Listening to Sean Nicholson and Jason Hungerford during this interview was very interesting. There were some really interesting facts that Dr. Nicholson shared in particular that stuck with me. For example, internships were really not a thing in the past but now they possibly determine the trajectory of a student’s career post-graduation and are extremely competitive. In addition, he mentioned how teaching high school is so much more difficult and exhausting than what he does now as a college professor. I found this funny because this logic seems backwards to me. This all really just shows me how much the world and society has changed. Now that internships are a thing and super competitive, I wonder what the thing will be in the future – maybe full-time jobs will be even harder to get? All in all, I really appreciated listening to these great panelists speak and reflect on their lives.
Author Archives: hg437
Timelessness of Jokes
I may be biased here but this was easily one of my favorite events of the semester. I found that the speaker Michael Fontaine had a very captivating presence and I was at the edge of my seat the entire time. His presentation was also very interesting and I learned a lot. Something that particularly stood out to me was that humor is universal. Many jokes from the ancient times are still very applicable today. This is because the principles (exaggerations, irony) are the same, meaning the jokes could likely work even thousands of years later. This was really mind-blowing to me. I will certainly now read Mr. Fontaine’s book as I am excited to learn so much more about jokes!
Mental Health Awareness
I thought this was a very interesting and helpful interview of Laura Weiss and Christa Downey. Something that really stood out to me was their parting advice at the end. One thing Christa spoke of remaining committed to your calendar so you can be at your best. I really liked this comment for it highlighted to me that you need to have self-control to ensure the best success for yourself. I have always really struggled with holding myself accountable, but this does seem like a good way to start. One thing Laura spoke of was separating yourself from your work and not letting it become your main identity. I must agree that this is something I really needed to hear. It becomes easy to assume that all that matters in your life is your work, but there is so much more to live for. All in all, I am really happy to have listened to these two panelists share their backstory and give some really great advice to us.
Climate and Inequality
This was quite a different event than what I have been attending this semester, but it was super informative and very interesting! Many things were said during this keynote, but something that particularly stood out to me was that climate change is not only a threat multiplier, but that it is also a form of additional systemic racism that is ingrained in our society. I never thought of it this way until Dean Ben Houlton shared that in the USA African Americans are 3x more likely than white people to live in inferior housing and have poor access to things like air conditioning which is needed for climate protection. They are also more likely to die from air pollution. I find this all to be very disturbing, and I feel like action must be taken to protect those who are most vulnerable. I think that one way to do this would be prioritizing and supporting these BIPOC communities with the latest technology as this could successfully lead to a new green economy.
An Intro to Calligraphy
Although this was the second calligraphy workshop as part of the series, this was the first workshop I attended and registered for. I was pleasantly surprised with what calligraphy was. Although I have heard of this art, I have never gone out of my way to watch videos of it online and certainly not practice it for an hour. I quickly learned that my technique was very off and calligraphy is very complicated. I largely practiced writing the alphabet during my time, and even then saw many improvements that could be made. I was happy to be provided equipment for I have been practicing here and there since then to improve my technique. This was a great experience, and has proven to be very relaxing and quite fun for me!
Appreciating Nature
I really enjoyed this fellow interview with Andrew Zepp and Todd Bittner. I was inspired by Professor Bittner’s statement that he himself is inspired by the phenomenal amount of things you can learn about the natural world, and this made me recognize there is much more to nature than I have originally thought. A lot of new students (25%) do not know about hiking and exploring nature so Professor Bittner helped create ithacatrails.org and I have personally used this a few times following the interview! Ultimately, it was very inspiring to hear both speakers talk so passionately about the natural world and I have committed to going out and exploring more!
Great Insight and Advice from Mary Opperman and Angela Cornell
Listening in on this interview was an absolute pleasure. Something I really appreciated hearing about was the reflection of COVID-19’s impact on the economy, specifically how it exposed how essential workers are mistreated in this country. For example, while many of us were able to stay home while the virus spread quickly, essential workers had to continue to work despite science still learning about how COVID-19 was transmitted. The pandemic has exposed the tremendous inequities we need to address in this country. Regarding advice, one that stood out to me was that as a leader you should lead with compassion and respect, and to recognize that you learn the most from people that are the most different from you. I personally aspire to be a great leader and will certainly take this advice to heart in my current roles.
Relationships & Resources @ Cornell
I found this discussion very helpful. As someone who has a lot of questions about relationships, this was especially relevant. We discussed some great ways to stay engaged with our significant other during COVID where it is more challenging to bond with in-person activities. I thought the drive-in movie theater idea was an especially great idea, as well as the idea to read a book together but share it through the camera. Unfortunately, it is also possible for relationships to get inappropriate and unsafe and I greatly appreciated listening to Ximena, Shura, and Naoimi cover the plethora of resources available to support victims. All in all, this panel was very helpful and I feel like some of my burning questions on relationships were answered really well!
The Power of Sound and the Human Voice
During this series, Nicholas Huelster, the guest speaker, shared his passion for radio and his love for creativity. From listening to the famous programs his grandparents used to listen to several decades ago to now starting his own podcast, Nicholas shared with us the importance of understanding the power of words as well what the human voice can to one’s imagination. Something that stood out to me was when he stated that radio was like a movie for the ears. I also really enjoyed learning about foley sound effects, which are basically sounds you can make from everyday items like clothes or a bottle cap. Going forward, I now have a much stronger appreciation for radio and sound. I personally think I have seen a tremendous rise in the popularity of podcasts over the past couple years, and it makes me wonder whether people are growing tired of watching television and are looking for a similarly entertaining experience that does not require constantly being glued to the couch. I am excited to listen to more podcasts because I have certainly found that I have a much closer connection to the audio than through television, and that it is quite an exhilarating experience.