Brown Symposium 2010…yikes

The purpose of this blog is to be completely honest. That being said I would like to state that I had no intention of going to the brown symposium. The topic did not interest me in the least bit, I’m usually very open and eager to learning new things, but when I heard the titles of the lectures I was truly thankful all my classes were being held (not a fan of missing classes, even if it’s excused). I then realized I HAD to go to two lectures so that I could write this blog. Sad day in my book. So my plan was to find the two lectures that seemed somewhat interesting, sit through them, scribble notes and be on with my day. Then more tragedy, I received emails from two of my professors saying they cancelled class so that we can attend the symposium, oh and we will be quizzed on material covered in those lectures. Well great, on one hand I no longer had to decide which two to go to but, on the other hand, I have to comprehend the material (usually I just analyze presenters when more in depth information then I have is needed to understand an analyzes). The first lecture I went to was Consummate Empires: Ancient Rome and Imperial America c. 1900 presented by Margart Malamnd. She talked about how Roman architecture was inspiration for American architecture. She mainly focused her lecture on New York City buildings, pointing out Dewey Arch built in 1899 in celebration of America’s victory and the Low Library at Columbia University in 1894. Another fun fact is that New York had baths much like they did in Rome. At the baths there were steam rooms and messages and for the elite a fancy Restaurant was available for dining. The baths served as social centers as well as hygiene centers. When the people went to the baths they “Lived as the Romans did”. This is interesting from a human behavior perspective. I think it is interesting that people view foreign ideas such as these baths or in today’s market clothing for example as valuable luxury items. They are willing to pay more than what they can afford to live like someone that lives on a different continent. (that is the only analyzing I could accomplish from the lecture, so I’ll move on to my experience)
I found some of my friends, one in which loves history to a great extent. I thought if I sat with them the talk would be bearable. I don’t know if it was my less then enthusiastic attitude but I defiantly did not enjoy this talk at all. It started out well, the speaker made a few jokes, I hoped that the humor would continue into the talk but it faded as soon as she picked up her paper. I felt as if she was just reading a paper not giving a speech. She spitted out fact after fact and when I tried to comprehend one fact she was already on a different topic. I think my knowledge of history was not up to par for this lecture. After failing at following along with the topic I moved to my analysis of the presentation. The presenter was very energetic and I could tell from the authority in her voice that she knew what she was talking about. However, reading to an audience is not the best mode of grabbing the attention of the audience. I noticed many people drifting, looking around, searching through pockets etc. Not until the middle of the presentation when pictures where projected did people begin to perk up, myself included. In fact, the only time I learned an interesting fact was when a picture was on the screen (Probably not a coincidence). I feel disappointed and slightly embarrassed that I found the talk rather dull and unbearable but to my delight I found others with the same opinion. I haven’t been to many non-science based talks (I do believe I’ve been to enough) but I think regardless of the field presenting a topic is a universal skill.
So needless to repeat but I will anyways, the first talk scared me to a point in which I did not want to go to another. But once again I had to. Much to my delight this experience was completely different then the first. I went to the talk titled Imperial Power in 21st century Rome by Alexander Stille. The lecture was streamed on the projector via webcam due to travel complications. The lecture related the impact of media on politics and power. I actually really enjoyed this lecture and learned a lot. My favorite line was that politics were like reality tv, the goal is to maintain ratings rather then accomplish anything. Stille gave many examples to make points clear and kept a sense of humor alive through out the presentation. I am actually tempted to pick up one of his books to read more.
I am glad I was forced to go to the lectures because I did learn some valuable information. From one I learned how not to present and the other made me view politics more as a popularity contest. I am not going to lie and say Brown Symposium was an enlightening experience and I hope I don’t offend anyone by stating I did not enjoy it. Maybe I liked the second more because my physics professor seemed slightly more enthusiastic about us going to learn something new ,where as, my ecology professor seemed to just use it as another cope out to actually teaching us something himself. Or maybe it was just the topics. The first one seemed a little drier, focusing more on facts then opinions. Either way, I tried with an open mind.

Spring

To be honest, I have no idea what to expect from Paideia this semester. So far I have not been disappointed, so I have no worries wondering the unexpected. I am hoping and anticipating the continuation of my self improvement that I have gained thus far from the program. I have enjoyed our discussions about the many issues that are important in each of our respected fields. This semester, finally, I am taking a manageable number of hours. Hopefully, this means I will be less stressed and more focused on learning. Last semester I really started looking forward to going to Paideia and learning about new topics. I am sure this tread will continue through out the Spring semester.

As for study abroad, I am still planning on going to Australia this summer. My application has been submitted. I have a few things left to be completed but all systems are a go for now. I am really excited for the trip…and again have no idea what to expect. The program I have applied for is based on the East Coast of Australia, out of Queensland aka the home of the Great Barrier Reef. We are going to learn about marine environment, biodiversity, ecosystems, biogeography, and human impacts on the environment through hands on research on one of the natural wonders of the world!!! Sacrificing repetition I would like to say again, I am really excited.

Currently, I am doing research which will be used for my capstone with Dr. Purdy. We have not yet decided what exactly we will be doing this semester, (the organization from which we received our cuttlefish has diminished, so we need to find something to study) however, we are meeting this week to discuss possible options. I am sure we will find something that will blow away the scientific community!

I really hope we continue with shared readings for our group discussion sessions. I would prefer if we got to choose our own readings to lead. Last semester I was leaning more towards a group book (like the 50 facts book) because having a busy schedule lead to a lot of pressure finding the right material to present to the group. However, looking back I feel like we were able to discuss a greater variety of topics by having each individual find something they found interesting. I also was thinking that having a book would let me have enough time to read the material before the discussion (I know everyone was busy but sometimes, a nights notice just wasn’t enough time for me to read the article much less analysis and present a viable argument about my opinions of the article.) Hopefully if we do choose to continue the shared readings, we can all agree to give each other enough time to read it, perhaps by the Friday before (so we have the weekend).

In conclusion, I am very optimistic about this coming semester/ year. Can’t wait to get it started…that’s all for now!

End of the 3rd semester

So far I feel like Paideia has helped me stretch myself outside my comfort zone. I love learning about virtually anything but I do gravitate to specific topics. I generally stick to the topics that make sense to me. When I had to choose and reflect on an on and off campus experience that we typically would not go to, I had no trouble coming up with ideas. On a liberal art campus there is such a wealth of opportunities it is hard to not find something outside of your specialty field. After going to the theater and a music concert, I found that I actually enjoyed the experiences. Over the past year I have been going to more of these type of events. So this year for my on and off campus experience, I had more difficulty deciding which of my experiences I wanted to discuss. The major difference I found between this year and last is that last year I had to find an event to fulfill my requirement and this year I got to choose which of many events I have attended had the biggest impact. I do not always enjoy the activities I go to but I do make the time to go.

I really hope that next semester we can get together more outside of class. I really enjoy everyone in my cohort and think it would be fantastic to get to know everyone that much more. I know how busy this semester was for me and from what I heard everyone else had a equally horrific schedule. So next semester it might be easier to plan get togethers.

As far as future plans go, they have not changed from the beginning off the year. I still plan on studying in Australia this summer. I still want to present my Capstone at the creative works symposium. My Capstone with Dr. Purdy is going to be started next semester. I cannot wait to get started on the project. Overall I cannot wait for next semester. I have learned so much from my Paideia cohort about myself and others. I am saddened that we do not have as many people in our group as last year but everyone who shows up always have so much to share. I love the discussions we have and how it makes me think about stuff that would generally seem irrelevant to me. It is a nice break from normal classes. I am excited for learning more in the semesters to come.

Reflection: Discussions and readings

This semester’s discussions have really opened my eyes to a number of different topics I never paid much attention to before. I generally consider myself open minded and actively seeking different subject to study. I have a wide range of interests which can make it difficult at times to choose a recreational reading. However, since high school my focus has been almost completely devoted to science based ideas. My biology teacher was one of those teachers that pushed for us to expand our knowledge of the field. He would have us find outside reading and report on what we learned. From that class I discovered how much I liked science. I some how started to shun out all other subject areas because they just were not science. I liked how the Paideia discussions have reawaken my interest in other subjects. It was nice to also have someone that had a lot of previous insight in that subject so I could learn more then just what the reading was conveying. For my reading, I shared a chapter out of a book written by Jonah Lehrer titled “Proust was a Neuroscientist”. This book brings up the notion that science actually started with the arts. It references eight different artists that based their work on scientific theories. Through their work they developed their own theories of how things work. Some of these theories, such as Proust’s theory of mind, are just now being proven. What I enjoy so much about this book is the integration of art with science. As I stated earlier, I believe I have a wide range of interests but I have never really been a fan of the arts. I like playing instruments and you can catch me doodling in my notebooks during study breaks but I could never study the meaning of the arts. I think mostly because I did not understand it so it could not capture my attention. But this book has given me something I can learn about art. Now I can look for the science in the art and the art in science.

The other major thing I enjoyed about these discussions is that I learned a lot more about myself and how I learn. A few of our discussions touched on the educational system (personally I think it is flawed in many ways, but I won’t elaborate on that here). I thought about the structure of my classes and how that correlated to how much I enjoyed the subject. I found the more discussion based the class was the more I looked forward to and studied for that class. It was interesting that other people in my cohort have experienced the same correlation. Discovering how people learn also connects to our Paideia topic of understanding human behavior. The coolest thing about humans and animals is that we are always changing and adapting to our environment. Learning is a key aspect to this adaptation. So understanding how we learn is essential to understanding how we behave.

On Campus experience

For my on campus experience I attended the student body forum. When I first decided to go I was not interested. Actually I felt forced into because all my friends are going. I did not even read the Strategic Plan before attended. Truthfully I did not care where the money went. I trust that the people in charge know what is important and how we need to get what we need. Since going, I have read the plan and am a little disappointed. I decided to read the plan because the outline they gave at the forum was extensively vague. I was frustrated by the presentation of their ideas and the lack of knowledge of the plan the two student representatives had. To my disappointment, the plan was equally vague. The ideas they have seem unreasonable and pointless. The plan is filled with questionable comments such as “as funding allows”. Not only where the ideas pointless and vague, I don’t think the plan has the correct priorities in line. I do agree that improving the athletic facilities should be at the top of the list. Allowing for greater resources would improve the quality of our existing athletic teams. That being said, I think adding a football team in the next 5-7 years is unreasonable. Our school already has so much potential with our existing sports, that adding another, especially, football will completely deplete the already low funding for our sports teams. Putting our name on the board in athletics can help build our school name around the nation. Once we get to the national level in our respected sports, a reputation can be better built. Some of the students and probably the faculty would agree that improved sport teams would help establish a reputation of the school though out the nation but probably not in the way they want. Most schools that are nationally known for athletics rank low on the quality of the education. I agree we should not be known for the brawn and not the brain. But some of the best student athletes are also some of the best students.

Listening to the other students’ voice their opinions was very interesting to me. I would get annoyed when someone would back up their opinions with a point that was not even valid. I think they need to get their facts straight before pointing a finger saying, you are wrong. I understand everyone has a different opinion to what is important, but they also need to keep an open mind to the importance of other things. Many of them seemed to just form an opinion based on their friends’ opinions around them. Others would fluctuate in what they thought was important immediately after someone would make a point (again not always valid). Overall the atmosphere of the forum was interesting. I became aware of the issues at hand and have researched the topic brought up. I now have my own opinion on what I think the next step the university should take. I hope the plan is reevaluated before it is put into action.

A Reflection on a Humbling experience- Off Campus experience

My off campus experience was a spontaneous impulse I decided to do a couple of weeks ago. At church one of our members announced that a church in Austin has a breakfast for the homeless on certain mornings. I put the idea in the back of my mind because I am not really the volunteering type. Then one Wednesday night at our weekly FCA meeting we were reading a book about God’s love. The lesson was about being a “good” Christian. Being new to my faith I did not believe in having some book telling me how I should love my Savior. I knew in my heart that He loves me and I in return live my life for Him (there is a point to this I promise). But the book we read did more then what I feared it would do. It allowed me to take a step back and reevaluate the way I lived my life. It brought up points about how many “Christians”, the book refers to them as “luke-warm Christians”, say they live their life for Christ but in no way can you see that in their everyday life. They say they would give anything for Jesus but in reality would they? Would they sell their house and give all their riches? I don’t think so. The point isn’t that everyone who considers themselves Christian should go to such lengths, but the point is that many of the actions these so called Christians do are because it is what is expected of them. They go to church on Sundays and donate money to their church because that is what society says you need to do to be a good “Christian”. This point was eventually tied into the idea of helping others. The book talked about helping people that could not help you back. It explains that instead of having a feast with family and friends, you should invite the homeless and needy, someone who would be unable to pay you back. An emphasis was made on how easy it is to help out the people in your everyday life because you can always get a chance to receive a reciprocal action when you are down on your luck. This point really struck home for me. I remember last year in Paideia, our cohort had a heated debate attempting to figure out a civic engagement project that would help serve the community. In the discussion some of the students described their past volunteering experiences and the people they encountered that were volunteering, as nothing more then a forced effort. In a sense, these people volunteered because that is what society said they needed to do to be a good person (sound familiar?). When I think about volunteering I would always second guess myself. I don’t like following the rules of society. Being labeled a good person or a good Christian does not matter to me. I considered myself a good Christian, but I never went to church before this year. I knew how I worshipped and never saw the need of having to be seen at Sunday service by other people. So when it came to volunteering, I was never the first to jump up and say “Hey, look at what I did”. So anyways, when we were going through the lesson about helping others that can not give back, I really thought long and hard about what I could do.
Just have to note that I did not feel forced to do this. I did not read the book and automatically think that for me to be a good Christian I had to help someone who could not pay me back. I just realized that society and human behavior has created us to perform tasks and to use energy in the most efficient way as possible. Biologically speaking, we will not expend energy on a source, for example food, unless we believe we will receive the energy back from that source. So I was attempting to find a “non-selfish” act.
How could I reach out to other people and not receive anything back? I do make the extra effort to help those in my everyday life, like lending an ear to a troubled friend, even when that stack of homework is piled up on my desk. But all of those actions can be paid back. Volunteering at the kitchen seemed like a viable option (it helps that in the book it talked specifically about feeding the hungry and the needy). I was still reluctant because of my feelings about volunteering and societies views. However, I decided I was not going to let that get in my way. I wanted to go help. Just like when I first decided to go to church. I learned that you get out of something everything that you put in. If you go to church but do not care, or do not live what is being taught, then society will still view you as a “good” Christian but in your heart you would know that you are not. So as for volunteering, if it is just done for show then society will think you are a good person, but in your heart you will know the truth.
I guess now I should talk about the actual experience. I headed to the kitchen in Austin early in the morning. When I got there I had no idea what to expect. I have seen soup kitchens on TV but I have never seen one in real life (I know TV exaggerates some things a wee bit). The experience overall was humbling, hence the title of the blog. I helped on preparation of the food and clean up. The people that I saw at the kitchen have lost every material possession that they had once owned but yet many of them were in good spirits. They did not seem to be consumed in self pity (I get caught up in self pity, at times when things don’t work out as planned) but instead they were just really appreciative of the food in their stomachs. I wished I could have talked to a few of them about life in general to see their views but I was busy cleaning up. The experience helped me understand what in life I should focus on. From the people at the kitchen I learned I should always keep my spirits high. Family, friends, a community that cares about you and your faith are the most important things in life. From the process of deciding to go to the kitchen I have learned how I measure success. I always work hard because that was what I was taught. I knew that hard work lead to success. I didn’t know what being successful was though. All I knew was that you should work hard to get a job. A job leads to money. When you have money you are happy thus considered successful, that is what society says. Well I learned that you should be happy with what you are given. You work hard because you want to. You help your friends because you want to. You volunteer because you want to. You worship your God because you want to. You live life because you want to. Now isn’t doing what you want the true measure of happiness? And when you are happy, you are a success. That’s what society says, right?

First One '09

For this semester, I like the idea of sharing articles from our respected fields of interest. I learn a lot about other topics that I would not normally be drawn to by listening to someone and contributing to a conversation about that subject. I also think that the articles or readings do not necessarily have to be restricted to someone’s major. We can all learn a lot by an interest in any aspect of human life, such as the economy or healthcare. Incorporating Newsweek articles would also help in that aspect. Maybe the first half hour or so of every class can be dedicated to talking about anything we found interesting.

Currently I am not working on a civic engagement project. Over the summer I attempted to return to my volunteering position at the Houston Humane Society, however, the time commitment was not compatible with my other summer activities. Up until this point I had not planned to continue volunteering because I have been preoccupied with my classes. I would love to start working with the boys and girls club again because I learned so much about the kids just through observation. I could connect a lot of what I was seeing to the material I was reading about in class. I still like the idea of doing civic engagement as a group. The group dynamics and working together, allows us to learn more from what we are doing. If I was to continue a civic engagement project, I would like to volunteer at the Georgetown Animal Shelter. Working at the Animal Shelter would be suited best for my major and my interests. It would probably relate more to the purpose of paideia if I move more out of my field of “expertise” while working on my civic engagement.

For my creative/ research works project, I will probably present my Animal Behavior capstone. I plan to start taking my 2 semester (possibly 3 semester) capstone next semester. I want to work either with Dr. Guarraci in the rat laboratory or Dr. Purdy with cuddlefish. I worked with the rats during my research methods class and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I liked learning about effects of drugs on the brain and the neurological aspects of the lab. However, I have not decided if studying the sexual behaviors of female rats is for me. I will decide soon which route I am going to take.

So far I have made no progress for my intercultural experience. I was 100% set on a program I decided on for last summer but then I learned about a new program that provides more of what I am looking for. No matter what, I will be working on a study abroad for next summer in Australia. Which program I choose is yet to be decided. I will be meeting with Ms. Mennicke once my schedule has settled down a bit, to go over details.