Author Archives: scg223

Mental Health on Cornell’s Campus

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Last week, I attended a talk focused on the negative connotation and stigma that surrounds mental illness in society. We discussed how the words used to describe mental illness can discourage someone from seeking the help that they need for fear of being ostracized from their family and community. I found this conversation interesting because people shared not only what mental illness and the words used to describe it mean to them but also, we talked about mental illness on Cornell’s campus.

I thought that I was the only one that had noticed how easily people talk about wanting to die on this campus but my peers also talked about it. The fact that such a phrase is so normalized speaks of a larger issue that we have on this campus of maintaining good mental health practices. As we talked more about what Cornell doesn’t supply for students with disabilities (e.g. nice campus terrain for easier wheelchair accessibility, video lectures for students that are going through a tough time and can’t muster the strength to leave their room for a day), it became more apparent to me that Cornell needs some sort of re-vamping of their mental health outreach in order to reach students dealing with mental and physical disabilities.

Behind the Scenes: Piloting

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Last week, I had the pleasure of listening to a Delta airlines pilot speak on his experiences with piloting: from how he stumbled across the activity to what it’s like being a pilot now. One of the most interesting parts to me was the fact that, in order to become a pilot, you have to accrue A LOT of flying hours. The level of obvious dedication that pilots must have for their craft is amazing. Another interesting tidbit of information came when he was describing rules and regulations on flying: pilots can only fly for a certain amount of hours every day, every week, every month, and every year. This is to ensure that pilots are receiving the proper rest needed to operate a plane and to prevent them from getting overworked. He explained that sometimes, this is the reason for some of the delays that passengers experience when they are traveling. Although I have been on the short end of the stick before (delayed/canceled flights), this conversation helped me understand the behind-the-scenes safety rules that must be adhered to above all else.

The Right Reaction

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During tonight’s Rose Cafe, a student asked Judge Scott Miller what he thought about Judge Rosemarie Aquilina’s remarks to Larry Nassar during his sentencing. Prior to hearing Judge Miller’s opinion on the matter, I agreed with quite a bit of people that Judge Aquilina’s remarks were warranted given the horrifying events that occurred for years to young Olympian girls. Judge Miller proceeded to shock me by saying that he was appalled by Judge Aquilina’s reaction in front of the court. He began to explain the importance that anybody with power has to conduct themselves in an appropriate fashion lest he/she begin to abuse their power.

This response left me on the fence: on one hand, I feel like Judge Aquilina’s reaction could have been more violent and unprofessional and it still wouldn’t have been enough in comparison to all the wrong that Nassar did. But, on the other hand, I feel like I am in agreeance with Judge Miller: Judge Aquilina should have had more decorum in the courtroom, especially, given the fact that she has all of the power. This talk with Judge Miller really made me think about the implications of having a position of power and the importance of proper conduct when exercising that power. This is something that, in my opinion, people think about in theory but in practice, it’s hard to remember this especially given how emotionally charged situations can be.