Author Archives: Kelly Jiang

Turning Activism into a Profession

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I highly enjoyed Laura Simon’s talk last night on turning activism into a career. It was interesting to hear her experiences with providing services for survivors of sexual and domestic abuse. I found her talk inspirational; it revealed that pursuing a self-satisfying profession is more important than other rewards – such as higher financial returns. She taught me that our college major does not compartmentalize us into specific vocations; rather our college major can serve as a stepping stone for careers we find fulfilling. She had studied economics in undergrad and subsequently obtained an MBA. However, she realized that she can channel her skills to combating societal issues. It is within our power to change our life trajectory as long as we remain determined. I realized that I can do anything with my major – I had always thought that I would work in financial services in the future. However I now know that I could leverage my skills to work for the United Nations or non-profit organizations with missions that closely align with my interests.

Her enthusiasm for serving as Director for the Advocacy Center of Tompkins County was evident. She elaborated on what the Center does; it organizes “Take Back the Night”, an event with the mission of eradicating domestic violence, child abuse, and sexual assault. Laura also explained that 1/3 of their clients are college students, but that many students are afraid to report the incidents. I think it must be extremely fulfilling to work at the Center, to be a source of comfort and to feel that you are making a difference in a victim’s life.

Overall, I had a great time at the talk. At the end of the talk, Professor Blalock said that it could be difficult to balance practicality with passion. I agree, especially if graduates have student loans or financial obligations. However, I do want to eventually work for an organization that is dedicated to improving humanity. There are fewer endeavors in life that are more fulfilling than that.

An Afternoon of Stellar Music

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Today I had the privilege of attending one of Cornell Symphony Orchestra’s performances in Bailey Hall. I was thoroughly impressed by the students’ abilities. Their dedication and passion for their craft shined through their repertoire. Today they played Ludwig’s Fanfare for Sam, Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Overture-Fantasy, Sibelius’s, and Symphony No. 2 in D Major, op. 43. My favorite piece was Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet. The music was an accurate representation of the critical events of the play as well as the characters and their relationships. It began with a gentle chorale, which signified the voice of Friar Lawrence. The brash, hurried tempo that followed illustrated the feud between the Capulets and Montagues. As the piece began to wind to an end, the intensity began to wane, thereby exemplifying the play’s tragedy.

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Overall, I left Bailey Hall with an increased appreciation for classical music. It reminded me of my own days as a member of the orchestra from elementary school to the end of my sophomore year of high school. Also, I highly admire the orchestra students – it was clear that they had spent a lot of time perfecting their performance.

This was a wonderful event and I look forward to attending more student performances such as this one.

Achieving Serenity

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Last Wednesday, I had the privilege of receiving advice on reducing stress and optimizing our time from Sarah Rubenstein-Gillis and Andrea Gerding. I found their recommendations extremely helpful, especially because the month before final exams tends to be hectic for all students. I have put a few of their suggestions into practice and found not only a boost in my productivity, but also an increase in my well-being.

Their first suggestion was to establish a pre-work routine in order to enhance productivity. Because I am easily distracted, many times I do not finish my homework or studying until the last minute. Last week, I began to spend a little time preparing myself for a study session such as drinking tea or listening to a song. This brief activity puts me in the right mindset and prevents me from becoming as easily distracted; it signals that I had a break and am ready to undertake my academic endeavors.

I also heeded their recommendation to use the Pomodoro Technique, a management method that uses a timer to break down work in intervals. I downloaded it on my computer and have found that it discourages me from taking “unofficial” breaks (i.e. checking my phone every 5-10 minutes when I am anticipating a text message).

Moreover, I began to meditate and take more “idle” breaks during which I refrain from using technology. Sarah and Andrea said that social media breaks do not constitute as breaks because activities such as scrolling through Facebook can in fact increase our stress and anxiety levels.

Overall, I found this talk not only useful, but also very relaxing. Saran and Andrea concluded with a 5-minute meditation session which I found energizing.

Being Intentional with Time and Embracing Adversity

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Last evening, I had a wonderful time at the Rose Café series. I enjoyed Cornell’s Head Tennis coach Silviu Tanasoiu’s talk about the necessary personal qualities and sacrifices to succeed in college athletics. These traits and actions are not only applicable in sports, but also in other aspects of our lives.

I have always admired college athletes for their time management skills; not only do they have classes and activities like non-athletes, but they also have daily training and games against other university teams. Because of their high-intensity workouts, athletes need more sleep than non-athletes. Tanasoiu emphasized the importance of being intentional with time, a habit essential for success. I think that their ability to prioritize is extremely valuable not only on the game field, but also in the professional world.

Tanasoiu’s stress on embracing adversity also resonated with me. He said that athletes “make it their friends”. They not only face adversity in order to receive a spot on the team, but they also face it within the team, against other teams, and in the classroom and beyond. I think this is great advice because it is impossible to live without adversity or failure. What he said reminded me of J.K. Rowling’s Harvard commencement speech, during which she said, “It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which you fail by default.” Tanasoiu talked about the adversity and sacrificed he faced as a teenager when he was given a chance to compete in a tennis tournament in Miami. Having grown up in a blue-collar family, he could not afford the round-trip flight from Bucharest, Romania. His father sold their car to purchase the ticket.

Overall, I found Tanasoiu’s speech extremely inspirational. He was engaging, down-to-earth, and humble about his accomplishments. I will try harder to improve my time management skills and resilience so that I can reach my full potential!

Allowing Everyone to DREAM

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This evening I had the chance to hear GRF Esmeralda talk to us about the DREAM Act, which provides undocumented youth the opportunity to become educated and productive members of American society. I was moved by this talk because I am an immigrant myself and have experienced my fair share of challenges; these undocumented students not only have a wide array of challenges that arise from immigration, but also those that stem from being illegal. Esmeralda elaborated on the notion that these children are not responsible for their parents’ actions, and the DREAM Act serves as an amnesty to them.

I am glad that the DREAM Act affords undocumented youth the chance to become U.S. citizens and therefore realize their full potential. Without citizenship, these students can not only be eligible for federal employment and benefits, but also receive financial aid for college and benefit from tax laws. In addition to these advantages, their sense of security will perpetuate a more positive environment in America. Esmeralda showed us a quote by an immigrant named Tam Tran, who said, “I hate filling out forms, especially ones that limit me to checking off boxes even I don’t identify with.”  The DREAM Act serves to curtail these inconveniences that prevent undocumented youth from achieving success.

I also liked the image with the caption “Pass the DREAM Act” that Esmeralda showed us. Its emphasis on importance of education among these youth, not the negativity about immigration, deeply resonated with me. I hope that the DREAM Act will fuel further reforms in regards to helping undocumented youth. It inspires loyalty and a strong work ethic to our country, which are qualities that will bolster the American economy.

Overall, I learned a lot from Esmeralda. I hope to talk to her more about her opinions about future reforms when I see her in Rose House!

Touring Ithaca’s Historical Gem

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Last Saturday, I and other Rose Scholars had the opportunity to tour Museum of the Earth. I had a wonderful time learning about the Earth and the many species that have inhabited it. It reminded me that an innumerable number of organisms lived on Earth before us and that many more will be here after we are gone. As a child, I wanted to become an archaeologist after watching The Land Before Time because I was curious about what life was like before humans existed. I also lived in Washington D.C. when I was in elementary school and frequently visited the Smithsonian museums during weekends, which piqued my interest in dinosaurs and extinct/endangered animals.

During the tour, I learned that the cooling of the Earth’s climate was associated with widespread glaciation in the Southern Hemisphere. This cooling caused the first mass extinction about 400 million years ago, killing many marine organisms.

I also enjoyed looking at fossils of different phyla and replications of dinosaurs:

 

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Another exhibit I found fascinating was this:

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It is a block of ice that we might have seen at the exact spot 14,500 years ago. When I touched the ice, I was surprised that it was cold. I really wanted to know how the museum keeps it refrigerated.

Overall, I really enjoyed this excursion to the museum! This museum is a historical gem for Ithaca. I learned a lot and also connected with some Rose Scholars. This was a great way to start out my Saturday.

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A Taste of the Baroque at Bailey Hall

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Last Friday, I had the privilege of attending the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra in Bailey Hall. I was awestruck by their powerful renditions of Mozart and superb playing skills. I was especially moved by the soloists whose performances conferred a lot of meaning even though they sang in Italian. The soloists reflected the orchestra’s baroque theme; the desire to express the meaning of words was of more importance than anything else. I was very interested by the contrast between the first soloist Christian Gerhaher’s bold, operatic voice and the second soloist Lorenzo Coppola’s elegant yet strong playing of the historical clarinet.

I also believe that this orchestra has rekindled my appreciation for symphonies. I stopped playing the violin in high school  (and therefore attended fewer “String Nights” in school) because of decreased time, and my watching of the first violinist Gottfried Von Der Goltz’s repertoire made me remember the amount of fun I had when I played.

Overall, I was very excited about attending the performance, and the orchestra exceeded my expectations. I am grateful that they visited Ithaca to play since they are from Germany. One question I had was how they were able to transport their instruments (particularly the basses) from one city to another. Do they travel by bus? If so, where do they sleep – it does not seem financially feasible for them to stay at a hotel every night.I hope there are more musicians such as these at Cornell! This was not only very satisfying and enjoyable, but also educational.

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The past, present, and future of Ithaca

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On Wednesday, I had the privilege of attending urban planner Lisa Nicholas’s talk on the past, present, and future of Ithaca’s infrastructure. I had been looking forward to this talk because of my past project research on Ithaca’s expensive housing market. Ithaca’s low supply of housing is the primary barrier to affordability. More than 50 percent of income goes to housing for the majority of renters. Because of the severe shortage of housing, many people who work in Ithaca commute; there are 16,000 employed in Ithaca and ~13,000 are commuters. Not only do Ithaca residents suffer, but also students are affected as well. Finding affordable, optimal housing at Cornell has been difficult for everyone. Even though I have lived on-campus since freshman year, I frequently hear stories from friends about the exorbitant rents they pay in Collegetown. Rents have increased each year and are almost on par with those in Manhattan. We all hope to lower rent, but the lack of available places to build suggests that prices in the future might not decrease.

I also learned about some interesting facts from Lisa Nicholas. She described the steps involved in the construction of a new building and the importance of how the projects fits with the community. Moreover, the planning board modifies projects such as lowering a building to improve residents’ life quality and the city’s landscape. Also, I learned that a Marriott hotel is being built in the Commons. Despite its high housing costs, Ithaca has a good future ahead because of many peoples’ constant efforts to better its community.

Starting the New Semester with an Excursion to Lynah Rink

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I was very excited when I learned that Rose House had organized a skating event at Lynah Rink. Even though I can count on one hand the number of times I have gone ice skating, I’m an avid spectator of winter sports, particularly figure skating.

I hadn’t been to an ice rink since I was in high school, so I was uncertain about my ability to skate well. Nevertheless, I quickly realized that it was like riding a bike and made a few laps around the rink without falling. It was also a wonderful opportunity for Rose Scholars to catch up after the long winter break. I skated with my hall mates and chatted with other Rose Scholars; it was great to talk to them in a place other than on West Campus or in an academic setting!

As the Zamboni entered the rink, there was a 15-minute break and some skaters decided to head home. I had planned to leave as well, but I decided to wait for the Zamboni’s departure and continue to skate. This skating event reminded me of the large number of activities that our campus offers, and it has made me even more appreciative of Cornell. I have decided to take an ice skating class in the fall.

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I hope that Rose has more physical events like this in the future. They are not only a valuable opportunity for Rose residents and scholars to connect with each other, but they are also a healthy outlet.