We’ve all been there before—sweats, stomachache, loss of appetite, shakiness. Symptoms of anxiety. For college students, a big source of anxiety is tests. Katrina Blomquist from Cornell Health told us the classic thoughts and feelings of test anxiety and how to combat them with simple thought trains. For example, if one is anxious about a big test and start anxious thoughts of “I suck” or “I can’t do this,” he or she can try to redirect his or her thoughts to “I will try my best” and “I have studied to the fullest of my ability.” This talk was extremely important to me as I struggle with anxiety and even have to take daily anxiety medication. I know the physical and mental symptoms of anxiety all too well. It was beneficial for me to be in a room with other people interested in how to alleviate feelings of anxiety and know I am not alone.
Author Archives: mim52
Conservation in the Finger Lakes Region
Andrew Zepp, founder and Executive Director of the Finger Lakes Land Trust, talked with us about the objectives of the land trust and what they have accomplished in terms of land and water conservation in the Finger Lakes region. I am from Cleveland, Ohio, which sits on Lake Erie and it seems like, with every summer, the number of warnings about swimming in the lake due to toxic algae seems to continually increase. Zepp explained that due to climate change, the frequency of intense rainfalls has increased in many areas. This intense rainfall leads to soil erosion in watershed regions and therefore, increased nutrient dropoff in lakes. This overloading of nutrients is what leads to toxic algae and bacteria in lakes. I am really happy that I was able to learn more about the issues our environment currently faces and the efforts we can take to conserve our resources.
Immigrant Families of Dallas
Over a five year duration, Sociologist Asad Asad interviewed over thirty immigrant families with young children of Dallas, Texas and analyzed their views of deportation and their integration in American society. What I found most shocking about Asad’s talk is when he explained that the families seemed to have no problem or hesitation with telling him that they were undocumented immigrants. To Asad, it appeared that they were not as afraid of their legal status as he would have expected. In the news, we continually hear of the atrocities those who are undocumented in our country experience, especially under this presidential administration. One of Asad’s points, however, is that not every person who is undocumented is wrapped up in the justice system- many, as do these families of Dallas, seem to live relatively normal lives. I thought this was very interesting for Asad to point out and important to talk about; however, I think it should be ensured that discussions such as these do not diminish the extremely difficult hardships and trauma that people living in this country undocumented face.
Sushi Tutorial!
This past Wednesday the head chef at 104 West came to Rose and performed a sushi rolling tutorial. I learned so much about the history of sushi and all of the different types of rolls and fish. What stuck out to me the most about the presentation is how much Americans truly change classic dishes from other countries. In Japan sushi is typically made with seaweed on the outside and a little bit of rice on the inside and then the fish. In the United States, however, sushi is more commonly made with a lot of rice on the outside, then a thin strip of seaweed, and then the fish. I had absolutely no clue that sushi is traditionally made with seaweed on the outside. This made me think of other “Americanized” versions of foods, such as American “Chinese” food, “Mexican” food, and “Italian” food, which differ drastically from what the people of these countries actually eat. Overall, the tutorial was so interesting and informative and I am so glad I attended.
Sunset Boulevard: A Glimpse into Old Hollywood
On Friday night I watched Sunset Boulevard, a black and white film from 1950. It was the story of the meeting of an old silent film actress and an unsuccessful movie writer and their resulting tumultuous relationship. I found the acting to be extremely different from the acting we typically see in movies today; it was full of strong facial expressions and dramatic voices. The most interesting thing I realized from the movie is how little society’s sense of humor has changed from 1950. In one scene, the aging, washed-up actress acts as Charlie Chaplin in her living room. Her facial expressions and fake mustache were clearly for comedic effect and I amazingly still found it very amusing in 2019. I just went to Los Angeles for Spring Break and as this movie takes place in LA, it was great to get an inside view of the old glamor, but simultaneous grit, of the city sixty years ago. This is one of the few old movies I have seen and it has inspired me to watch more in the future.
Martha Pollack: The Future of Cornell
Last night I had the opportunity to listen to a casual talk by President Martha Pollack about the history of universities, from the 1100s until today, and also about the specific history and future of Cornell. I think this was a unique and special time to be able to hear President Pollack talk because of the current college admissions scandal. It was comforting to hear President Pollack describe the scandal as “disgusting” and unacceptable because I think as Ivy League students, this scandal hits close to home. We think of admission, especially our own, to Cornell and other top-tier universities as being rooted in merit and excellence. This scandal is atrocious and I am happy to know our president feels the same way.
President Pollack also answered a question about the practice of legacy admissions, saying that she is not against it. I agree. Legacy students usually come from families with the financial capability to pay Cornell’s expensive tuition. These families paying full tuition allows Cornell to give extensive financial aid and scholarships to lower-income students of color to be able to also attend this school.
It was such an honor to hear President Pollack talk about Cornell, reminding me how proud I am to be a Cornellian!
West Campus Design Charette
A couple of Fridays ago I attended the West Campus Design Charette in the Common Room. Architecture students set up posters with visuals of ideas for the future of West Campus architecture and landscape. We were then given red and green stickers to put on each visual with the red meaning “I do not like this idea” and the green meaning “I do like this idea.”
This was a fun activity for me. It made me feel like my opinion about the future of West Campus really matters. The amazing thing about Cornell is that it seems like it is always looking for ways to improve. I appreciate the architecture students respecting the validity of our opinions in the pursuit of improving West Campus. I look forward to seeing in the future what changes they make!
Preventing Sexual Violence
Unfortunately, sexual violence is an extremely pervasive issue that occurs across time and place throughout history. One of the places in which sexual assault often occurs is a college campus. College campuses provide unique spaces in which the opportunity to commit an act of sexual violence can arise. Laura Weiss, the Sexual Violence Prevention Program Coordinator/Victim Advocate, came to Rose to discuss how she works to reduce and stop sexual violence incidences at Cornell. Laura gave examples of programs they have implemented that one would never think of as a tool for preventing sexual assault. For example, her team provided fraternity houses with coat racks to put near their front doors when they have parties.
How do coat racks help prevent sexual assault?
They allow women to have a safe place to put their coats without having to isolate themselves from their friends to put their coat in a fraternity member’s bedroom and then retrieve it at the end of the night- drunk and alone. This simple initiative is just one example of how Laura and her team think outside of the box in the effort to stop sexual violence at Cornell.
Patriots Win…Again
Today I watched the Super Bowl as I do every year, but this year was different for two reasons- I actually learned information about the teams before the game and I bet money (only $2) on which team I thought would win. Before the game started, we researched and discussed facts about both the Patriots and Rams. This was Tom Brady’s ninth Super Bowl and sixth Super Bowl win, Sean Mcvay is the youngest head coach ever to make it to the Super Bowl at thirty-three years old, and while Tom Brady is forty-one years old, the Rams’ quarterback Jared Goff is only twenty-four. Knowing these seemingly trivial facts before the game actually made the game immensely more interesting for me than usual. I found myself rooting for the Rams simply because I love when young people accomplish great things. Before the game, we also learned about the world of Super Bowl betting- its terminology and process. Although I did not follow the official rules of betting, I did end up making a simple bet with my friend that if the Rams won I would give him $4, since they were the underdog, and if the Patriots won, he would give me $2. Fortunately, I ended up with $2. I’m glad that for the first time ever, I was able to enjoy the Super Bowl in a way I have not in the past!