Week 2: The Walk
Through Central Park, where gadgets are stilled,
No screens to dictate, just senses fulfilled.
Beneath the arching branches, a whispering breeze,
The crunch of gravel, beneath my ease.
Feathers of geese on the pond, afloat,
Reflecting nature’s canvas, a picturesque boat.
No beeping notifications, no digital hum,
Just the flutter of leaves, a soft kingdom.
In this tech-free stroll, where details are found,
Central Park’s sanctuary, in silence, I’m bound.
Week 3: The Listening
In the library’s sacred space, we converse,
A ballet of whispers, where knowledge immerse.
Your voice, a gentle cadence, like a flowing stream,
In the quiet dialogue, a shared dream.
Pages turn, a dance of anticipation,
In the library’s haven, a silent celebration.
Your gaze, a storyteller in its own right,
Unveiling worlds in the soft library light.
A language of books, our silent conversation,
In the symphony of words, a harmonious creation.
With every gesture and every hushed word,
In the library’s embrace, our connection is stirred.
Week 5: Time Management
Values and Time Management
- I value personal time
- Nature. I like going outside and admiring nature
- I like having free time
- I love playing volleyball and badminton
- I spend a lot of time with friends, mainly on calls and group chats
- Sleep is the most important
Schedule
- Wake up: 9 Am
- Leave house: 10 Am
- Arrive at Campus: 11 am (1 hr to 1 hr 20 min commute)
- Class starts: 11 am
- Class ends: 12:15 pm
- Next class: 2:00 pm
- Class ends: 3:45 pm
- Home: 5 pm
Reflection
When I wake up, I mentally note the tasks I want to accomplish for the day. If I don’t have anything significant to do, I follow my usual routine. I attend my classes on campus and then return home to take a shower. Afterward, I have a call with my friends to catch up on their day, which typically lasts 1-2 hours. I often multitask by eating and talking at the same time. Once the call is over, I focus on completing my homework. If I finish it quickly, I reward myself by playing video games or watching a movie. However, if there is something important that requires my attention, I limit my call with friends to 30 minutes and dedicate the rest of the day to completing that task.
Week 6: Tiny Dream Journal or Social Media Post Analysis
For this post, I will be analyzing the YouTube video called “How A Silent Voice Saved Me – The Perfect Anime Film.” Watching this video made me appreciate “A Silent Voice” even more. This video analyzes the many metaphors, symbols, and the art direction of the movie. Watching this video made me realize how much thought and effort was put into every scene of this movie. One of the visual metaphors the movie uses is the physical distance the director puts between characters to show how much the characters understand each other. I also did not realize how much care was put into the where the movie is silent. Sometimes when two characters are in a scene there would be no dialogue and somehow the silence resonated so much sound it was deafening. This video broke down important messages in the movie, which made it a persuasive piece of media.
Week 7: Song to Story
One of the songs that I have been listening to a lot this semester is called “Just a Sunny Day for You” by Yorushika. This is a Japanese song about aging and becoming an adult physically but not aging mentally. I recently turned 18, and I do not feel a bit like an adult. As a result, this song resonated a lot with me. I related to these lyrics: “Bеcoming an adult without being able to catch up.” I find it conforting to know that there are people out there who experince the same set of emotion I feel. Every time I listen to this song. I always wonder what it really means to be an adult. I am a firm believer that music transcends language. Even though this song is in Japanese, I still felt the emotion of every word.
Week 9: Curiosity List
List
- The Universe
- Physics
- Martial Arts
Reflection
The three things that I have listed are the top three things I want to learn about in the future. I know the things I listed are random, but they are the things I know for sure I will explore in my life. I will go in order as to why I have them on my list. I have the universe as the number one thing that I find interesting because my dream career is to unveil its secrets. There is something about the scale and uniqueness of the cosmos that activates all the neurons in my brain. I put physics on my list because it is the principle that explains how the world functions. Learning physics is like learning the code of the universe. My high school physics teacher was able to teach physics in such an interesting and approachable way that made me want to learn. I didn’t care about my grades as long as I learned more about physics. This was the first time a teacher was able to do that to me. Finally, I put martial arts on my list because I think martial arts helps improve the two most important parts of the human body—the body and mind. In my time at my karate dojo, I learned that martial arts is more of a mental training than body training. Every day I trained, it was more important that I had a strong mind than a strong body.
Week 10: Time Travel
If granted the chance to travel the corridors of time, I would choose to go back to the past. I would back in time because there were many parts of history that were not documented or not documented to the full extent that remains a mystery. I would like to unveil these mysteries. A particular mystery that captivates my imagination is the construction of the pyramids of Giza, standing as colossal enigmas in the sands of time. It would truly be an experience to see the ancient architects at work and unravel the secrets behind these awe-inspiring structures. The pryamids were initially white, but due to many factors, it looks the way it does now. I would like to see the pyramids as they were meant to be seen.
However, my impossible visit would not be complete without having a conversation with one of the contenders for the smartest men to have ever lived — Sir Isaac Newton. I would like to bring modern physics and discovery to him and see his insights in it. I have always wondered what the pioneers of the past would do if they had contemporary knowledge. Would they create something more impressive than what they already created? Newton invented calculus to help him with Newtonian physics, but what insights would he bring if he learned about Einstein’s General Relativity? These are questions that I have that cannot be answered if I travel into the future. Also, it is technically possible to travel to the future right now. According to Einstein you just need to move really fast for it to have a tangible effect on the time you perceive. The same thing can not be said about traveling to the past. There is currently no tangible way to go back to the past.
Week 11: Self-Care
In terms of self-care, one of my favorite ways to relax is to watch movies. I think watching movies is my favorite way to unfold after a long day of work. Depending on the movie, I could also learn a lot from it too. One of my favorite movies ever is an anime movie called “A Silent Voice.” This movie revolves around a former school bully named Shoya Ishida seeking redemption for his past actions. Haunted by guilt and remorse, Shoya attempts to reconnect with Shoko Nishimiya, a deaf girl he once bullied in elementary school. The film explores themes of forgiveness, redemption, and the transformative power of empathy as Shoya navigates the challenges of self-forgiveness and rebuilding relationships with those he wronged. I was really touched by this movie because it gave a unique perspective to the theme of bullying as the main character was the bully. Ishida bullied Nishimiya in elementary school to fit in with his friends; however, the people he called friends eventually betrayed him once Nishimiya was bullied to the point where she had to change schools and the principal was finally involved. This story talks about the issue of suicide and the harsh lives of some people. I believe this movie is the definition of a masterpiece. Even though this is an animated movie, the art directory is world-class. There is a particular scene at the end of the movie that particularly resonates with me. There is a video on YouTube called “Therapist Reacts to A SILENT VOICE,” where a therapist reacts to the art directory of the movie and the dynamics of the character. Even he was brought to tears. Another reason this movie resonates so much with me is because I have a cousin who has the same conditions as Nishimiya. She is deaf and not able to talk. Watching this movie made me realize the harsh life she has to live through every day. Luckily she is married now and had her first kid recently, but I can’t imagine the problems she had to deal with as a kid. I know this is a long journal, but I can’t express how much this movie meant to me. It is not an exaggeration to say this movie changed how I view people.
Week 14: Gratitude
I am genuinely proud of the silver lining that emerged from this semester, particularly in the form of my research essay on synthetic biology. The effort and dedication I invested in crafting this piece left me with a sense of accomplishment and growth as a writer and researcher. The depth of knowledge I acquired during the process was genuinely enlightening, underscoring the bright moments of genuine learning that can arise from academic endeavors. What I can always rely on about myself is my unwavering drive. The passion and commitment I bring to my work become most evident when I’m immersed in a project, such as this research essay. Once I concentrate on a subject, I find myself in a state where time becomes secondary to the pursuit of understanding and excellence. This intrinsic motivation has been a constant force propelling me forward, ensuring that I meet challenges head-on and derive genuine satisfaction from the outcomes. I don’t fear trying new things out. This ensures that I am always learning, and I feel that is the best way to approach a healthy academic career and life in general.
Week 15: Class Reflections
I am genuinely pleased with the strides I’ve made in this class over the semester. My growth as a writer and communicator has been both substantial and rewarding. One key area of improvement has been my aptitude for conveying ideas using metaphor and imagery. This newfound skill has insinuated a level of complexity into my communication, making my expressions more vivid and engaging. Another facet of my development involves the effective discovery and utilization of scholarly articles. I’ve become adept at navigating academic sources to strengthen my arguments and add credibility to my work. This improvement elevated the quality of my assignments and also deepened my understanding of the subjects explored throughout the semester. Furthermore, a crucial lesson learned revolves around the significance of time management. Juggling various assignments and deadlines has underscored the importance of allocating time wisely. This skill has not only contributed to my success in this class but will undoubtedly serve me well in the future.
