Author Archives: tja65

Writing Effectively

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Writing is not my favorite activity. It takes me a while to consolidate my ideas. Yes, I am a STEM major, but I think the issue is that I’m overly critical of my writing. I want everything to be said in a particular way. In my opinion, writing effectively means to answer the question as organized and as concisely as possible. Something that I want to start doing more that will help me write more effectively is drafting outlines for my papers. Majority of the time I spend on a paper is answering the question and figuring out what I want to write about. If I spend time in advance creating an outline, I would save so much time writing the actual paper.

Up until this seminar, I never spent much thought on titles for papers. For the most part, titles of my papers are the names of assignments. I realize now that having an engaged title in the beginning already gives the reader an idea of the paper, rather than looking to the thesis to find what the paper is about.

Let’s Leave the Term “Chick Flicks” in the 2000s

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Although I’m not an avid movie watcher, I enjoyed the discussion surrounding the connection between romantic comedies and feminism. In my opinion, branding romantic comedies as “chick flicks” is anti-feminist. The term “chick flicks” perpetuates a negative stereotype that implies only women can watch these films. Romantic comedies should be for all genders. I think in order to combat this “chick flick” stereotype, film productions needed to introduce new narratives. Maybe film producers are reluctant to change because they think that the traditional rom com tropes sell. Fortunately, movies like “Love, Simon” are changing the idea of what a “typical” rom-com looks like. While this is great progress, this is not enough and more definitely needs to be done. More races, more gender identities, more sexual orientations need to be represented in today’s media.

A New Normal?

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This conversation with VP Lombardi gave insight into the difficult role school administration played in having a success fall and spring semester. I was unaware that the so much time and careful planning went into the reactivation process for the Fall Semester. Right now, Cornell is at 61% immunity. It is incredible to see how fast the Cornell community was able to come together so that we can quickly return to normalcy. I wonder whether the next semester will be reminiscent of my freshmen fall semester (which was my only full in-person semester so far at Cornell), or we’ll be living in a “new normal”?  Spending two and a half semesters virtually, I worry that I might have some difficulty adjusting back to fully in person instruction again. I’d like the convenience of being able to join class a minute before it started. I was wondering if anyone else felt the same way?

Candid Conversation w/ Ken Roberts & Ryan Lombardi

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Vice President Lombardi gave some insightful advice during this talk that resonated with me. In terms of looking for a career, you want to look for a career that brings opportunities and has room for flexibility as you evolve in this occupation. As I try to figure out what I want to do career-wise, I hope to find a career that brings me excitement, but also allows me to grow and rise up in leadership and be a mentor for others.

VP Lombardi also emphasized the fact that our student body is multifaceted. Many Cornellians have diverse interests other than their field of study. For many students, these interests include activism. I think it is important that college students have the space to advocate for issues they are passionate about. History shows that many movements are driven by young people; i.e. voting rights, civil rights, gun violence activism, anti-war activism, etc. VP Lombardi says we should celebrate activism not criticize it. This is important because without activism, life and society remains stagnant, and there’s no room for progress.

Explore the Outdoors

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Today’s hike to the botanic gardens was much needed. It was a necessary break from academics. I discovered places on campus that I didn’t even know existed and got the opportunity to connect with others who have a love for hiking and the outdoors. It reminded me of life in the beginning of quarantine during which I discovered my love for the outdoors. I would go on hikes in my neighborhood since there was nothing else to do. I turned to nature when I wanted an escape, when I wanted to find peace. Today I was very much at peace, and I enjoyed every second. I’ll definitely take advantage of the warmer weather and make an effort to plan more outdoor activities with friends.

A beautiful view of campus 🙂

A Royal Rift

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After watching several documentaries and reading articles about Princess Diana, I’ve been very invested in learning about the about the Royal Family. Given the drama surrounding Harry and Meghan’s drama; I noticed several parallels between Meghan’s and Diana’s role in the Royal Family. Both Meghan and Diana faced intense media scrutiny; both Meghan and Diana sought help but were denied it by the powers that control the Royal Family. Despite these similarities, their stories both differ in that the source of Meghan’s media scrutiny has racial undertones. It amuses me how to this day, people still have an issue seeing people of color in power. One thing we discussed which I found most interesting was Harry’s behavior toward the entire situation. I commend Harry for standing by and supporting his wife. It takes a lot of strength especially given the power and influence the Royal Family has. Although we won’t know for sure, I feel that Diana would have supported Harry’s and Meghan’s decision to separate themselves from the Royals because she was known for straying away from the norm. Whether the Oprah interview with Harry and Meghan will serve as a catalyst for change, I highly doubt. The Royal Family is embedded in centuries of tradition and customs, with people in power who are resistant to changing these customs. The only way I see change in the institution occurring is if there is a complete overhaul of the Royal Family structure, but again I highly doubt that will happen.

Explore Outdoors

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A plethora of meaningful topics were discussed during today’s seminar,  but what struck out to me the most was how COVID-19 impacted the personal lives and habits of our guest speakers. Professor Todd Bittner discussed how although his lifestyle changed, the pandemic actually created more freedom. I resonate with this because, while the pandemic restricted my social interactions, I spent more time outdoors than I had ever done before. I took long walks around my neighborhood, often watched the sunset on the beach, and walked along trails in my local parks. This would not have happened if it weren’t for the pandemic. I discovered that spending time outside in nature keeps me at peace. Surrounding myself with nature keeps me grounded and reminds me of my blessings. I wish I spent more of my freshmen year exploring Cornell’s natural habitat, especially since my freshmen year was cut short due to the pandemic. However, with the weather slowly getting warmer, I’m definitely going to take more time this semester exploring the mesmerizing trails along campus as well as the surrounding parks! So while the pandemic brought forth a lot of anxiety and gloom, I am grateful to say I found something positive arise from this time of worry.

Cornell Trivia

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Having two upcoming prelims next week, participating in this trivia was a nice way to unwind and distract my mind from studying. I learned some interesting things about Ithaca. One fact being that Cornell was the first college ever to establish a School of Hotel Administration. I think that’s an amazing fact because hospitality and all that comes with it is such a complex and essential service, and will continue to be in the future. Another fact about Ithaca that I found interesting is that Ithaca is the home of the ice cream sundae. I wonder if there are any museums that commemorate this. It’d be nice to get to try some ice cream sundae samples :)) (Post-pandemic of course LOL)

COVID Companionship

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Today’s seminar was a much needed conversation. With Valentine’s Day this past weekend, discussing how to navigate love, especially in the midst of the pandemic was necessary. Many people offered innovative virtual dating ideas; my personal favorite was the Netflix idea. I love watching movies, and I feel like it is easier to start and maintain a conversation when it comes to movies. When the panel discussed what leads to a failed relationship, I agree that miscommunication is a big factor. However, I also believe that other factors include incompatibility, and a lack of trust. We also discussed resources available on campus for victims of sexual harassment. Personally, I think that Cornell needs to do a better job making sure students are aware of the resources available. I learned more about the resources available at this event rather than from Cornell administration. Oftentimes, the issue is that victims are afraid to speak up due to fear of retaliation. I’m not completely sure of what Cornell is doing to make victims feel comfortable to speak up, but I hope that they can do more to spread the information.