Coursework
Examining the Mortality of the Ink-redible Creatures that Octupi the Ocean
Course: Honors 220A Storytelling in the Sciences
I presented to a group of honors students on octopuses: what they are, their mating rituals, and their self-destruct system. What is that? After reproducing for the first time, octopuses stop eating and eventually die. Aside from the actual science, this project taught me three main lessons:
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Terminology is not synonymous across species. For example, it has been discovered that when the optic gland of an octopus is removed, it goes on to reproduce. I had assumed that optic gland had to do with the eyes since our optic systems do, but the optic gland of an octopus is actually analogous to a human's pituitary gland. From now one, I know not to make assumptions!
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I should not be starting a presentation the morning of. I guess doing stuff last minute is a rite of passage for college students. Now I know not to do it anymore because it causes additional stress, robs me of my sleep, and decreases the quality of the final product. Though everyone enjoyed my presentation, there is always room for improvement!
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Octopuses are super cool. I learned so much about octopuses that I would have never learned if it wasn't for this project. Did you know that they grow almost indefinitely? Or that they have beaks? These discoveries have taught me that there is so much out there, especially about nature, to learn about!
Here are my PowerPoint slides!
The Legend of Chang-E
Course: Honors 220A Storytelling in the Sciences
For this assignment, I had to choose a myth and present it from the perspective of one of the characters. I chose the Chinese Legend of Chang-E. I really enjoyed writing and presenting this monologue to the class (and my roommate who heard it at least 15 times) from the perspective of the villain Pengmeng. It was nice to get back into public speaking in person as I hadn't had the opportunity in the past two years due to COVID. I learned from this project that I like performing (dramatic pauses and hand motions are my forte) and scriptwriting.
Here is the script: (unfortunately, I did not get a recording of my performance but the whole of Odegaard's first floor hear me because it was too hot in the room and the doors were opened as a consequence)
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The Stinging Reality of Bee-ing a Bee
Course: Honors 220A Storytelling in the Sciences
My second presentation was about bees! I shared what would happen if all bees died, described what Colony Collapse Disorder was, what could be causing colony losses, and how the audience could help bees. I received written feedback from my classmates and the consensus was that my presentation was informative, funny, and engaging. People said I could work on incorporating more storytelling techniques. (More analysis on feedback to come soon).
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Here are my PowerPoint slides!
I also wrote a blog post regarding bees. It was a valuable assignment because it forced me to analyze scientific papers so that my writing was backed up by credible sources. I enjoyed this assignment because I got to incorporate my own voice to make the blog sound authentic. Next time, I need to make sure that I decide on one topic and stick to it. For example, I started off this post talking about bee aggression but then ended up talking more about foraging behaviors and how it relates to reproductive competition.
Dr. O thoughtfully gave us an "Obligatory Reflective Writing" assignment so that we would reflect on our experience in his class. This assignment helped me process which storytelling strategies I learned this quarter are most important to the success of my future presentations.
Erikson's Stages of Development Interview
Course: PSYCH 101
For a PSYCH 101 activity, I had conduct an interview with someone who is at different stage than I am in Erikson's stages of psychosocial development. I chose my mom, who is at the stage of generativity v.s. stagnation. Take a listen to learn more about this middle adulthood stage and my mom's personal experience in this period of development.
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While this was meant to be informal, I feel that my interview could have been slightly more structured (I did not prepare at all). In the future I want to do the following when interviewing someone:
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Ask more follow up questions. I feel that I could've gained more valuable insight into my mom's experiences if I had asked her specific questions about the information she was sharing instead of bringing the conversation back to the questions I was required to ask. For example, instead of just saying "nice" (4:41), I could have asked her to elaborate on how she might go about relaxing in the future or how effective it is to remind oneself to count blessings.
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Send a copy of the questions to the interviewee so they are prepared and stay on topic. My mom was sometimes so off-topic that she started giving advice. This may have also been due to the fact that the questions were long and she may have forgotten what I had asked. Having the questions in front of her may have helped her address all parts of the question.
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Art + Music
Aside from education, I have many other parts of my life that keep me fulfilled. This includes painting, pointillism, face painting, and all things music! Listening, playing, and writing music helps me de-stress, express my creativity, and gain a sense of flow. I plan to become a spotify artist one day (when I find time) and complete an album. I'm about three songs in.
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See my art portfolio.
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*Will post my newest song "figure it out" once I get a decent recording of it; wrote this song while in the dorms!
Reflection
Final Grades
All I can say is yay! OH, and chemistry was a real struggle.