Academic Enrichment Workshop

It was quite interesting to finally meet the author who wrote the novel that we had to read over the summer; however, I did think that I would just see the author discussing his novel.  I did not expect to see four or five other people as well.  I felt that Charles N. Li had so much more to say, but he had to limit himself to how much he could say, because he had to consider what the other panelists wanted to say and leave them some time to talk.  However, overall, what each panelist, including the author, had to say was quite interesting.  Each panelist pretty much talked about identity—finding where your home is and who you are.  What was absolutely so great about this panel discussion was that every student was able to connect with what was being said, which was the topic of identity.  Regardless if you were born in the United States or outside of the United States, everyone goes through of phase of wondering who they are and what their home is.  For most of us, we are trying to find out our identity now through college, especially since now, college helps us to broaden our horizon and see more and what’s really out there in the world.  Before I went to college, I thought I knew who I was like I knew the back of my hand; however, when I saw the back of my hand, there were some spots on my hand that I was not sure how it got there.  Now that I am in college, I am trying to find out what these spots are—who I really am and what is out there in the world for me and what I can do in this life.  Basically, it’s time for me to do some soul-searching, which is what I am currently doing.  I still have not found some of the answers to my questions, but I do believe that I am getting close.  All in all, I do believe that this workshop has been quite helpful to some of us, because it has showed us that we are not the only ones who are trying to find ourselves or where our home is and that college may be the answer to all of this.