Author Archives: ELIZABETH CHASE

Elizabeth Chase

English 2100

Final Blog Post

December 20, 2019

                          Over the semester, I felt like I did not develop as a writer instead I felt pressured to be a writer that I wasn’t. I felt my voice was always oppressed. Although I know that my grammar was not always the best, it was definitely terrible. I have a distinct way of writing style and it always seemed to not be enough. My grades were definitely affected by it, but it’s all good because the SEEK writing consultant always liked my papers.

           The paper I’m most proud of is my research paper. I put in so much work and effort into that project. I was also very interested in social mobility and how it affects minorities. I did a lot of extended research towards how minorities are always at a disadvantage, and no matter how much funds are invested in lower-income neighborhoods, there will always be a cultural bias and discrimination. This project I hold very dearly because, as a Latina young adult, I want to know the opportunities I have in the real world. I want to see if I will also be affected by the difficulties of social mobility in America. While this is the paper I am most proud of, it was also the project I also had the most trouble in. I struggled a lot during the process of this paper, especially coming up with a question that was not broad. 

One of the biggest topics spoken about in this semester was identity. I really enjoyed reading and discussing how parents have a major role in our education. The way parents have the ability to shape our identity such as  Mother Tongue. Mother Tongue was my favorite reading because it resonated with me so much. I realized that I have a specific way of speaking with my mother and I did not realize that before reading Mother Tongue. I’m glad that during my first English semester, we spoke a lot about identity and I really did appreciate that. As first semester students, I felt that it was important to speak about our identity, to remember our roots, and what makes us, us. 

Towards the end of the semester, I definitely developed as a student and friend. Going into my first semester of college, all I heard was to learn how to manage my time. I took that very lightly and really did not practice those skills. Now it’s the end of the semester, and I wished I practiced that skill more. For my next semester, I’m gonna improve my time management skills and make sure I hand in most of my assignments on time. I’ve come to realize that it’s very important to have these skills because you are prioritizing correctly and using your time wisely. I have also had great improvement as a friend. This semester I made 2 amazing friendships, and these friends have taught me a lot. Having people skills is necessary for real life, and being social expands your network. College has taught me that no questions are stupid and I can make mistakes and improve moving forward.

My favorite all-time show is The Office. I’ve watched this show 4 times already and I watch at least 2 episodes every day. Yes, it is very time consuming but I watch my episodes before going to bed. In a way, it soothes my mind and helps me sleep so I enjoy watching it. As I rewatch the episodes, I began to grab the show’s sense of humor and the episodes become funnier. The Office is a very well known show and it’s a show that many many people enjoy.

After a couple of times of watching it, I began to understand and resonate with each character. The characters I will forever admire is Jim and Pam. This tv couple has stolen my heart, their relationship is so pure and genuine. They’re an example of what love is and although they just show their life on an office setting, the show provides us with small acts of love and care that are simply adorable and admirable. I also have to stay that the character Dwight is also my favorite, he is hilarious and most definitely me when I’m grumpy.

I will never get tired of this show, I’m such a fan.  It is very sad to know that The Office will no longer be on Netflix starting 2020, therefore, I am trying to watch it the most I can now. They are also rumors that there will be a reboot of The Office for 2021. This show signifies culture because it shows life of an American worker and it is simply the best.

I am following up on Giselle’s blog post regarding immigration. This was the biggest topic of the year 2019 and now news are barely speaking about it. We know that over the summer, children were being held at the border with inhumane conditions. Living in cages, sleeping on concrete floors, and the worse part was that children were being separated from their parents. Media, congresspeople, Activists, and many more were letting the world know what was going on at the border. But noe the real question is, what did our president do? What is he doing to reunite these separated families?

Immigration laws need to be reformed, they need to be lenient toward people who simply want a better future for their children. The 2 biggest percentage of people who migrate to the United States are people who are refugees or people who are being oppressed by their own country. I learned this from one of our workshops of SEEK, Social Justice. The video showed to us made me realize this is a real issue. An issue that is being taken so lightly. People in politics, who actually have the power to change immigration laws are not winning because we have a president who still believes in building a wall that Mexico is gonna pay for. And the saddest thing is the children, small children are paying for his disgusting wants.

I have been encouraging many of my friends, classmates, family, and everyone I know to vote this coming elections. It is important we have a fair president who is not racist, and could help reform immigration laws.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/19/learning/what-students-are-saying-about-mental-health-days-self-doubt-and-their-fashion-idols.html

Over the summer mental health was one of the most talked about topic in the SEEK Program. We were taught that we must take care of what is within and protect our hearts. I am still amazed that even though I knew what mental health meant, I didn’t know if I was mentally healthy or how can I have a balanced mental state. I also realized that it is important to take care of oneself and become aware of what is hurting our mental health.

In this article, students express the need for days off from school for their mental health. I found it fascinating that 2 states passed a law that allows students to take days off for their own sake of health. I  personally think that more than 2 states should already have passed this law. Students were also able to express in this article that depression is real and it comes mostly from the pressure from school or becoming so stressed that they don’t know how to deal with it. In my life school is one of the biggest stressors and it affects my aura overall. Having days off for one’s mental health would definitely benefit so many students. I also believe this will lower the chances of a student suiciding.

After reading Anne Lamott and George Dila’s side on their approach to first drafts, I believe I am the type of writer who is a lot like Anne Lamott. The moment I begin to write, I try to be organized with my thoughts and my writing has to be structured, but I write so much about a particular topic, there is a never-ending imagination of writing coming off of me. I really related when Lamott says, ” There may be something in the very last paragraph on page six that you just love, that is so beautiful or wild that you know what you’re supposed to be writing about …” To me this doesn’t mean to be a messy writer just like Dila tries to put it, to me this means that your imagination is running on high speed and you can’t cut the thought process because your mind is working on a masterpiece and you don’t even realize it. That’s the type of writer I am, I let go, be free, and fun with my thoughts.

I’ve been a Christian for about 10 years now and it is a decision I don’t regret at all. This picture clearly shows my cousin and I in front of the church we congregate ourselves in. The interesting thing about this picture is that we were in the middle of Baptisms and in our religion it is a very important and life changing decision in a Christians life. We were admiring all the people who had enough faith to make a decision like this. We were beyond excited for the movement taking place. There were so many people around and it was very hot that day but for me everything was better than fine because there were so many smiles and happiness. All this sounds very cheesy but not at all because it is very true. In this picture you also can’t see how everything was beautifully decorated, there were so many inflatables and balloons, it literally looked like a Miami pool party. This picture brings me joy, it is more than just a memory to me, it shows a lifestyle I carry and that is being part of a bigger movement, being a Christian, and getting to know beautiful people. I can identify myself with my religion, it is part of who I am and I believe it is a valuable piece of information when getting to know a person. It is also a lifestyle I represent, in this picture I was helping people, ushering them to the pool and then to the bathroom. It was a lot of fun.

As a person who is getting to know and understand what my priorities are and what I truly care for, one thing always stays firm in my life. My education. I always hear stories from my parents telling me how much I loved reading, and I still do, sitting alone in a corner and diving into dozens of books. My mother tells me how I passionately did my math homework, now it’s very stressful but the idea of being passionate about my education is still there. I carry this idea in my mind: everything can be taken away from you, your clothes, shelter, even the glasses you wear, perhaps maybe a limb. But your education is something no one can take. It’s a virtue, no one can possess what’s in your mind. This concept of idea was introduced to me last year by my English teacher and senior advisor. When she said this to the class, I was truly inspired and made me value my education even more. Being educated is a privilege. It is important for me to value what I have in my life and my education is something I truly care for. 

Being first generation college student also plays a big role in why I care so much about my education. I don’t see being a first generation college student as a pressure nor as a standard to make my parents happy. I see it as an accomplishment. I see it as the person who will show my parents the American Dream before their eyes. I also see it as being a role model to younger siblings. 

I’m a person who loves to learn new things and express my philosophical opinions to the people near me. My passion for education gives me strive to teach others what I know and I’m very proud of that.