Author Archives: wl522

Learning more about Organoids

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GRF Shiv came to speak to us during this Rose Cafe about Organoids. Being a STEM major, I was surprised that I have never heard about this new technology. The way Shiv described it was creating mini organs that have the same functions as the organs themselves. I personally find this extremely fascinating that one tiny organoid can have the same functions as say, our lungs. What’s even more fascinating is what the organoids can do. Shiv mentioned how organoids can be used to research how the body responds to different drugs and therapies thus it is a growing field in the biotech world. I am excited to see where organoids can take us in the upcoming years.

It was also interesting to learn about Shiv’s background and why he came to Cornell to do research. He is working on his PHD in biomedical engineering and researching how organoids can be used to learn more about antibodies and what they fight against. This was a great opportunity to not only get to know a GRF, but to learn more about the work that he does and the difference he is making.

Grad School Planning

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GRF Sara led a discussion about Graduate School during this seminar. First, I’d like to say that her own story about how she got to where she is today was very interesting and admirable to me. She graduated with an undergraduate degree of History and worked at a finance firm after graduating and somehow got to be a PHD student in English here at Cornell. Her passion and enthusiasm for the humanities is definitely a major reason why she is here. I especially admire her passion for what she does, as she phrased it, “What kind of grown-up gets to read everyday for fun?”.

As for myself, I intend to go to Physical Therapy School after undergrad and I plan to get a doctor in physical therapy. Our discussion however pertained mostly to other types of grad schools such as MBA programs, PHD programs and other master degrees as well. The process for each program does overlap in that we must apply with a personal statement, interviews, and recommendations. I learned a bit more about gap years and what my fellow peers’ opinions were on it. In my opinion, a gap year or years, would be a good time to gain some professional experience in the real world before going back to school. I believe it would help make an application to grad school stronger in I would be more mature and experienced. However, like my other peers, I have doubts about taking a break from school and not having the same mindset and drive to work academically. I’m still open to either option and I’m excited to see where my experiences take me!

Land Trusts

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Dr. Andy Zepp came to speak to us about the organization he was a part of, a Land trust. I had heard of other types of trusts prior to this rose cafe, but I had never heard of land trusts. I found his story interesting that he had graduated from ILR here at Cornell and went into marketing before deciding to go back to school and further his interest in the environment.

We learned more about the Finger Lakes Land Trust which works with the government and other private landowners to preserve lands in different regions of the country, mostly in areas around Ithaca. They find land that they believe should be kept and preserved and work out deals with the owners of these lands and the government to see if they are able to subsidize part of the price. The work that they do is important for not just tourists who can enjoy beautiful trails and nature, but also for environmental conservation purposes.

Dr. Zepp showed us many pictures of beautiful landscapes that they helped to preserve including a piece of land interestingly enough, owned previously by a Cornell Professor. I also found it interesting that Land Trusts are not necessary in other countries in Europe since the government has a larger say in how the land is used unlike here in the US. Therefore I believe that the work that Finger Lake Land Trusts, while not widely known, is extremely important in conserving the beautiful lands surrounding us.

A Much Needed Massage

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Last week I had the pleasure of getting a massage. As a person who is always hunched at a desk or carrying a heavy backpack, my shoulders, neck, and back are always tense and I was very much in need of a massage. This was my first time being massaged by someone who actually knew what they were doing. Working at a physical therapy clinic before, I was always wondering what it felt like to be massaged by a professional. It was a great experience, the only downside being how quickly it went by! She helped with the knots in my shoulders and neck. I found it fascinating how she was able to create a gentle trembling sensation in my back. After this event, I will definitely be trying to relax more often including getting a massage. I’m very grateful for those 10 short but relaxing minutes and hopefully there will be more events like this in the future!

A Heartwarming Experience

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This past saturday I was able to head to the Cornell Cinema to watch Disney Pixar’s Coco. Knowing that Disney and Pixar had created this movie, my expectations were already high and I have to say Coco was definitely worth the hype for me. First off, the film-making and visuals were exceptional. The land of the dead was drawn beautifully with so many vibrant colors and lights, I can’t imagine how long it took to create such beautiful scenes. Not only did the movie look aesthetic, the plot was what made it.

Coco shed light on the Mexican Culture as well as the importance of family. Through the movie, I was able to learn more about the culture and traditions behind the Day of the Dead celebrated in Mexico. I’ve previously heard about the Day of the Dead, but I never learned about the meaning behind it in depth. Coco portrayed the importance of this day for many Mexican families. For instance, families place their ancestors’ pictures on the Ofrenda so that their spirits may pass over and they can be with the living. The movie portrayed the ancestors visiting the living, but more than that, I believe it represents that they honor and remember the dead, their own family members. This tradition serves as a way for families to remember their roots just as Miguel’s grandma always reminds him.

Coco also emphasizes the significance of family and loyalty. Although I did not agree with Miguel’s grandmother’s strong opposition against his playing music, I believe she did it with good intentions. She was loyal to her mother and grandmother, and intended to keep the family together and unified. Although his journey to become a musician was bumpy, Miguel’s family’s approval proves that family is loyal and supportive through thick and thin. One of my favorite scenes in the movie was when Miguel and Hector realize that they were actually great-grandfather and great-grandson. Their connection was not just pure coincidence. All in all, the movie was a heartwarming and emotional experience for me and I enjoyed getting a look into another culture.

Winter Olympics 2018

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I was able to watch the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics at Pyeongchang. It was exciting to see athletes from ALL over the world come together to celebrate the start of the olympics. I personally love watching both the summer and winter olympics. It is a great opportunity to watch different sports I normally would not be interested in and I love that the olympics brings attention to these lesser known sports and countries. I was a little bummed that my favorite figure skaters, the Shibutani siblings were not at the ceremony with team USA that night. However, the ceremony was still entertaining as I got to see athletes proudly representing their countries. Of course, that is except for Russia who could not represent their country.

Russia’s olympic team was recently punished for doping and they could not hold up their flag or have their anthem played. The Russian athletes that were allowed to compete also wore neutral uniforms. I believe that barring Russia was just since they had state-backed doping programs. Therefore, the country as a whole should bare the responsibility and not be represented for their actions as it was a government supported occurrence. It is simply unfair to the other countries who compete fairly to go up against Russian athletes who have an artificial advantage. Besides the olympics, in any sporting event, athletes should not be doping for an advantage for their success would not be an honorable one. I believe that the decision to allow the athletes who were not involved with doping to participate and represent themselves was a fair one. I believe it is fair to continue letting these athletes show their abilities without being tainted by their country and possibly fellow peers’ decisions.

Super Bowl Fun Facts

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Before watching the 52nd Super Bowl on sunday night, we learned a bit about the history of the Super Bowl and the other aspects of it besides the actual sport. Prior to this event, I hadn’t realized how much business, marketing, and money is involved in the Super Bowl. Of course, being a national sporting event, I knew it was a great opportunity for different companies to make money, but I had no idea viewers were also making a good amount of money as well. The GRF Shiv introduced us to different components surrounding the Super Bowl such as the different prop bets people place, the advertisements that are aired during the superbowl, and just about football in general. I found the prop bets the most interesting. They serve as an opportunity for viewers to invest in the game. There are a variety of bets people take part in from individual team performances to overall performances, to bets that have nothing to do with football! For instance, one of the prop bets this year that caught my eye was whether Justin Timberlake would sing a Prince cover. In my opinion, I think it would be fun for someone like me, who isn’t particularly interested in football, to participate in these bets. I was also fascinated by the amount of business the food industry receives on Super Bowl Sunday. Americans buy an average of 12.5 million pizzas on Super Bowl Sunday! Participating in this Super Bowl Sunday event opened my eyes to the other industries’ roles that are involved in a football game. The Super Bowl is not just a sports game. Although I wasn’t rooting for any team, it was still fun to watch as my friends place bets and anxiously root for their teams.