Author Archives: jm2586

Unexpected Education

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My favorite animal used to be cows; all my old usernames would have some version of “cow” in it actually! That being said, I was very excited to hear about the Cornell Teaching Dairy Barn event. It was a very engaging time that I think everyone who didn’t go should be jealous of. I think the best part of the event was how passionate our guide was, her energy transferred to us and made us excited even though it was cold, wet, and muddy. She talked so casually about helping cows give birth and perform c-sections. I am definitely glad we we had the opportunity to interact with her on this trip. The cows were much more docile than I expected them to be and we even got to see the cows being milked live.

The tour of the entire facility was simple and informative, I only wish I had worn better footwear instead of my slippers. There were different parts to the facility: a birthing area, outside apartments for the calves, a dry area (for cows not being milked), a feeding area, and a rest area. It was hard to believe that it was so organized and actually clean, far from what I expected.

I really did enjoy this event but it was not what I expected from the event description. I thought it would involve us seeing how the dairy products were made or maybe even some tasting, but this was a good surprise too!

Children’s movies always have the deepest messages

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While not every single children’s movie has an underlying significant life lesson, I believe that most of them do. Children’s movies are so important because they subconsciously teach children what their priorities in life should be; Coco is a phenomenal movie that while may seem to be just an interesting cultural story, it also deals with serious motifs like filial piety and respect. All in all, the entire movie was very well done. As a young adult, I am more understanding of movies as opposed to when I was a kid and just watched movies without really absorbing anything. I seldom cried for movies as a child, but moreso at my age. I think this is because I have experienced more in my life and can relate to the stories.

In Coco, the concept of death isn’t feared. Dia de los muertos is a day for those to honor those who have passed and celebrate their coming home. This does not mean that when a loved one dies, the ones left behind aren’t sad, but they are able to look forward to when they will reunite. It takes a lot of maturity and faith to believe in such a concept that has never been proven before (in Miguel’s case, he would be the first). Comparing it to my culture, death is the permanent end with no return. There is no reuniting, so life must be cherished while you are alive because regrets follow to you death. It was inspiring for me to see this clash of culture and I was able to reevaluate my perspective on life. Having said all that, I called my parents right after the movie to spend time with them.

It was also my first time to the Cornell Cinema! I had always heard about the space but never got the chance to go or wasn’t interested in what it was showing. I’m glad I went because it had such a retro vibe and I definitely recommend watching movies here because it is so comfortable.

Americans Love Soup Bowls

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First, I’d like to give a shoutout to Shiv for making the event so comfortable and casual. The entire environment was not intimidating at all and it was easy for me to communicate with my fellow rose scholars. Above all, the event was interesting! Instead of lecturing us, Shiv really cared about our own wanting to enjoy the super bowl and learn whatever we wanted. His packet of information about gambling and the marketing schemes behind the Super Bowl were really interesting; me and him even talked about the odds for the game. By the end of the event, he had converted me to a Giants fan!

I was never a die hard football fan, but I do enjoy watching and knew the fundamental rules and strategies of the sport. What I didn’t know is how much the sport had diverged from its athletic roots and become a market ploy when it comes to the Super Bowl. Of course, the game at the end of the day is about which team won or lost, but what about all of the team sponsors? Who makes the members perform so well? Money. Companies give hefty amounts of money to put their logo on just a small corner of a quarterback’s uniform. The commercials that play in between the Super Bowl have been thought about for months, probably even years. Football is not alone when it comes to the marketing world, as all other sports have their share in being “sold out” to big businesses. This event was really eye opening!