A Room of One's Own

Something that struck me as interesting in the class discussion about A Room of One's Own was the topic about men writing about women and vice versa. I think that in many cases both male and female think they know the other sex better than that sex itself. Speaking from my own opinion, I think women know men a little bit better than they think we do. Women are smarter, right? We're just supposed to act dumb around boys so that they feel smarter, and therefore more masculine and powerful. But really we know what they're thinking even if they don't know it. Men also think they know all about women and how they feel and how they are supposed to act. Femininity is viewed as something weak and less powerful than masculinity. But people can't just be simply described as male or female. There are so many other characteristics and personalities that make people unique. That is why some men can be described as "feminine." However, I have come to realize that I don't like the term feminine or masculine because they are defined as characteristics of the male or female sex. This does not really help with my argument though. A man can still be a man even if he does have a feminine personality. A women can still be female even if she has masculine characteristics. People are complex. No one is the same as someone else. Men can write a women's character and be spot on with how a women he knew acted. A women can create a male character that can be exactly how your brother acts. Not all men are the same and not all women are the same. Therefore, not all female and male characters in fiction will be the same. Some characters may be portrayed in a stereotypical way, but that does make them wrong, or right. But it became a stereotype for a reason.

Why am I here?

In my opinion, higher education does have a great impact on the success of students in the work force. The average salary for a graduate student can reach $60,000 where as a high school drop out will most likely only earn a little more than $20,000. This statistic shows that continued, challenging, focused learning is necessary to be prepared for our world's job market. People my parents' age didn't always go to college, but today it seems like there is no question about it, everyone goes to college. Senior year of high school no one asked, "So what are you doing after you graduate?" Instead they asked, "Have you chosen a college yet?" or "Where are you going to school next year?" Education has become more available in this day and age, but it has also changed. Education is no longer teaching content, as shown in the second video. It is about using technology and developing fundamental skills in order to learn more content. We are in such a technologically advanced century that it would be almost a waste to not use it to its highest ability. Instead of keeping students away from computers, TVs and other devices, it is important to take advantage of those resources and use them to better connect with the students and therefore be able to teach them better. I want to further develop skills that were taught to me in high school such as critical thinking, problem solving, written communication and many more because I think these are skills necessary to succeed in life. It is important to not only know these skills but put them into action and take advantage of our resources in doing so.

As I said above, I felt it was a given that I would go off to college after high school, get a good education, find a job and settle down somewhere. So, that's what I'm in the process of doing. I'm at college getting a good education so I can one day get a good job. I still don't know what kind of job I want. Maybe I'm here to figure that out. I don't even know why I'm here at Saint Mary's. Maybe it's because I felt the most comfortable here or maybe because I knew I had to leave my securities, (home, friends, family, life as I knew it), and start over somewhere new. I want to find out who I am, and in turn figure out what it is I'm here on earth to do. I remember going on a Kairos retreat during high school and we were having a discussion about what we want to do in the future. I of course said I had no idea. Later I broke down and was crying to my friend, hating the feeling of being so lost. Not only was I lost in the sense of not knowing what my future holds, but also lost in the sense that I didn't even know who I was. She consoled me of course and said I will figure it all out and to just give it time. I am still unsure though.  Maybe I just keep waiting for someone to tell me the answer.

Dreaming Big!

If I could fast forward right now and stop at this day five years from now I would be sitting at a little cafe outside in the beautiful city of Rome. Although I've never been there before I imagine it is beautiful and nothing like I've seen before. It would be warm out and I would be having lunch with a cute Italian boy that I had met while traveling around the city. My dream is to be able to travel around Europe and then settle in Rome for a few months to learn their culture and perfect my Italian. I would have a little apartment that is down an open alley and my neighbor is an elderly Italian women who treats me like a granddaughter. I wouldn't look like a tourist and I would be familiar with people I see walking down the brick streets. My days would never have a set schedule. I would be free to experience whatever opportunities came my way. I would get involved in art with a local potter and learn how to really cook from an authentic chef. In five years I think that is the perfect age where you can go off and experience new things and find your way in life. It would open my eyes to what my passions are and what I want from life.

Sidewalks.

Some of my most vivid memories of growing up were on those sidewalks. Seddon Drive is where those sidewalks still are but I can see them in my mind as I ran with my best friend to my neighbors house to go play. Columbus, Ohio is where I was born and raised for most of my life. It is where my childhood home is and where many of my close friends still live. My family and I moved from Columbus to Cleveland when I was 10 and I had to leave one of the most significant places in my life. The place I'm talking about was not only my home, my neighborhood, my school, friends and family but the place that made me who I am. I can still picture my little room with the light purple walls and tiny closet that I would crawl up to the attic from. The crabapple tree that I had to sketch for a project stood tall in front of the house. The neighbor's house just a few skips away. This place is the main setting for most of my childhood memories and therefore is important to me. It was on those sidewalks outside my house that I first learned to ride a bike. I set up my first lemonade stand right on the curb. My best friend and I did silly things and laughed while playing outside. Undoubtedly this place shaped who I am. This place is forever apart of me. Moving did have positives outcomes which I would not want to change. But one thing that I still miss at my new house are sidewalks.