but it is something that I would like to pick up again. It forced me to slow down and become more in tune with my body. This was the same feeling that I had during the ten minutes of guided meditation led by Ms. Gerding. In moments of calm, we find clarity. It never hurts to feel refreshed. I would recommend that everyone at least give meditation a try even if you think it may not be for you and to take on an “I can” mindset because I think that we are often our own obstacle and creator of stress.

From the Ground Up

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Last Wednesday, I attended the Rose Café series talk given by Senior Research Associate Dr. Dawit Solomon. The major question posed was, “Why does soil matter?”. Prior to attending this discussion, I probably would answer as most others would – soil relates to growing plants and agriculture. Dr. Solomon did mention these, but expanded on the importance of soil to an even greater and more scientific degree.

Something that really struck me was the concept of effective maintenance and its relationship to managing soil quality. At a time when there is growing concern for the welfare of our planet, I feel that there needs to be a balance between finding new technologies and better utilizing already existing ones. Dr. Solomon is collaboratively working with Professor Blalock on a project to produce more affordable and natural fertilizer in countries, such as Ethiopia. The product that they have currently developed is made up of cow bones and molasses. It has already shown to have a positive effect on crop production.

I thought that it was great for Dr. Solomon to raise the point that many indigenous communities have been practicing good soil care for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. In many developed countries, the US especially, it can be easy for people to become caught up in the habits of purchasing new goods and not making the best use of what they currently have in their possession. Recently, I participated in a psychology experiment that had to do with the effects of a survival mindset. To not give anything away about the study, I will just say that I think it would be interesting for people in our modern-day society to take a step back and truly reflect on the basic elements that we have at our disposal. In many ways, I do believe that it comes down to perspective. If we cannot have an appreciation for the benefits that natural materials like soil, which contain a lot of the Earth’s atmospheric carbon, then how can we expect to properly maintain them? This is not at all to say that industrializing and lots of farming of soil are purely negative. Because it has been shown through the indigenous people that soil cultivation can be highly beneficial. It is more to say that we should be more conscious of how we are treating the soil.

Every year that I have been at Cornell, I seem to end up with a new plant. Unfortunately, the outcome is not always a good one. Perhaps this year, I will try to focus a little more on quality of the soil, in addition to the baby leaves and newly budding flowers!

Putting the Grand in Grand Slam

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Last Wednesday, I attended the Rose Café Series talk given by Silviu Tanasoiu, Savitt-Weiss Head Coach of Men’s Tennis. It was clear from the way that Coach Tanasoiu spoke, just how much passion he has for the game of tennis and the men’s team here at Cornell. I was humbled by the sacrifices that he and his family made to advance his tennis career. So often do we forget the efforts of those around us who offer their support and give so readily with only the expectation of our own personal achievement, and ask for nothing else in return.

Although I am not a student athlete at Cornell, there were many points that Coach Tanasoiu raised that resonated with me. The first being the notions of intentionality and making effective use of time. I would agree that at any given point in one’s life, time is among the most precious commodities that a person possesses. How we choose to spend our time is so important. Given all of the things that have happened in my life recently and in the world around me, I believe that people tend to get trapped in the idea of how they think others want them to spend their time. At the end of the day, it only matters that you are comfortable with the decisions that you made and how you decided to allocate your time. If what you chose to participate in at the moment was important to you, then it was important.

Another point that I really liked was that of stepping up to every challenge and turning every adversity into a moment of learning. I agree with Coach Tanasoiu that there is very little that is in our control. Being able to take the reins on what we do have a handle on, is what we should strive for and can make all the difference. It is easy to feel stuck, as if one is simply banging their head against the wall. Complaining about obstacles is a lot easier than facing them head on. But, the former will not get a person very far, only the latter will. I can only imagine the tight schedules that the team must follow. It is admirable that they make time for their studies, traveling, and routine practices and matches because we are all human and these are things that come with rehearsal, they are not readily acquired skills.

A third thought that I connected with was that of finding a good fit and giving back. It seems that Coach Tanasoiu and the entire men’s tennis coaching team and support network care very deeply about recruiting players who will thrive at Cornell based on their character, as well as their tennis performance. I think that this is a key lesson to apply to any area of life – sport, work, family, etc. Adding on to the concept of intentionality, is being true to oneself and to the people around you. When all parties can be honest with each other and themselves, it makes it easier for like minds to come together and acknowledge both their similarities and differences to work better as a team. This ties back into being grateful and never taking any opportunities for granted. It sounds like the men’s tennis team also has strong alumni ties. I felt that I learned a great deal even within the one hour that Coach Tanasoiu came to speak about the team and the life lessons that the game of tennis has taught him. I am sure that being on the team provides countless invaluable life lessons for which members are grateful for.

Coach Tanasoiu continues to dedicate his time and efforts to inspiring the men on the team better players and better people. It seems that he, himself, is also constantly learning. I can only hope to be in a future profession that is so reciprocal and gratifying. To me, Coach Tanasoiu’s work deserves the highest ranking title.

A Hot Topic

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On Wednesday, I attended the Rose Café series talk given by House Professor Garrick Blalock. The focus of the discussion was on Professor Blalock’s research in Uganda. He and fellow researchers aimed to discover more on how they could work towards implementing healthier stoves in the homes of Ugandans and other cultural groups who use similar stoves. I attended this talk last year as the semester came to a close, so I was happy to hear the follow-up to Professor Blalock’s work and some of the findings that the research team made within the past year.

In my Human Development class on children’s play, we were recently discussing how difficult it can be to change the practice of giving children certain toys to play with or sitting them down for hours in front of the TV. Once a certain methodology or behavior is ingrained in a culture and becomes the norm, it is very difficult to change, especially if the people have low income and few resources. This was very much at the heart of the points that Professor Blalock raised. He gave a great example of how a majority of people can agree that a Prius is more eco-friendly than the standard model car. Yet, the same majority will most likely own the standard model car. In the US, this is for various reasons – cost, size-efficiency, and design. It is believed that for similar reasons, Ugandans will more likely continue using their three stone stoves over healthier gas ones. They can buy the fuel at little to no cost, and they can adjust the stones to account for quantity of food, temperature, and cooking time. The newly designed gas stoves could cost one to two weeks’ worth of a Ugandan household income.

Professor Blalock’s research shows that there are numerous factors that go into a culture’s willingness to adopt new technology. It does not solely come down to cost. Many times, it also involves function. The psychology behind his research is so interesting. While most Ugandan mothers would agree that they would not want to be shoving a whole pack of cigarettes into the infants’ mouths, they still continued using their three stone stoves. The advertising and propaganda really did not make a difference. Though, this may have just come down to cost and what the families could afford.

I enjoyed speaking to Professor Blalock more about his research and the team’s findings after the café had ended. It revealed to me more about the challenges that come with this area of research. For example, Professor Blalock was trying to come up with an algorithm to account for differences in distances between the heat source and thermometers attached to the three stone stoves. Given the variability in how the stone stoves are set up, this proved to be very difficult.

In thinking about the question of what we can do to improve how technology is used to help the poor, I think that on a broader scale, we can be more cognizant of the psychology and reasoning behind cultural practices. While finances are often a major driving force, we cannot solely aim to alleviate this issue. I like that Professor Blalock and his team’s work is trying to offer a tangible solution. It has been discussed in numerous Café Series how simply making monetary donations does not always have a positive effect. It definitely takes more effort to develop these tangible solutions, but it is a step in the right direction. It is about finding a balance between technology and cultures’ longstanding methodologies.

 

Technically Speaking

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Last Wednesday, I attended the Becker-Rose Café Series talk given by Professor Adam Shwartz, Director of Jacobs Technion Cornell Institute at Cornell Tech. Professor Shwartz gave some background on the graduate school. The concept behind the Cornell Tech was, of course, to have the tech focus, but to take a different approach from the traditional lecture-style of teaching. The goal was to have students work more collaboratively and have greater accessibility to professors for feedback and assistance. The work would be project-based with real-world applications in mind. Starting in 2010, they were able to make all of this happen. Granted, they are still making strides towards expanding the program, degrees offered, and structuring and designing curricula.

Students from any and all majors are encouraged to attend. A few basic courses in technology are required. Otherwise, the school is looking for students who can contribute to every aspect of the tech production process – design, building, business, and more. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that 55% of the student population at Cornell Tech is female. It made me excited to know that fellow women are contributing to the tech field.

Something that I really appreciate about Cornell Tech’s mission is that they promote improvement of human health and everyday endeavors through technology. My concern is that some things really have become too technical in this day and age. In many ways, we have lost some of the human touch that used be more present in our interactions with one another. Therefore, I was curious as to how Professor Shwartz felt that Cornell Tech has managed to strike a balance and found a good marriage between tech and the human element of our interactions. He elaborated a little bit on how technology developments can be used to better monitor and track health status and patient records. Having taken a class on US Healthcare and Policy last semester, this generated a number of thoughts in my mind. It made me wonder about accuracy and cost of devices, as well as, patient-physician relationships. With more components of the health field becoming technical, how do we maintain the human aspect of health care? When and should there be any form of pushback? How do we really know when things have become too technical – is there a right, a wrong, or just a different way of doing things?

I am proud of what Cornell Tech has already managed to achieve. I believe that the program will present even greater opportunities for students. It was great to hear about how the Cornell network is growing. Through the Jacobs Institute, a partnership with Israel Institute of Technology, we see another example of Cornell’s global outreach and connection. I am sure that there are still numerous details that need to be worked out, but they are off to a great start. Being a New Yorker, I can appreciate the value that the campus will bring to the New York City community and the value that the City can reciprocally contribute to the campus. The tech industry and culture is a bit different on the East Coast in comparison to the West Coast. I think that Cornell Tech is a nice addition to the East Coast tech world. I look forward to seeing what the upcoming years bring.

Bittersweet

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Last Saturday, I attended The Science Behind Inside Out event. I had seen the movie once before, but I was excited to see it again. Prior to ever watching the movie, I had heard all the buzz on how psychology was implemented. This was very clear to me once I saw the different personalities of the characters, each representing some of the core human emotions. Upon watching the movie the second time and in the context of the science focus, I was able to pick up on a lot more details that I had missed the first time. In a way, I was primed having read the suggested NY Times opinion article (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/05/opinion/sunday/the-science-of-inside-out.html), but I was also able to utilize my Human Development background.

Majoring in Human Development, and having taken Infancy and Childhood with House Fellow and Associate Professor Tamar Kushnir in my freshman year, I was really interested to hear her perspective on the movie. Her area of expertise is on early childhood cognition. Through the discussion after the movie, I was reminded of how little is known about emotion and that researchers are looking into brain scans as a way to uncover more. I think that it is fascinating that from the moment we are born, we are able to express our innate emotions. Over time, we develop our awareness and acknowledgement of our emotions, and through culture, this may be cultivated in different ways. Since we are largely made up of our parents’ personalities and reactivity mechanisms, our genetics and upbringing can influence how and which emotions we express. Along the way, we gather our own experiences, as well, which contributes to how we formulate our own mechanisms.

Professor Kushnir made a very interesting statement about how our emotions often dictate our decision-making and logic. As an extremely emotional person, I would agree. For me, it is very difficult to separate head from heart. This past weekend, my grandmother passed away. It still has not sunken in yet. She lived an extremely long and happy life. No matter the trial or tribulation, she always bounced back, always put her family first – she was the strongest woman that I know. Towards the end of her life, she was very ill, though my family did not know. She was not in pain and her passing was very peaceful. Therefore, in my head, I know that she is now more comfortable and in a good place, but in my heart, it has been difficult to accept. For the past two decades of my life, my grandmother has been a constant presence in my life. She will continue to be. Just like in the movie, it has been a bittersweet moment. One of a mix of feelings. Everyone needs a constant combination of emotions in order to truly appreciate life and to be whole. To my Grandma, thank you for teaching me how to be sensitive and tough, tame and fiery, simple and complex. Thank you for always being there for me, for inspiring me to really feel and to be brave, for allowing me to love you and for loving me back.

What My Vagina Would Say and Wear

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Last Saturday, I attended the Vagina Monologues. I met fellow Rose Scholars and GRF Antonio in the Rose Lobby, and we walked to Bailey Hall together. As we were walking to the show, the conversation was centered on the topics of love, romantic relationships, and significant others. It felt different being back Bailey for a different event this week, after I had gone to the Banff Mountain Festival last week and because I have a class there during the week. The screen was raised and the stage was darker with a blue hue. Slowly, more audience members trickled in. Less surprisingly, the crowd was predominantly women.

While the play held true to its name of “The Vagina Monologues”, there was much more to the performance than this. On the surface, you could say that it was about vaginas, a topic that tends to be taboo, but beneath the theme of vaginas was another very important, often forgotten topic, which is that of love and respect for oneself and for others. To a large degree, I think this is where the discomfort comes in talking about our different body parts. There were times when I did feel a bit uncomfortable, but simultaneously wondered why more people are not discussing these things. The actors and the stories portrayed made it clear that we have to have confidence and encourage others to do the same. Rather than put ourselves and other people down, we have to raise them up. From the play, you get glimpse at how so much good can come from having the courage to speak up, speak out, and address some of these discomforts head on.

One of my close friends was in the play. She had the role of a character who was sexually abused as a young child. Her performance was riveting. The monologue that she performed in along with others about the abuse that transgender women and men and women of genitalia mutilation face were extremely powerful. They remind us that our society as a whole still has a long way to go before we achieve total acceptance of men, women, and simply treating all people as equals and independent people who can make their own decisions about their bodies and lives.

As we were walking back to West Campus, the conversation was centered more on the play itself. I would agree with fellow Rose Scholars who attended and GRF Antonio that the play really has something for everyone. There are moments when you will burst out laughing, others when you may end up in crying, and some when you may be smiling on the outside and shedding tears on the inside. At some point, everyone should see the play. While I can understand where some of the common controversies within the play can come from, I can also appreciate the brute honesty of the monologues. This is something that I greatly applaud Eve Ensler for, in addition to her efforts to end violence against women through initiative like V-Day. If my vagina could talk and wear anything, it would say, “I am courageous and proud to be me” and would wear a button to match.

Reaching Greater Heights

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On Friday, I attended the Banff Mountain Film Festival event with fellow Scholars and GRF Yashira. Prior to the event, I was not sure what to expect. At first, I thought we may be watching the film in Rose House, but it turned out that we were on our way to Bailey Hall! I also thought that the film might be in the format of narrated bird’s eye views of numerous mountainous landscapes from around the world, which I had no problems with. This would be a chance for me to see some of Earth’s truly spectacular features, regardless of the format of the film.

Upon arriving at Bailey, I admittedly felt a little out of place. Here were hundreds of people who had a deep passion for the outdoors, spending so much of their lives immersed in landscapes of the world. They were all congregated in this one central hub to watch this compilation of 8 of the best films from the Festival. I initially felt bad that I was potentially taking the seat of a more deserving viewer who could really appreciate the film. But, as soon as the first one started, I could understand how anyone, no matter the amount of time or the types of outdoor activities they are involved in, could fall in love with and were equally as deserving of seeing each of the places that this virtual tour brought us to.

I would have been content with a narrated film of the landscapes, but I was even more excited that all of the films depicted and were in the voice of their subjects. As a Human Development major, I enjoyed the human elements of the film – getting a firsthand glimpse at the interactions between people and the landscapes, as well as the physical and psychological tests of human strength. For someone who is afraid of heights, this event was perfect. I was able to experience being up on mountains without physically being elevated. I was pleased to live vicariously through others in the films. Among my favorites was the first film shown, The Important Places, which won Best Short Mountain Film, about a young man’s and his father’s shared love for the Colorado River. Another one that I really enjoyed was Eclipse, which won Best Film: Snow Sports, illustrating a photographer’s mission to capture the perfect picture of skiers coming down a Norwegian mountain during an eclipse. A third was Paddle for the North, a portrayal of 6 men’s journey paddling some of the more remote rivers in North America. Despite some of the more muddy and grueling conditions that they endured, they got to see the Northern Lights, which has always been a bucket list item of mine.

An important aspect of the event to note were the various film elements used. Everything was natural, no special effects were implemented. The angles and contrast in scale of what was being filmed were amazing. They ranged from being able to see the bottom side of drops of water as they dripped off of a surfer’s glove to frames of entire rivers and snowy mountains. This Festival was as much about the filmmakers as they were the subjects of the films.

Having attended this event, I think I will be needing to add more places to my bucket list. I like to go running on Campus. Perhaps, I will have to branch out further and experience running in new, even more scenic places in the future. The Festival was such an exhilarating and fulfilling experience. There is something to be said in finding peace in nature’s both calm and more tumultuous landscapes. I am so glad that I attended! The Earth has so many wonders, many of which will always give us a sense of awe. If we look at some of the native cultures, as the films did, we see they have an honest understanding of the land and hope to preserve it along with their cultures. They see the land for all of its beauty and wonderment. Those of other cultures do, too, but because such wonders are becoming more industrialized and scarce, those of other cultures have a stronger sense of awe. Is this increased level of wonderment necessarily a good thing? It seems like a double-edged sword – on the one hand, we are paying the land some more mind, but on the other hand, this is very likely because the land is being destroyed. This year is the 40th anniversary of the Banff Festival. I truly hope that it continues for another 40 and counting!

Governing Success

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Last Wednesday, I attended the Becker-Rose Café series talk given by Professor Nicolas van de Walle from the Department of Government. His area of expertise is on how politics affect the economic development of countries, especially those in Africa. I learned a great deal about the economic status of many African countries. Professor van de Walle gave a great summary of the context and development their economies. I also picked up on some interesting facts. Ethiopia is among the few African countries that were the least or not colonized. Its economy is growing at a faster rate than the US economy, but it still very much resembles the economies of African countries that were colonized.

There was something that Professor van de Walle mentioned that stood out to me. Countries, such as the US, are quick to try and aid foreign countries, like many of those in Africa, by developing their agricultural and other natural resources. It is usually perceived that this along with monetary aid will alleviate many of the stresses that developing countries face. However, these countries overlook the internal obstacles that a developing country faces, which often stem from the country’s political instability. In the case of the African countries that Professor van de Walle talked about, this also involves a great deal of political corruption. One example he gave was in Cameroon where certain food products are not allowed to be imported into the country unless it is for special occasions and holidays. In past Rose Café talks, political instability has been a common theme.

It is also a recurring question of whether or not countries, like the US, overstep boundaries by getting involved in other countries’ affairs. I think that more developed countries have good intentions in trying to give developing countries a boost, but it does get a little murky when developed countries’ own economic interests are involved.

My hope is to become more cognizant of foreign affairs. We should want to help all countries advance and be in a good place globally. Though, I believe that we need to be mindful of every aspect of a country’s inner workings, especially the well-being and livelihood of its people. When we forget this, we forget the true purpose of our efforts.

Figuring It All Out

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Last Saturday, I attended the Open Skate at Lynah Rink event led by SA Caitlan and GRF Andrew. It was a great event to kick off the semester! We walked over to the rink as a group, got our skates, and headed onto the ice. I was still getting my skates on, so I did not catch the history of ice skating, but to my knowledge, it is a sport that has been around for quite a long time.

I did manage to make it onto the ice for the group lesson that Caitlan led. She taught us the proper ways of getting up after falling, stopping, going forwards, and for the more adventurous and skilled, going backwards and standing on one leg. We were a very large group, and it was fun seeing everyone make their way from one end of the rink to the other. I spent most of my time just attempting to go forwards. This was not my first time skating, but it definitely took me a while to get used to being on the ice. The next time when I go ice skating, I will have to try implementing some of these basic, but more advanced techniques.

One aspect of this event that I enjoyed most was being with fellow Rose Scholars, two of whom are my close friends. As the semester progresses, it is difficult for us to attend events together. This was an awesome way for us to catch up and relax. Although, it took a lot of concentration and tensing of muscles for me to try and not fall.

In addition to all of the laughter and smiles, I grew an even deeper appreciation for the sport. I know Caitlan outside of Rose House and to see her in her element, enjoying teaching something that she loves was really wonderful. I needed her help on the ice for a bit, too! Figure skating and speed skating are two Winter Olympic events that I have always liked watching on television. The athletes always make gliding on the ice look so simple and elegant. However, my own experience of getting on the ice every time is usually anything but graceful. Therefore, I truly value the focus and commitment that goes into the sport.

I hope that this can be a yearly event for future scholars to attend!