Group Experience

    Coming from completely different backgrounds, we were able to come as one and develop into "The Reflexive Ponderers". I feel like the group really came into itself since we all contributed with our special qualities. Week after week we were able to see each other's points of view while given assignments about topics in which we might've changed others opinions. In my opinion this was actually a refreshing thing since beforehand I didn't really had the opportunity to participate in something like this. From Frances heavy laughter to Marcos scolding, I can say that they really made the experience a whole lot better.

Blog Reflection

         While actually going through a whole 5 months writing as much as i had in my whole life, I found out about a whole different world. This experience actually felt like a new and improved way of letting out your deepest feelings. Although, at first, it did really feel like an enemy, my affair with writing evolved like a “Pokémon”. Not all was beautiful and understanding but it sure did a whole lot of good.

            In my blogs I found love, fears, friendships and even joy. Writing quickly became something to look forward for. Blogs about discrimination mostly were the ones I connected with because of personal experiences. With Billy Mays, I entirely felt his fear of going into a newly found place for him and how scary it can be. With the series of the 60’s I found a deep connection since family is the center of my universe. While going through all these hours spent on it, I sincerely a wellbeing for myself.

            Finally, the best way to describe this is through a roller coaster. Not because of how irregular a roller coaster ride can be but because of its ability to get me up when I was feeling down. This whole activity was concluded with me finding out just how good I can be at doing something that I may not like but being able to take it in as a hobby shortly after.

Literary Contest Reflection

The thing about writing is the extensive possibilities that it possess. With everything new that is written newly found material with a new sea of memories and thoughts surfaces. Writing represents ourselves and therefore most of our work will be able to define in words our current state of attitude and even mind. The opportunity to participate in the literary contest was a fulfilling one because of being able to admire just how others can influence you and at the same time motivate you to become the type of writer that you want to be. It can help you understand yourself more so that at the end of the day what you write represent great value which is the most valuable price.

Throughout the journey to write something authentic you face many obstacles. After overcoming them, you're left with the finished masterpiece. At any ceremony we are able to marble at how each winner shows various emotions that were such different in little aspects. This also tells us about how people tend to differ at almost everything and the writing does too. Some might have wrote about love, others about fears or even things without meaning. This just sums up how there's no greater prize than a love for your own work.

First place or even fourth place doesn't matter. Your work might not be the best when judged by others but this does not matter since your love for your own work makes you a greater writer. Therefore what I found out about how I felt when speaking about the ceremony just left me wondering how much being recognize brings. Yes, the love from others might make you feel head over heels but nothing compared to the one you borrow to your work. At the end of the day none of this will be able to be achieved without it.

Even though it turned out to be a completely bittersweet opportunity since I was not able to attend the ceremony because of a great lack in my communication skills. Still I learned something from not being able to attend, like for example thinking things in a deeper manner and at the same time to not rely on others to complete tasks that you're capable of completing yourself. After all I did some harm to the audience by not sending out the message clearly of my absence which could've been skipped with just the use of the utilities that we possess to be clear about the whole situation. Indeed it was my fault and surfaced to me a calling so that in the future will never happen again.

Poem

Eighteen In Twenty-first

Life for me begins backwards,

It begins where other’s end,

Habits in the space

Between never and again.

The skies race within our veins,

With raging hurricanes.

Our bodies become a part

Of space and time

More than a tapestry

Of rhyme

With meaning, alive

With rhythm and lines.

There’s more to life

Than what we see

Never fall into the abyss,

Inside the quiet terror

Of seizing to exist.

Finally let the clear mist

Of hope in

So it can consume our souls

For the future

Holds so much more.

"The 60's" Pt 2 Reflection

       Years passed and special details about the main characters are revealed. We see how much they’ve came to their own selves and matured. Suffering sums up the feelings inside the family caused by fears and worrying about what others might say. This part really leaves a sense of wonder and calls for an act of self-reflection because of how easy it is to familiarize with the characters. Here we are mostly found with how everything is overcome and the relationship ties grow stronger.

         While faced with more society influenced human beings, the siblings made me come to think just how this time in life it really concretes and influences our ways and values. The most important story in this part is the one of the son that goes to the army. Just left me wondering about what would’ve been of him if he did get that scholarship and had become a football player. But instead it just strongly helps the fact that society really can break you down sometimes if you give it that power.

          As the stories come to an end so did my worries when thinking in place of the characters. I felt most identified with the son who followed truly what he believed in. Not letting others tell you who you are is what, for me, was all that he represented. This is what leaves us with hope because in my case it left me with a sense of wanting to overcome adversity. Then the family really grew and in values and views because they really left out any judgement and really worried about what keeps us human, love. 

"The 60's" Pt 1 Reflection

          Taken on a treadmill that seems to make us run all the way back in time and also how we took steps back towards happiness. Summarizing the time that was the 1960's, the typical family of that time is represented inside one. A mother, father and three siblings show us the views and values that are dominant during these years. Making one realize just how bad they had it back then. A story full of love and changes in the family structure, basically sums up this part of the series.

In my opinion, I have to start off by saying how the siblings completely represented sides of different parts found in society that were mistreated only because they were the "minority". Throughout this part we see radical changes inside the characters since they are only starting to develop as themselves.

The braveness and, at the same time, the fear of the daughter to run away from home; the determination of the son for entering the army without prior plans; and also how the middle one chose to not let others influence in his way of thinking but instead choosing for himself, all were immensely important for me. Felt like they all made up pieces of me and at the same time everything that I lack. Only left me wondering how much the world will change.

Thankfully years have passed by and these ways of thinking are no longer dominant. Now we really value the family which really describes the main focus of the series. Shows just how strong families become by overcoming not only other people but themselves so they can become accepting. Like in my case, family is the center of who I am l, therefore I can say that it reflects on my identity.

"Serving In Silence"

   Margarethe Cammermeyer in my opinion is the true definition of a hero. For me her journey is one fruitfully in both personal and external aspects. She did not only helped society by revealing her secret but also she helped herself in accepting who she was. In my opinion she even dealt with it with greater strength that anyone in that position would've. Grethe did the completely right thing by coming clean about everything and refusing to stay inside the closet since it was the easiest way out. This, in my opinion, did greater good to society than to herself. People like her is what we need more nowadays. People that fill us up with courage no matter our struggles and that helps us to rise above.

"Students Take A Stand" Skit Reflection

       
       Our skit basically consisted in making a calling for others to think before judging. To me it represented greatly the message through the use of an example that is commonly found in today's age. Going through the whole process of formulating the activity, we divided it and went step by step. First, we had to brain storm what was a topic in which we found ourselves relating to. Then, during the activity we reached out and exchanged personal experiences that in the end related to one another. This just explains how discrimination is something that sooner or later we suffer from. Later on, we had the member's part and what they had to say which left us in a better agreement of what was the goal that we wanted to present. After completing the activity and presenting the message, of how discrimination needs to be dealt with and stopped, was transmitted and even made me realize how indirectly we even do it ourselves from time to time.