Road to Finals

    We are two weeks away from the end of the semester and things are definitely starting to catch up to me. The assignments and final papers are overwhelming since the due dates are coming in quick, and the school days feel shorter! Although I have been able to keep up, the anticipation is REAL.

    In Card 101, we are continuing to write our rhetorical argument essays and peer advice. I feel behind in my work since I changed my topic to fit more evidence and a stronger argument. It set me back a bit, but I feel comfortable with the sources I chose to make my claims in the paper. In my time working on the paper outside of class, I found the student examples helpful in terms of how to format and outline. I am also having some trouble incorporating my evidence into my paper. Oddly, I feel like although the information is valuable it is tough to quote statements without the phrase sounding odd? I guess?. All in all, I believe my paper still needs polishing before it's submitted as a final draft... but it will get there! 

     Since I have no more card-specific updates, I thought I would use this blog post to reflect on my college experience thus far. Granted, all of us are only freshmen or new transfers, but there is so much I learned academically and about myself during the school year. There is much more to come and that's dialectically nerve-racking and exciting. :)

Extra Credit Blogpost (card event 3/30)

    For this extra credit opportunity, I attended the Arts Dupage exhibit in Oestrele. While I usually attend the library to study or complete assignments in my own little bubble, it was nice to see a change in scenery and take time to actually appreciate my surroundings. Especially since personally, I am on the go most of the time and do not utilize opportunities to recognize campus events. I loved the art and making inferences about each piece. I think this definitely ties into the engagement piece of this assignment since I was being mindful of each. I think this is a great way to connect the community with our school! The sculptures, paintings, 3d prints, etc were so unique!

For the well-being portion of this assignment, we were assigned to watch Stutz, by director Jonah Hill. I have heard so many great things about this documentary, but it was not until I actually watched it that I understood the hype... Stutz is about actor Jonah Hill and his unique relationship with his therapist, Phil Stutz. A therapist's job can be viewed in a variety of ways: as a listener, advice-giver, and moral support, it depends on the person. However, Jonah Hill mentions how Phil is unlike others and played an active role in changing his life. Phil Stutz was a prison psychiatrist in his early career and eventually opened up his own practice in New York. His therapy approach highlights teaching clients skills and reframing their thoughts on their life. For example, rather than repeating "it is okay" and other reassurance phrases that could be helpful, he expands on harmful thought patterns and instead twists to the "now what" portion if that makes sense. I have respect for Jonah Hill as an actor, but being portrayed in this setting is inspiring to see him as a human who is going through a nonlinear healing process.  

I think all people should watch this documentary, but I highly recommend it to college students. I believe at this age, it is easy to feel lost and confused in your life path. The skills and tools mentioned could be extremely useful as mental health resources and steps to take when feeling these ways. Some skills/terms I thought were important to note include: 

- Radical acceptance: the antidote of judgment. It is what it is. Now what? Move on instead of dwelling on the situation/those involved. 

- Loss Processing: It is okay to feel what you feel, especially in times of grief. Let the emotions come and let them go when it feels right. 

Overall, the film was extremely inspiring and I think everyone should watch it and go to therapy haha. There were so many metaphors and lessons that I can apply to my own life and it conveys that you are never alone. 

Career Workshops and Close to the End

     We have about 3 weeks left in the semester and summer feels right around the corner with this warmer weather and final projects being introduced. In CARD 101, we have continued working on our rational argument papers and have had check-ins to keep us on track with the due date. 

We had a required career workshop this past week as well, and I found it very inspiring and beneficial. In all honesty, I initially dreaded that this workshop was required and was my only class for the day. However, I ended up gaining a lot of information from the presentation and I learned more about career opportunities and resources North Central offers. The presenters made me reflect on what I wanted to do with my life and reassured that it was okay if we were not 100% sure yet. 

I planned a meeting with the CCPD shortly after this workshop and looked at Handshake for potential job and internship opportunities. Although it is most likely too late to sign up for one for this summer, I am interested in applying for some in the future and learning about companies that I could work for in the future.