Week Six

Welcome to this Week's Topic - Diversity and Inclusion II - Documented and White People

Free Burritos!

This week was another great week! I have had more free time this week because I have not had as many assignments due. I am excited to go home this weekend to see my family, my friends, and, of course, my dog. I spent a lot of time with my roommates and my friends at school this week, and I am honestly so thankful for all of them. We always have such a great time whenever we hang out. Gracen, Riley, and I decorated the white board outside of our dorm room to celebrate the first day of fall! Despite it being fall, the weather is still very, very hot and humid. Kaylee and I went shopping at TJMaxx, and then we went to free burrito day at Moe's! Gracen, Riley, Kaylee, Carleigh and I ate dinner at our dorm, and then we drove around in the car for a little while. Overall, I have had an amazing week, and I am excited to make more wonderful memories!

This week's FYE class was a continuation of last week's topic. On Monday's class, we talked about Jose Antonio Vargas, an "undocumented immigrant" originally from the Philippines. I found the documentary titled Documented (1) to be very interesting. While I do not appreciate the "pushiness" of Jose's character, I did enjoy listening to some of his ideas. Learning about immigration through his eyes was a bit different than through the eyes of the children from Which Way Home. I was so amazed at how far he was able to get in his life without being "found out" about his undocumented status. I appreciate his passion towards his platform, and I think he is definitely brave for revealing his status.

The most shocking part about Documented to me was Jose's lost relationship with his mother. He left his mother when he was twelve-years-old, and he stopped sending her letters as he grew older. In the documentary, Jose claims that he has not seen his mother in eighteen years. He is unable to travel to visit because he is afraid of not being allowed to return. However, the film crew is able to visit the Philippines to interview Jose's mother. I was absolutely devastated when she begins to talk about how much she misses her son. She talks about how she thinks of him everyday, but Jose says that he does his best to avoid her; he says that their relationship is purely transactional. This part actually made me very angry at Jose. Of course, he claims to have his reasons for disassociating himself with his mother, but I disapprove of his actions. I was very happy to learn that Jose's mother had two more children. It would be very, very sad if she was left alone (Jose's father also is not in the picture) after Jose left her. The situation is a difficult one to interpret, but I feel more sympathy for Jose's mother.

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Define American (2) is a website that recognizes itself to be "a nonprofit media and culture organization that uses the power of story to transcend politics and shift the conversation about immigrants, identity, and citizenship in a changing America." Referencing this website, I looked at two videos. One of the videos that I watched was an interview with an undocumented college student named Gabriela Martinez Chevez (3). In the video, Gabriela gives a brief story about her life. She is originally from El Salvador, but she moved to the United States as a young child. She talks about the fear of being "caught." At college, Gabriela states that she has found a community of people who are supportive of her, and she feels better about revealing her temporary student status. The second video I watched was titled "Dear Undocumented America" (4). The video contains all types of people declaring their support for undocumented immigrants. It is a video that is heavily inspirational rather than informational.

For Wednesday's class, I watched the film White People (5). Personally, I feel as if the film did not present a clear, central message. A few people in the film established clear viewpoints, but the overall film was all over the place, and it was a little difficult to follow. I didn't really like this film, but I didn't strongly dislike it either. In class, Carter, Charlotte, Enysa, and I had a discussion on the worksheet that Dra. gave us. Our conversation was very effective, and we agreed on most of the points. Regarding the question "Where are you FROM from?" I found it interesting how Carter pointed out that humans are from virtually all over the world, whereas most animal species are only in specific parts of the world. Enysa also shared her heritage with the class as well as Matthew. I really enjoyed listening to their stories!

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We have had some very difficult but meaningful discussions in FYE this week, and I am sure they will continue next week. My perspective has broadened because normally I would not expose myself to the topics we have discussed. I am excited for next week! Thanks for reading!

References:
(1)https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UniNteiDdEHqYQ_VjuRH1A8e-hGRURkE/view?usp=sharing
(2) https://defineamerican.com/about/
(3) https://defineamerican.com/stories/view/gabriela-martinez-chevez/
(4) https://defineamerican.com/video/undocumentedamerica/
(5) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zjj1PmJcRM
(6) https://images.app.goo.gl/MZJ5GcHuQumW5u2E9
(7) https://images.app.goo.gl/otkZ4vYF2VyY2atR6

Week Five

Welcome to this week's topic - Diversity and Inclusion I - Which Way Home & International Migration

Lonestar Concert!

Lakeside Views

This week has been amazing! I can barely recount all of the events that took place. But for the sake of this post, I will try. On Sunday, I played in an ultimate frisbee game. On Wednesday, I went to the Finances Success Series event with my friends. Thursday was the best day that I have had in awhile - after class, my roommates and I went to Sweetheart Circle and did homework while we sat on the grass for about four hours. We went to dinner at Lakeside, and then we watched the ducks and the turtles in the lake. On Friday, my roommate (Riley), my friend (Kaylee), and I went to the Lonestar concert at the performing arts center. The three of us made a spur of the moment decision to spend the night at Riley's house and to go to the lake the
next morning. On Saturday, we rode jet skis, and we went tubing. I had so much fun with my friends this week, and I am excited for more memories to come! On top of all the fun I had, I managed to do well on three tests that I had this week. I feel very accomplished and very happy!

Before I reflect on this week's class topic, I would like to briefly talk about the Finances Success

With my Roommates at FYE Event!

Finances Success Series Event

Series event I attended on Wednesday. I was very surprised at how much fun this event was! To be honest, I expected to learn helpful information about different aspects of the financial world so that I will be able to better prepare for my future. The event was more of an inspirational speech about saving money. Speaker Pete Bielagus gave a very interactive and enjoyable presentation. Even though the event was not what I expected, I am glad that I went because I had a great time! My roommates also went with me, and I think that is one reason why I enjoyed this event so much. I was surrounded by great people in a great environment listening to a great speaker.

The big class discussion that we had in FYE this week was over the film Which Way Home. I am so thankful that I was given the opportunity to watch this documentary - I never even knew that it existed. Immigration is definitely a touchy subject when it comes to a debate/discussion. I am very proud of my FYE classmates for expressing their opinions and their feelings in a way that was not forceful - but informative. During a group discussion, I was paired with Garret and Will to discuss various viewpoints on the film. All of us agreed on most topics, but both of them were able to provide me with information about which I had not previously thought. I enjoy having meaningful and important discussions with my classmates because I get to learn about their views, and I gain more hope for the future.

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Which Way Home was a very emotional film for me to watch. I still do not have a solution as to where I stand on the entire issue of immigration. There are so many factors to consider when discussing the topic that you cannot place the whole issue into a single category. I feel the most sympathy for the children whose parents left them behind and for the children who were brought to America illegally by their parents without having a choice because they were so young. However, I do support some type of legal system available for immigrants who wish to live in the United States. I do not think that every single person, no matter what, should be able to freely cross the border without first being approved. The topic is definitely touchy, and I do not wish to comment further on my beliefs until I do more research. People should never believe the first thing they see on the news or online; they should always do their own research. No matter who you are, do not let the world try to fool you. Be smart enough to make your own decisions.

In the Youtube Video titled "The Price of Immigration (1)," the filmmakers emphasize the importance of migrant workers in the community. The immigrants keep the economy on its feet. One important factor that I noticed listed in the article "Does migration change life for the better for people from poor countries (2)?" is that all migrants are more likely to experience sadness. I can definitely see how this fact may be true. Those who move to another country in search of economic opportunity often leave their families behind. They are exposed to a completely new world, and that world is not always what they expected to encounter. The "International Migrant Day (3)" chart shows that each year migrants send home roughly 440 billion US dollars to their families and their communities. "Global Migration: A World Ever More on the Move (4)" notes that even those who study migration for a living are unable to fully grasp its effects. The topic is so vast and so complicated.

Whenever we discussed the Media Literacy Activity (5) in class, I began to realize how important it is for you to research the history behind each article you read. You need to learn about the views and the opinions of the creators of whatever you are reading/watching, and you need to keep an open mind about the possibility of bias. As Enysa pointed out in class, relatively everything contains some type of bias. I agree with her point. After reading all of these articles about migration and after watching Which Way Home, I am even more thankful to have been born a citizen of the United States. Even though I am not an expert on immigration, I now know how to go about an effective conversation with someone about the issue.

Thanks for reading this week's post!

Resources:
(1) The Price of Immigration: http://tiny.cc/y1ip4x
(2) Does migration change life...: http://tiny.cc/migrationchangelife
(3) International Migrant Day: http://tiny.cc/Inter_migrant_day
(4) Global Migration: http://tiny.cc/globalmigration
(5) Media Literacy Activity: https://docs.google.com/document/d/19LxhBJaMB4CGUV4k4Aa6qb6SSL52dtUV15SJ22U9BJ8/edit?usp=sharing
(6) Image: https://images.app.goo.gl/h5yJGB65swVJUGX59

Week Four

Welcome to this week's topic - Growth Mindset, Academic Basics, and Academic Integrity (The week of September 9th)

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Hallelujah, I survived this week.

At the beginning of the week, I was overwhelmed with homework and additional assignments. After classes started back, I was relieved. This week turned out to be not so bad after all. I made lots of memories with my friends, and I accomplished many, many goals.

Beginning with the topic of Growth Mindset, I would like to briefly discuss the FYE Success Series event I attended. On Wednesday, I attended the Growth Mindset Series with speaker Trevor Ragan. I actually really enjoyed the presentation. I have heard about the difference between growth mindset (the belief that the brain has the ability to grow) and fixed mindset (the belief that the brain can only use the tools it already has) before the event. However, I learned a lot more detailed information about the importance of a growth mindset. In class on Wednesday, we discussed the ideas behind a growth mindset as well. Basically, I have been learning about a growth mindset all week, and I am not mad about it. One of the assigned videos this week titled "Growth Mindset Introduction: What it is, How it Works, and Why it Matters (2)" was narrated and taught by the speaker of the growth mindset event, Trevor Ragan. I found it very interesting how most of this discussion has connected to my life outside of class this week. Granted, I am sure that the people who planned the schedule for the Success Series worked to help coordinate it with the general schedule for the FYE class. I am glad that I went to the Growth Mindset Series, as I learned a lot of helpful information.

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In class on Monday, Dra. sorted all of us students into groups to discuss our thoughts on ineffective vs effective discussions. I was honored to be paired with the Wheat Thin King, Will. Will and I had very similar thoughts about effective and ineffective discussions. We believed that an effective discussion requires lots of listening from both parties. On the other hand, we agreed that yelling and interrupting is very ineffective. I enjoyed listening to other students' opinions, most of which were the same as mine.

Regarding Academic Basics, Dra. provided us with many helpful resources on Folio. We briefly discussed withdrawing in class, but we did not go over the details. To be honest, I considered withdrawing from my economics class during the week of Hurricane Dorian. I was overwhelmed because I did not have a clue as to what I was doing. I did not have a full class on economics during high school, so I felt lost, especially since I am taking an honors version of economics. Thankfully, our professor moved back due dates and gave us a review day after we came back from the hurricane. Now, I am glad that I did not immediately give up. The details regarding withdrawals can be found online (4). This week, I got an email from my academic advisor asking me to schedule an advising appointment. I picked the earliest date and the earliest time that I could get because I have heard from older students that scheduling an appointment as soon as possible is very important. The GPA Worksheet (5) that Dra. provided us was actually very interesting to me. I do not recall ever being taught how to calculate my GPA, so I am thankful that I now have the formula.

In class on Wednesday, we did discuss the topic of Academic Integrity. We had a short worksheet to evaluate the definitions of plagiarism and cheating. The Student Code of Conduct (6) was also provided to us on Folio. I enjoyed listening to the issues that other students in my class have faced regarding plagiarism/cheating in the past and sadly, issues that they have faced now. As students at Georgia Southern, it is our responsibility to follow the rules and to be a positive influence on others. I enjoyed the discussions this week, and I am excited for next week!

Thanks for reading!

Resources:
(1) Image: https://images.app.goo.gl/9PgWteLwh4quAJiu5
(2) Youtube Video: https://youtu.be/75GFzikmRY0
(3) Image: https://images.app.goo.gl/7jcQCUTy58DofquB6
(4) Withdrawal Info: https://academics.georgiasouthern.edu/fye/academics-101/withdrawing/
(5) GPA Sheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xrn0qQUnIZwnxlgOVBZmYw_IMi91iKpK/view
(6) Code: https://students.georgiasouthern.edu/conduct/files/2018-2019-Code-of-Student-Conduct-FINAL-1.pdf

Week Three

Welcome to this week's topic - In-Class Discussions & Speech on Campus and Beyond

The beautiful
not-so-hurricane view Wed. night

The third week of college turned into the third week of "not actually attending college but still having to manage college" - Thanks, Hurricane Dorian.

Well, this week turned out to be much different than the previous week. I thought I had my life together; I thought I was a perfectly organized and prepared individual. I thought wrong.

This week I have been extremely overwhelmed by all of the upcoming due dates for all of my classes that I was unable to attend. My professors gave me all of my assignments this week as if the hurricane never happened (which in Statesboro...it didn't), and I have been forced to learn the material on my own. Normally, I can manage multiple assignments at once, but I have been
extremely stressed this week. To top it off, I am sick. So between hundreds of tissues (literally) and way too many math problems, I am very, very overwhelmed.

However, I know the importance of mental health. I have been taking measures to ensure that I get at least one genuine break throughout the day to relieve my stress. Even though I feel as if I have nothing together, I am doing the best I can. Before I reflect on this week's topic, I would like to briefly mention the stress relievers that I participated in this week.

My roommates and I made dinner Wednesday night, and we watched a movie with two of our

Making Dinner!

friends. On Thursday, my friend and I took a quick lunch trip to Zaxby's. That night, my roommates, my friend, and I played card games and watched another movie. Friday, we rode our bikes to the RAC and played volleyball. I also did a short run to help relieve any more stress. Although I have spent my entire week working, I have also made some wonderful memories with my friends. I will survive the upcoming week.

To reflect on this week's topic, I am going to mention several articles/videos that Dra. provided to our class. Unfortunately, we were unable to have an in-class discussion on this week's topic because we did not attend class.

Most of the articles that Dra. provided centered around the ideas of communication and free speech. Some articles provided tips and insight on participating in debates or in discussions while others outlined recent issues associated with free speech.

In the first article titled "I Take Your Point (1)," the author gives readers insight into the most important action when participating during a discussion. The author states, "...link what you are about to say to something that has already been said." Making a link is very important to ensure that the others in the discussion take your point as being relevant. If you want to mention a point that is not on the same subject, the author suggests that you explicitly indicate that you are changing the topic.

"The Power of Dialogue (2)" is an article that outlines basic ground rules for dialogue while also targeting those who fail to truly communicate. Author Scott London highlights technology's negative influence on people's in-person communication skills. He believes that people have forgotten or simply do not know how to truly listen to another individual. I believe that some people are easily disconnected from others, but I also think that there are people who cannot function without making true connections. One ground rule for effective dialogue that I found important was using concrete examples to raise general issues. Issues are often difficult to discuss when a person does not provide any correlation to the real world. If a person makes sure to give examples, then he or she will be much more successful in a conversation.

The two resources centered around microaggression ("What Exactly is a Microaggression (3)?" and "Microaggressions in the Classroom (4)") had an emotional appeal. I found the video to be more effective when describing the effects of microaggression. Based on the article, I first thought that the people described as victims of microaggression were simply over sensitive, and I thought that the initial microaggression could not be avoided. However, the video brought the scenarios to life. I was able to look at the situation with a different perspective, and I realized how frequent microaggression occurs. One point that surprised me within the article was that people who usually engage in microaggressions are normal, everyday people who good intentions. Before reading and watching the provided article and video, I had no knowledge of the term "microaggression." Now, I can monitor my own actions to uplift others instead of to degrade others.

"Twelve Essential Communication Skills That Aren't Taught in Schools at All (5)" is an article that contains multiple helpful tips for people to become effective communicators. None of the skills listed were unfamiliar to me, meaning I have heard of them before. The one that I agree with the most would definitely be "proactive listening." Those who make it a priority to listen before speaking are people who can often be characterized as trustworthy, patient, and professional. This article not only outlines the effective skills, but it also gives readers advice on how to achieve the skills. I believe that becoming an effective communicator takes practice. Learning the basis of the twelve skills provides readers with a strong mental foundation towards a successful conversation.

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Switching to free speech, I would like to recognize the difficulty behind the topic. People have very different opinions and viewpoints with anything and everything. Free speech is an interesting, yet touchy topic for some. I personally wish that I could have experienced an in-class discussion with my peers about free speech. I am interested to hear everyone's viewpoints, and I hope that we will be able to discuss the topic in the future. Although free speech is a difficult topic to discuss because of the controversy it creates, it is a very important topic, as it is vital to resolving conflicts.

The article "Hate Speech is Protected Free Speech: Even at College Campuses (7)" outlines the importance of allowing free speech at college campuses. Author Erwin Chemerinksy states that the primary purpose of a college campus is to provide its students with access to education. He argues that officials of schools should not be able to decide who gets to speak or what gets to be said because people should be allowed to explore different views. On the other hand, the author of the article "On Speech and Belonging (8)" attacks those who exhibit what he believes to be hate speech, a version of free speech. I personally do not like the article because the author seems to go to the extreme to convince his readers that his way is the only way. In the end, who gets to decide what is hateful and what is not? Both articles have strengths and weaknesses. The first provides many real-life examples with evidence to back up the author's claims while the second relies mostly on emotional appeal.

The video titled "Schools are watching students' social media, raising questions about free speech (9)" made me feel very uneasy. Personally, I do not believe that adults/supervisors (other than parents) should monitor children's social media accounts with the intention of looking to punish a child for behavior regarding free speech. I think parents should be mindful of what their children post in order to maintain a safe environment, but I do not think that children should be targeted by other adults. Social media is new, and technology is constantly advancing. My viewpoint is not set in stone, but I currently disapprove of punishing children for their online behavior unless the one punishing the child is his/her parent(s) or unless the child's action presents evident danger.

Lastly, the video titled "Free Speech vs Hate Speech on College Campuses (10)" summarizes the entire dispute discussed in the above articles on free speech. I enjoyed this video because it outlined both viewpoints while also providing facts. The video introduces the question, "Where do you draw the line on hateful speech?" As I previously stated, who gets to decide what is hateful and what is not? In the end, I truly do not know if there is one solution to the problem. Perhaps it is a dispute that will always exist. However, whether we like it or not, people have the right to express their beliefs as long as others are not being put in physical danger.

Thanks for reading!

Resources:
(1) I Take Your Point: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1U47Tn-SKpwcQHY_GKHBIcJkViCpijJdt/view?usp=sharing
(2) The Power of Dialogue: http://tiny.cc/effectivedialogue
(3) What Exactly is a Microaggression?: https://www.vox.com/2015/2/16/8031073/what-are-microaggressions
(4) Microaggressions in the Classroom: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ji8Qae9keY
(5) Twelve Essential Communication Skills: http://tiny.cc/effectivecommunication
(6) Image: https://images.app.goo.gl/AwZBuqGEg81ApVh48
(7) Hate Speech is Protected Free Speech: https://www.vox.com/the-big-idea/2017/10/25/16524832/campus-free-speech-first-amendment-protest
(8) On Speech and Belonging: https://blogs.berkeley.edu/2017/09/18/on-speech-and-belonging/
(9) Schools are watching...: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/schools-watching-students-social-media-raising-questions-free-speech
(10) Free Speech vs Hate Speech: https://www.pbs.org/video/free-speech-vs-hate-speech-on-college-campuses-gkjvrl/