Bodies and Citizens, CTZN 110
In the fall of 2018, I took the honors course Bodies and Citizens. This course touched on every aspect of society and really explained that a persons body, in other words their appearance, has a tremendous impact on their rights as a citizen. Each week we were assigned a reading and made annotations of our thoughts. In class we would go more in depth on the history of the topic and the following class we would have discussions on what we took away from the topic. I enjoyed this class because of the discussion aspect. We would learn a topic, research, and have the opportunity to voice our opinion and relate to other people.
I chose a project we did in class called, Discussion Points where my partner, Kelsey Swegle and I wrote our view points regarding the topic of pregnancy as my artifact. We used these view points throughout our discussions in class in order to see how people related to them. I chose this as my artifact because this was my favorite part in the class. I enjoyed hearing others points and seeing the similarities and differences between them. I think this class has strengthened the skill to see the similarities in peoples point of views.
9/11 Loss and Redemption, ENGL 215
In the fall of 2018 I also took the honors English course, 9/11 Loss and Redemption. Throughout this course we were required to read two novels and one graphic novel. Each of these stories explained a type of loss in life and the struggle to find redemption or peace. I enjoyed this class not only because the books were very interesting but also because the professor was able to explain the significance of certain pieces of text that I did not catch. The discussions in class taught me how to read in depth and not take what the author has written at the surface level. The professor also boosted my confidence. With every statement or guess as to what the text referred to he wanted the students to speak in confidence. The books also taught lessons of life that the professor hoped we would carry with us in life. The overall lessons in the books were that even when life knocks you off your feet and you feel lost, to not lose hope and to make your own path from there.
The artifact I have chosen from this class is my final project. My final project I did with a classmate, Kody Scordellis on the effects of 9/11 on society and how the works we read in class relate to that. We did this by interviewing our parents, grandparents, and our siblings to see how this event has had a different impact on the different generations.
Human Growth, EDUC 245
In the fall of 2018 I took a Human Growth class which was very interesting. Before this class I had never taken any psychology courses and in this course it explained the psychology in humans and how it changes depending on things that happen or don’t happen in each stage of life. It was interesting to see the way things change in peoples attitudes and emotions depending on events that happen in childhood. In this class we also had discussions on the certain theories and whether certain medical advancements are humane or not. I enjoyed this aspect of the class because of the feedback from other peers. I learned a lot about the possibilities of why a child or adult may act the way they do about certain things and how this fits in with each theory. This will help me in the future with my career as a pediatric nurse.
The artifact I have chosen is my Three Ages paper which I wrote November 7, 2018. For this paper I interviewed three people at different stages of life. I was able to compare them and see the differences and similarities throughout them. Afterwards I was able to see which theory each of the subjects followed the most. This project allowed me to see how much of our young life affects how we are when we get older. It was also interesting to make predictions of what the younger interviewees would be like when they got older. Since these people were within my family it also made me reflect on myself and how I have come to be. The same people surrounding them growing up have also surrounded me. Seeing the similarities in personality and interests is eye opening to how much nature and nurture affect our lives.
Markets and Morals, PHIL 320
In the fall of 2019 I took this course. It was very interesting because I have never been in a class where we were required to have a debate, one on one with the professor. At first it was very unusual and uncomfortable to think that I had to argue my point to my professor who was going to have things to combat my opinions. Afterwards it became more comfortable which allowed the debate to run smoothly and for each other to hear our points being made but also combat them in a polite manner. This course has taught me a lot about other peoples views in life as well as politically. I have learned how to voice my opinion while listening to the others and keeping the tone friendly even with disagreements. I believe taking part in discussions with classmates and professors is something that should be normalized and occur more often. This may help people become more willing to hear and attempt to understand each others view points before dismissing it completely. I thoroughly enjoyed this class and will use the knowledge given to me throughout the rest of my life.
The artifact I have chosen is a personal reflection based on what we believe the definition of work is as well as how it is used in society and how it relates to our future career. I have chosen this artifact because it allowed me to determine why I believe my definition of work is true and how I believe it works within society. The personal reflections were a nice way for me to gain a solid belief on where I stand in order to use it in discussions. Hearing others beliefs on work in class also helped me relate to them and add to my own definition. I also liked assessing how work will be for me in the future as a nurse. Knowing how it will affect me and my peers affects how I view what work means for different people.