Part 6: Hope for Human Rights

In “Hope for Human Rights”, author Kenneth Roth discusses how a large group of people can make a difference together. The author specifically discusses how the American people have the potential to make a difference with Human Rights.

This relates to Involvement and Impact. More specifically, I think this relates to the Residence on Fifth having a focus in community service. If we can show by example that doing “a little bit” to help the community feels good and makes a difference, our residents will want to contribute through community service as well. There is strength in numbers that we have in this dorm, and if we all work together we can make a difference in the community.

Part 5: Not Deterred

In “Not Deterred”, author Paxus Calta-Star discusses a student named Polina, who is an 18-year-old activist in Bulgaria. Polina is not deterred in pressuring the government to change its unfair policies towards its citizens. At the end of this section, Polina succeeds in protesting the government and helping create a democracy for her people.

This relates to Involvement and Impact. If we can show our residents that every student at CMU can have an impact in the community in some way, our residents will participate in activities and make the campus a better place. It is important to act as role models and show them that although immediate results may not come with everything they try, it is important to not give up.

I have cookies and banana bread I baked this morning in my room!! Come eat it! (425)

Part 6: "Curitiba" by Bill McKibben

In “Curitiba” by Bill McKibben, he describes the city of Curitiba, Brazil, which is remarkable for its “livability” and good infrastructure due to the great efforts of the city’s government. Curitiba does not turn away from its homeless people nor does it hide their existence; the city has a program where people receive food for collecting garbage. The mayor created a pedestrian mall to encourage business and avoid razing a historic central street, thus embodying the “cardinal dictate” of being economical and “recycling” buildings in Curitiba. Housing in the city is built by and assigned to families with lower icomes, helping to bring up everyone’s living conditions.n

The basis of the city planning principles in Curitiba is respect for all the city’s citizens, and an embracing of the responsibility that they all have to lift each other up to equal qualities of life. Instead of choosing the easy route of focusing on already developed areas to industrialize and neglecting the more problematic areas, the government of Curitiba elected a more egalitarian structure, giving support through many programs and preserving the culture of the city. The example of Curitiba shows us that communities that value each member as an integral part of the whole are the ones that flourish the most. Thus, this story shows how profoundly Curitibans “respect and ultimately value experiences and perspectives different from their own,” just like we want our residents to do as a Community Commitment goal. Part of what makes our first-year communities strong is the mutual commitment to embrace the unique experience of living in a dorm, and to be open to the different perspectives and backgrounds of other residents. Therefore, we encourage our freshmen to “understand the expectations that come with membership in our community, demanding respect, courtesy and civility in one’s dealings with others” and giving the same respect, courtesy and civility in return.

See you all in less than a day!! :)

Viv

Part 5: "Composing a Life Story" by Mary Catherine Bateson

Mary Catherine Bateson’s writing on “Composing a Life Story” describes many aspects of reflecting on one’s accomplishments and life path, and stresses the importance of embracing the random, unexpected nature of life. Overall she states that life is full of confusion and “interruptions”—losing jobs, moving for different reasons, finding one’s true passions. The important things to remember when confronting these upheavals is that the way we “interpret the continuities and discontinuities” (209) affects how easily and resiliently we will transition. Instead of trying to draw a straight-line path from elementary school to college to dream job, we should see that “discontinuity [is] a way of preparing for the next step,” and that fundamentally, the continuity in our lives is in what we value, our commitment to the people we love, and our true passions.

Overall, a big lesson of this account is for us as RAs to set examples for our residents by not glossing over the mistakes and missteps of life, since that would make it seem like big life decisions are easy and obvious, when they are actually exactly the opposite. When we struggle with choosing a major, it’s important to share that experience with freshmen who think they need to have their major and post-undergrad plans all figured out by the end of freshman year. When freshmen ask us what we’re going to do after college, it should be acceptable to say “I don’t know yet,” because they don’t necessarily look up to us because we have it all figured out; they look up to us for our honesty and our authenticity. This ties into the goal in Personal Development of having our residents “engage in meaningful exploration and expression of self-identity that contributes to their ability to articulate, reflect on and adapt their vision for self.”

Another lesson from this story that resonated with me was Bateson’s observation on the limitations for women:

 “It hasn’t been possible for women to separate their commitments [workplace, family] in quite the same way. It is one thing in the traditional nuclear family for the husband to go to the office and stop thinking about his family during the day because he has left his wife in charge.… What this has meant is that women have lived their lives experiencing multiple simultaneous demands from multiple directions.” (210)

What this societal pressure amounts to is limitations on the career options for women because there is a repeatedly stated requirement that they put family first, whereas men can de-emphasize family in relation to career and not be judged for such a decision. Thus we encounter the problem wherein only a tiny percentage of CEOs are women, women are underrepresented in academia and the higher levels of professional careers, and women are grossly underrepresented in politics. This first article [http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/07/why-women-still-can-8217-t-have-it-all/9020/] addresses the issue of society’s placing the burden of being Superwoman and taking care of a family and having a job all on women. This second article [http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/06/we-need-to-tell-girls-they-can-have-it-all-even-if-they-cant/259165/] addresses the psychological limitations on women because they are expected to have a family first, and to derive their value as a person from their family. Ambition is seen as “a dirty word” because for many women, they are told that it is diametrically opposed to the ultimate goal of having a family. It is in this way that the U.S. has created a culture of disempowerment of women through societal pressure, all of which are important and thought-provoking issues for discussion. 

Part 7: "The Real Rosa Parks" by Paul Rogat Loeb

Paul Rogat Loeb's essay about Rosa Parks interestingly brings up the idea of change coming about not from an individual act, but from the work of a group of people with a similar goal.  Loeb talks about the idea that we often place important figures in history on pedestals based on skewed stories.  In the case of Rosa Parks, everyone knows the story of how she refused to get up and move to the back of the bus which in turn helped to start the Montgomery bus boycotts.  However, what people do not know is that Parks was not the first person to do this exact act of defiance, and in addition, she had been a part of the NAACP for many years.  Her decision to not move to the back of the bus was not a spontaneous act of defiance, but actually, a calculated action used to perpetuate a movement.

Without the support of the larger group and those you may be working with, it can often be very difficult to really create change or accomplish an important goal.  As RA's, we have the support of the rest of our staff to accomplish our common goal of producing a positive experience for the freshmen.  As individuals, we can take deliberate actions set out by working together to encourage change and help make the transition to college a positive one.  If we try to do everything on our own, we can often be unsuccessful, but by learning to work together the year can be a great success.

Part 2: "The Dark Years" by Nelson Mandela

In “The Dark Years”, author Nelson Mandela discusses his time in prison. Of course this does not directly relate to the first year experience. The Residence on Fifth is more of a mansion than a prison. However, Mandela’s time in prison was a transition that he had to deal with. He had to find community commitment as he personally developed. He also received and gave support to the other inmates. It is these details that relate to beginning college. On page 73 he writes, “We supported each other and gained strength from each other. Whatever we knew, whatever we learned, we shared, and by sharing we multiplied whatever courage we had individually.” He continues on throughout the chapter to discuss how he handled his time in prison.

The quote mentioned above applies to many circumstances, one of which was Mandela’s unfortunate case of being in jail, and another being a freshman at college. If our residents know to support each other, and we support them, they will adapt much faster to their new environment. If they were to act as every man for them self, the progress for everyone would be hindered.

Mandela talks about how all of the prisoners would sing together as they worked. In college terms, I thought of this as studying together. If we can push each other through the hard times, we will all come out stronger. Creating this atmosphere in the Rez is our job, and if we succeed the community will as well.

Ian

Part 5: "The Small Work in the Great Work" by Victoria Safford

In her essay, Safford opens by telling an anecdote about a young Native Indian girl who overcame a hostile and racist crowd at a basketball game by performing a traditional Lakota Indian dance and song.  Safford then goes into the idea of standing up and taking initiative, something that takes a great deal of courage.  Connecting this gay rights, Safford speaks about the courage and risk taken in pride parades and identifying oneself as who you truly are.  Finally, Safford goes into 9/11 and how when a group feels let down it takes a lot of courage to sort through and produce the appropriate responses.

Safford collects these stories to show the importance of courage in the grand scheme of things.  As her title indicates, "The Small Work in the Great Work," it is small moments of action that can make a huge difference in the big picture.  As RA's we can use this lesson in our daily lives when we work with our residents.  Even small actions, from studying with someone in the library to having lunch with someone, can make a huge impact on the overall freshmen experience of our residents.  By taking the time and effort to make this courageous moments happen, we can make our residents have a much more beneficial and positive experience throughout the year.

Part 4: "Do Not Go Gentle" by Sherman Alexie

In his account “Do Not Go Gentle” of his baby son’s brush with death, Sherman Alexie writes beautifully about worrying like crazy about his son, and how he learned to conquer this psychological suffering. His beautiful prose shows the powerlessness he felt in the fact of death and grief, for “Mr. Grief was a billionaire. He could afford to check on our baby every six hours” (163). Alexie describes how he sees himself and others being crushed under the weight of grief: he shouts at his wife because he “saw Mr. Grief hiding behind her eyes” (164), and other parents in the hospital spit ugly emotions of cruelty and sad envy because their children are terminally ill. At last he decides to fight Mr. Grief in a showdown to the end, and he and his wife the power of a dildo—Chocolate Thunder—to battle grief, dispelling the staleness of the sick children’s hospital stays and the hopelessness their parents had succumbed to. He proclaims that “we all were sick and tired of waiting for our babies to die” (167), so he, his wife, and Chocolate Thunder finally emerge victorious with both their baby and the magic of belief in their arms.

Sherman Alexie’s story moved me greatly—not only for the profound and personal nature of his writing, but also because of how vulnerable he makes himself in his retelling of this frightening time. The way he describes grief as someone who is actively working against him shows how he personified the feeling inside him and his wife, giving it agency by surrendering his own power. He also describes how much of his power is derived from his Native American background, for his wife is “magic like a grandmother, and Indian grandmothers aren’t afraid of a little man like Mr. Grief,” and it is she who first brandishes Chocolate Thunder like a magic wand. This story shows two things that compose part of the RA role: providing support to our residents especially in times of desperate need like this, but also equipping them with the tools and creativity to combat such pain. We as RAs are famous for being good listeners, so we provide passive support in that way. We also serve as sources of advice and experiential wisdom, as well as knowledge resources for finding things like CAPS, SSAs, etc. Finally, we also should encourage our residents to share their own stories with us and with others for two reasons: they gain deep connections with those whom they trust enough to listen, and they learn much more about their inner feelings and residual conflicts through reflecting on the experience and retelling it.

Part 3: "The Sukkah of Shalom" by Arthur Wallace

In “The Sukkah of Shalom” by Arthur Wallace, the author talks about his wish for the United States to hold a national sukkot after 9/11, in order to reflect and learn through this Jewish tradition of a one-week period of prayer and introspection. The sukkot, consisting of a small hut with a vulnerable roof made of leaves, reminds its observers that we are all vulnerable, and therefore impels us to learn as much as we can from every experience in order to make our community stronger. By participating in this annual time of reflection, the author comes to recognize that “however much and in whatever way I love my neighbor, that will turn out to be the way I love myself. If I pour contempt upon my neighbor, hatred will recoil upon me” (107). He identifies this as part of the cause for the United States experiencing 9/11 and being a target for hatred—as retribution for the anger and destruction it has wreaked on other countries. Hence, he proposes a period of national introspection and coming-together to recognize what has happened, in a rational manner. Similarly, as RAs we want our residents to become equipped with the tools to reflect on their own choices and forge personal strength and growth in their own lives. This is the first-year goal of “hav[ing] had ongoing opportunities to process the behavioral cycle of action, impact and reflection as it plays out in their lives.” Our job as RAs is to encourage the residents to build their own mental sukkot (or possibly physical, if they’re up for an arts-and-crafts project) and partake in introspection, as well as help build some sukkah (plural of sukkot) when the issue they’re reflecting on requires some wisdom of experience or extra help, or simply when they want the valued perspective of their RA. J

Part 2: "The Dark Years" by Nelson Mandela

In “The Dark Years,” Nelson Mandela shares his experiences from being a political prisoner for 27 years before finally becoming the first democratically elected president of South Africa and leading his country to end apartheid. He recounts the hardships of the Robben Island prison in particular, and how he and his compatriots asserted their personal dignity and the ideals of their human rights movement in the face of their challenges. For example, when they are required to fill a bucket with rocks from mining, he and his colleagues do not submit to the impossibly increasing demands by the guards to try to break their spirits, but instead they set their own pace and maintain power over their conditions. Mandela also talks about how his goals in prison were not only to free himself and his fellow political prisoners, but also to free the hearts and minds of their opponents, for he knows that “the oppressor must be liberated just as surely as the oppressed.”

In writing this, Mandela expresses the universal truth (and something I believed without expressing it in words before) that, “A man who takes away another man’s freedom is a prisoner of hatred.” Indeed, a major reason for fighting for equality is not only to achieve equality, but also to create open minds to diversity, open hearts to appreciation of all human beings, because it is so painful to base your beliefs on the idea that a certain group is inferior and unworthy of love, or to live your life believing that you must hate certain people simply for being who they are. This relates to our role as RAs in exposing our residents to new experiences and new ideas, while at the same time fostering healthy, constructive discussions especially when residents’ opinions or perspectives collide. To achieve our goal of “hav[ing] opportunities to engage with peers in complex, challenging topics in a supportive, non-judgmental residential environment,” we RAs act as mediators to not only encourage the sharing of viewpoints, but also to keep the conversation civil, and to remind everyone just how lucky we are to be able to see such diverse opinions. I am always impressed by the diversity in thought I have encountered at CMU: every year I meet people with opinions informed from completely different backgrounds, or with viewpoints of totally different philosophies. It is a blessing to receive so many new ideas, and it’s my duty to pass this opportunity on to my residents in this rare chance in their lives to talk to and grow with people from all over the world.

Part 4: "Childhood and Poetry" by Pablo Neruda

In Pablo Neruda's short essay, he speaks about an experience he had as a child in his backyard.  One day while looking through the fence surrounding his house, he saw a boy like himself who reached out and handed him a toy sheep.  The boy quickly disappeared, so Neruda brought a treasure of his own, and left he boy a small gift in the same spot.  Though Neruda never again saw the boy, he kept the gift for the res of his life.

From this experience as a child, Neruda says that he learned one of the greatest lessons about life, that is the appreciation and affection from another person, especially someone that you do not know.  This ultimately brought Neruda to the idea that all of humanity is greater than the individual and that we are all somehow connected.  For this reason, Neruda spent much of his adult life leaving words to people he did not personally know, showing care for all people of the human race.

As RA's, I think we have a responsibility to show care for our residents and the people around us.  We have all been through semesters at CMU, and I'm sure we've all experienced those times when you're just so overwhelmed with all the work you have and everything that's going on, that sometimes all you need is someone to show that you're not alone in this.  It's important to show our residents that we're here for them and care about their experiences.  It will make a huge difference in the freshmen experience of our residents, but also, it will create a community where our residents can learn to care about each other and their friends instead of going at it alone.  It is important that we create a community of friends who encourage each other's goals, instead of a community of individuals.

I love the olympics!

Hi Guys!

I saw Batman as well (at midnight here in Pittsburgh!). I liked it but that may have been in part due to the fact that I'm slightly obsessed with Joseph Gordon-Levitt. I think seeing it in Pittsburgh was also fun because everyone cheered when different Pittsburgh things were shown.

I'm just back in Pittsburgh after a quick trip to Utah for my cousins wedding. The wedding was up in the mountains and absolutely beautiful! It was also really awesome to see my family since I have been away from them for most of the summer.

Now that I'm back, it's time to pack! I'll be moving back into the Rez..wait for it...TOMORROW! I can't believe that the summer is coming to a close so quickly but I really cannot wait for the year to start. All of the excitement from our residents on the facebook group has been contagious and I'm so pumped for the year ahead.

I just wanted to thank you guys so much for the work that you've put in over the summer. From responding to residents questions, to posting on the blog- you've all already done a great job. All I can say is keep it up :) For those of us who are not so great at posting (me) let's just make sure to have all of the essay posts up by RA training. I am ok with the essays being a bit shorter than what we have done so far- we just want to have enough interesting points to talk from about the summer reading once we are all back for training.

Can't wait to see you all soon!

Lindsay

Hellllloooooo

I hope summer is ending well for everyone. I enjoyed mine. Today is my last day of work, and tomorrow I leave to go to Los Angeles for 5 days. I remember the feeling I had when I was on the plane going back to California in May like it was yesterday. All of a sudden it's my last night in the Bay Area! This summer went by faster than any other. That's probably because I was so busy.

Speaking of being busy, I need to get reading. I’m way behind with my posts. I’ve had the busiest two months of my life, so I’m excited for a little bit of free time this coming week to get caught up on life.

I’m ready to get back on campus and in the swing of things. I’m looking forward to training and orientation and I’ll see everyone in about a week! :)

And also reply to Jaime, I saw DKR. I liked it, but not as much as the last one. Heath Ledger’s acting as the Joker can never be beaten!

Wooooooooo see you all sooooooon!

Ian

Update 2!

Hey guys!

My blog posts should be up today or tomorrow...I've been out and about all day and haven't gotten a chance to type them up.

I'm home from working up at camp now, and I'm mostly trying to kill time before moving back to cmu (which I am unbelievably psyched for!!).  The end of camp was really fun, but a lot of work, and I'm happy to have a week off before heading to school.

To respond to Jaime, I just saw the dark knight rises two nights ago, and I really liked it. I actually very much enjoyed the ending/it really shocked me but I thought they set it up great for a next movie.  Though I haven't been a lifelong batman fan like you, so maybe I'm a little less knowledgeable on the subject. hahaa

Anyway, I'm actually off to go learn how to shoot (a gun, yes!) with my parents. I think this is part of my mom's thinking that the rez is too far from campus and somehow knowing how to shoot a gun will make me safer...? Well, we'll see how it goes.

I can't wait to see you all really soon!!

Danielle

Part 1: "A Slender Thread" by Diane Ackerman

I’m writing about Diane Ackerman’s story “A Slender Thread” because it strikes the greatest chord with me in the difficulties of the RA role. As Danielle already summarized in her blog entry, Ackerman recounts an experience at a suicide hotline, in which she worked on broadening the possibilities for her caller from simply suicide to choosing to live and see the great impact she makes in her life. Eventually during the conversation Ackerman must call the police to save the life of her caller, and later learns that her caller not only survived the night but also gained employment and greatly appreciated Ackerman’s intervention to save her life.

Two aspects of this story stuck out to me: the author’s continued insistence on the importance and strength of the caller, and the author’s worries about her own inadequacies as a hotline operator. The primary lesson of providing continuous support relates to the goal of Personal Development, specifically the goals of empowering first-year students to “articulate, reflect on and adapt their vision for self,” and to create behaviors to “support and engender… health and well-being.” People—at every stage in their lives—often don’t see just how amazing they are and the great impact they have on others: Ackerman’s caller raised children on her own, volunteered during a flood, and is a source of immense support for people in her life. Nevertheless, the hardest critics in our lives are ourselves, and oftentimes we need other people to remind us that we are all amazing, and that our beautiful passions and our dreams are valid, worthy, and important. We as RAs occupy this role of being another source of support and being a constant “Hype man” for our residents and everyone else in our lives (as practiced in Playfair the last two years, the Hype Man/Woman shouts words of encouragement and motivation specific to a person’s talents, and brings an atmosphere of all-around excitement to the table). We have to be our residents’ biggest fans and remind them of how awesome they are when they forget and think that their actions don’t matter.

Another part of this story that I relate to is the author’s worry about not being the best match for her caller: 

“Maybe I could have calmed her and talked her round? Maybe someone else would have prevailed, someone who can do this slow tango of life and death with more grace and cunning.”

 We reflect on the consequences of our actions and decisions, and similarly reflect on the effectiveness of our actions. We wonder whether a different decision would have been better, or whether the impact we made was large enough. The tricky part of this reflection is when we wonder if someone else could have done it better, made the better decision, or just been a better person for the job. This mental trap of worrying about not being as good as other leaders, students, RAs, only works against us when we’re trying to motivate ourselves. I experienced this feeling last year when comparing myself to other RAs who were more outgoing, spent more time on their floors, and did more interesting events. What took me out of this funk was realizing that the time and effort I put into my floor was still awesome, and that my floor appreciated everything I did, rather than comparing it to someone who wasn’t their RA. (It also immensely helped that Folashade, one of my fellow Mudge RAs, would ask me what floor events I was having, and said that she constantly asked herself, “What would Vivian do?” Folashade was definitely my Hype Woman and a great source of support on my RA staff.) At the end of the day we are all living our own lives, and the most important thing we do is put our best efforts into everything, and be authentic in these efforts: when you pour yourself into something, the brilliance of your passion will shine through undoubtedly.

Part Seven, “Road to Redemption” – Personal Development

The author Billy Wayne Sinclair discusses his life battle between his morality and his chance at freedom. In 1965, Mr. Sinclair attempted to rob a clerk but was chased out of the store and out of fright, he fired over his shoulder while running away. The store clerk bled to death and since the death penalty was overturned by the Supreme Court in 1972, Mr. Sinclair was sentenced to life without parole. He spent many years in Angola: a prison system that was notorious for its violence and brutal treatment. He even mentions how in February 1951, thirty one inmates sliced their heel tendons to protest the cruelty in that prison. Fortunately, he spent most of his time in that jail working as a journalist for the prison magazine, The Angolite. He used his position to document and spread the word of the cruel conditions, prison suicides, sexual violence and more; he also used his position help set the way for racial integration with his best friend, Life who was a militant black inmate from New Orleans.

But his road to redemption was not without more hardships. His friend Life was stabbed to death for his stance against homosexual rape. Other than seeing fellow inmates tortured, beaten, and killed, his next biggest hardship was choosing between freedom and his morality. In 1982 he met a woman named Jodie Bell, a reporter who was visiting the prison to do a series on the death penalty. Eventually the two got married and the hardest thing Mr. Sinclair ever had to do was turn down an offer to buy a pardon. Governor Edwin Edward was convicted of selling pardons for cash, jewelry, and sex with the prisoners’ wives. Mr. Sinclair loved his wife very much and she did as well; they both longed to be with each other and they knew that turning down the offer could mean that Mr. Sinclair might never leave Angola. They knew the price of the pardon was more than the $15,000 they were required to pay; accepting the pardon would mean sacrificing all the effort Mr. Sinclair had put forth to building a good morality and the Catholic beliefs Ms. Bell valued.

Because in the passage Mr. Sinclair notes he couldn’t accept being labeled as a murderer, he wanted more than that. So his criminal past would urge him to accept the offer, but his want to see more than just a convicted killer in the mirror drove him to reject the offer. This connects to the personal development expectations of first years. Our residents will make mistakes, if there’s one thing I’ve learned as a mentor in freshman dorms it’s that things will never be perfect. We are all human and from time to time we will do something we are not proud of and we know is wrong. But we need to make sure our residents realize that one mistake does not mean it’s going to define them or the rest of their life. It’s inevitable but they will get tempted by bad influences. As RA’s we need to make sure they understand they should reflect on their actions so they do not lend themselves to bad behavior. Even though he committed the gravest sin, when presented with the opportunity of freedom, Mr. Sinclair rejected immorality when it was right in front of his face. And so too we need to realize that if one of our residents commits a mistake, we need not to judge them nor believe that’s how they will always behave, but rather help them in their personal development.

Jaime

Part Five, “In What Do I Place My Trust” – Personal Development

The author Rosalie Bertell discusses how people have put their values into play in the real world. She mentions a story about two grandmothers who protested U.S. occupation in Japan during World War II on the sacred mountain of Fuji. How these elderly women would camp out on the mountain and confront soldiers even though the men were armed, telling the men they should be ashamed of themselves and to go home. Eventually police arrested the two women but the soldiers were so spooked after, they no longer felt comfortable staying and desecrating the mountain. Ms. Bertell also talks about the day it was announced that World War II was over, her mother just kept repeating to herself: “they shouldn’t have done it”; referring to the dropping of the atomic bomb. She mentions both of these stories because they both speak of a value that life is stronger than death.

The message to take away from Ms. Bertell for us (the RA’s) is not about life over death. It’s not about whether we think it’s okay to go to war or whether we think the death penalty is justifiable. What we should learn from Ms. Bertell’s passage is to encourage our residents to act in what they value; and the best way to do that is to show that behavior ourselves. Ms. Bertell also mentions how in her mother’s neighborhood, her mother noticed that black women would wait for more an hour for a bus to take them home after working in caucasian homes all day. But the buses wouldn’t stop if only black people were at the corner so her mother would stand by the bus stop so the buses would stop (until the bus drivers realized what she was doing). This is an example of someone acting on what they believe and value.

Ms. Bertell also mentions how sometimes she’s timid when expressing her value of peace to war-supporters; she’s afraid to act and speak out for fear of others criticism even though she truly believes that her value of non-violence is moral and right. I’m sure all of us have experienced at least one time like this in which we saw something happening or heard something in which we knew was wrong for that person to say or do, yet we stood by and said or did nothing. Everyone has been hypocritical at some point in doing something that directly opposes a value they truly believe in or doing nothing and only self-preaching they believe in a certain principle without actually showing it. As our residents go through their first year in college, they will continue to form and adjust their personal values and beliefs. And as RA’s, if we know those values are not detrimental to their well-being then we need to encourage them to practice behavior that supports those personal, developing ideals.

Jaime

Part Four, “Freedom Songs” – Involvement and Impact

The author Rosemarie Freeney Harding talks about how singing and music enabled strength in many throughout tough times in civil rights movements in Southern communities. Ms. Harding recalls how Bernice Johnson Reagon influenced many to unite through their voices with freedom songs and how great of an impact was felt in the atmosphere that gave marchers the strength and courage to walk without any fear of police and demonstrators. She also discusses how Ruby Sales, a Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee member in Alabama, relied on the courage enabled through these freedom songs to get her past the moments of deepest terror and how Ms. Sales was able to become part of a community through it.

In my opinion, this short passage of freedom songs relates mostly to involvement and impact than any of the other first-year expectation topics. Yes, there is a connection to how Ms. Sales and Ms. Reagon used their courage to fulfill a community commitment. And yes, both Ms. Sales and Ms. Reagon had meaningful connections with others that relate to first-year expectations of support. But I find most interesting that Ms. Harding highlights both of these women as having a direct involvement and impact in their community.

As RA’s, I believe it’s our duty to help our residents find their own “freedom songs”: something with which enables them to unite with an organization or group (campus wide and beyond), so they too can make a significant contribution for the welfare of that community.

Jaime

What's up? Part 2

Hope everyone has had a great summer. Summer went well for me but I can’t believe we’re about to move in and start our training in less than two weeks. I’m really excited though about this upcoming school year but June and July fly by pretty fast for me. Work has been good and in my opinion the weather hasn’t been that gruesome here in Pittsburgh. Back home in L.A. though, some of my friends and family members are pretty fed up with the glaring, dry sunshine (when they’re not by a pool or the beach of course). So I guess that’s a plus of being away from home for the summer, not having to drive in traffic with the blistering sun.

By the way, has anyone watched the Dark Knight Rises yet? What did you think? I won’t give any spoilers but all I’m going to say about it is that I hated the ending. And I’m a huuuuuge Batman fan, have been all my life (no joke, as a little kid I would go in my room and put on my Batman costume when my parents had company over and run out flying with my cape “da da da daaa!”).

Anywaaays hahaha can’t wait to see all of you guys again and hope you enjoy your remaining vacation.

See you soon,

Jaime

Part 1: Political Paralysis by Danusha Veronica Goska

In “Political Paralysis”, author Danusha Veronica Goska discusses her life with Perilymph Fistula, a disease with similar symptoms to Multiple Sclerosis. At the beginning of the chapter, Danusha tells a story of when she was walking through the snow and symptoms of her disease began to impede her ability to walk properly. Danusha’s neighbor, a man that she rarely sees or speaks with, offered her a ride while driving by. Danusha speaks about the importance of doing little things for people. On page 48 she writes, “He didn’t hand me the thousands of dollars I needed for surgery. He didn’t take me in and empty my puke bucket. He just gave me one ride, one day. I am still grateful to him and touched by his gesture.” She goes on later to say that it’s important to do small favors even if people don’t notice them.

This relates to the Involvement and Impact section of the Guiding Vision document.  If we all do small favors for each other, everyone will be better off. We will be able to acknowledge the value inherent in community living. Supporting each other is important to surviving in college, and in this chapter Danusha expresses how even the smallest favor can have an impact.

I remember one day last year after I had two exams. I came back to my dorm room and was exhausted. A friend of mine came to say hello and noticed I hadn’t put away my clothes. My friend could tell I was exhausted, and the small 5-minute favor of helping me clean up my room helped me relax. I’m sure my friend doesn’t even remember helping me, but I remember it.

It’s important to remember as an RA that the little things matter. Giving little boosts of support actually make a difference to people, even if the people receiving the support don’t know it yet.

Hola from Costa Rica!

Hey, everybody! I hope your summers are all awesome and exciting (and it looks like they are from your blog posts :D).

Right now I´m sitting in the cluster at la Universidad de Costa Rica, waiting for my second Spanish lit class to start. (This computer lab is my only Internet access, like Lindsay said, because my host family woefully doesn´t have Internet :( Although they do have one TV for every room haha.) I´ve been spending the past six weeks soaking in Spanish from my university classes, my host family, and interactions with random ticos (Costa Ricans). I´ve been to a couple tourist spots like the Poas Volcano and the Peace Waterfalls, and I´ve been secretly urbanizing myself by hanging out a lot in downtown San Jose, which is like a cross between a super-dense city and a quaint town with fruit stands and street vendors everywhere. It´s pretty distinctive and probably my favorite place so far, outside of the week I spent in Nicaragua. :D Both Nicaragua and Costa Rica are actually more similar to America than I thought (especially due to the importing of tons of American culture through movies, music, and chain stores like Wal-Mart (which here is named ¨Mas X Menos,¨or ¨More for Less¨)). Nevertheless, there´s definitely a really distinctive culture here that underwent globalization and rising industry way differently. There´s a more direct presence of patriarchal systems, objectification of women, and stereotyping based on race here in Costa Rica and in Nicaragua, but it´s been really interesting learning to deal with/confront it in my personal development and my interpersonal interactions. (Also, there´s never toilet paper in the public bathrooms because people steal them... because there usually isn´t TP in the first place. Neverending cycle of TP-lessness!)

All in all, it´s been a really cool, distinctive, and loco summer so far. I´m about to take a trip with my family to the Arenal Volcano this weekend, and finally getting my reading done when they bring me my copy of ¨The Impossible Will Take a Little While¨ from the U.S. haha. Fingers crossed that they find their way from the airport to my school.

Hasta luego! See you all in a month!

Part 1: "Ordinary Resurrections"- Support

In “Ordinary Resurrections,” author Jonathon Kozol writes of his experiences with the neighborhood of Mott Haven. Primarily focusing on the young students of this community, Kozol writes in an innocent tone of the daily happenings. Unfortunately, these daily happenings are of naïve and often accidental death. While the essay focuses on these deaths, Kozol is able to balance this sadness with the by describing the overwhelming support that the students provide for each other along with the support that the teacher figures in the school provide for the students.

In the support sections of the first year outcomes- we highlight the importance of students knowing about campus resources, which I believe is a very important component of the support structure that CMU has established. Knowing how to get to Health Services and what CAPS can do are obviously both important bits of information that as RAs, we will pass along to residents. However, I believe that Kozol is writing of a support that comes from an even deeper position of care and learning. This support is what results from truly understanding our resident’s needs, fears, and goals.

In order to better communicate with her students, the principal of the school that Kozol visits speaks to her students not as an authority but rather as a grandmother. In this way she is able to “draw on every bit of credulity she may have earned in children’s eyes” (pg 32). I believe that this idea is so crucial to the support that we will provide throughout the year. Only by learning our own roles and the ways in which we can best interact with our students will we be able to provide this level of support. From home sickness to poor school work performance to drinking problems- every moment of support is going to need a slightly different form of response. Just as Miss Rosa is able to transform her own outlook and role to match the needs of her students- we need to be able to adapt to the needs of our residents.

Overall, Kozol does not describe any heroes or miracles but rather the small ways in which ordinary people are able to brighten the dark world around them. It is through patience, understanding, and truly listening that these ordinary people are able to provide extraordinary support. It is through these same basic traits that I know we will be able to provide excellent support for all of our amazing residents. 

This is late- My excuse is my Family...

Hey Guys!

I am so sorry/embarrassed that I am just posting these now! I was planning on working on these essays (yes, I procrastinate) over the past two days but then I decided to take an impromptu (booked flights on Monday-left on Tuesday!) trip home to Maine. After lots of Roller Coaster Tycoon, mini golf, ice cream, and Modern Family with my little brother- I am finally finding time to upload these posts.

My summer has been going well so far and seems to be flying by! After Orgo finished up in June, I began tutoring at a local Pittsburgh Public School. It is almost like culture shock for me in some ways. The students that I work with have a pretty different view on education than most people at CMU and learning how to help them succeed has been pretty challenging. I have also been waitressing at the Waffle Shop which is also a new experience! I work the night shift (from 10pm-4am) and being at East Liberty at that time has brought about some interesting moments!

Thank you Danielle and Jaime for posting everything already! Brownie points for sure. Ian mentioned that he may not be able to post by today, but will hopefully be able to soon. Vivian is in Costa Rica at the moment and has pretty limited internet access but she says that all is well and posts will come soon!

Thanks again for all your work and please keep enjoying your summers. Can’t wait to see you all in less than a month :)

Lindsay 

Part 3: "Getting Our Gaze Back," by Rose Marie Berger

The author Rose Marie Berger in her essay "Getting Our Gaze Back," Berger focuses on the view from outside her window, and how she spends time appreciating and daydreaming of the scene.  Berger compares the mundane aspects of her work and computer screen with the break she experiences when looking out the window.  Additionally, she explores the value of daydreaming as a way to sort through data in one's head.  Overall, Berger really discusses the importance of taking a break in between the regular parts of a person's schedule.

The message of this essay is very applicable to the role of being an RA in many ways.  The first is that being in RA is a very consuming job, and at the same time, we have a lot of other important tasks to get done throughout the school year, whether projects and homework, clubs and activities, or whatever else may be on our schedule's.  It is often important to make sure to take some time out to "gaze out our windows," and take a short break.  These breaks can actually make be better because we have an opportunity to rest our brains and think about something else for a change.  Working as a counselor right now, I've come to realize how much it's necessary to take a few moments for yourself here and there.  If I had to constantly run after my ninth grade campers every second of the day without a break, it would ultimately be detrimental to my ability to be a good counselor because I would get frustrated, upset, and just overworked.  Throughout the year, it's important to make sure you are constantly refreshing yourself so you can be your best.

Another way to look at this essay to is to recognize the importance of taking time to sort out information for ourselves and encouraging our residents to do the same.  Freshmen year can be incredibly overwhelming for many reasons, both socially and academically.  As RA's, we have already experienced this, and therefore, we can help our residents to learn to take breaks and help sort all the information they receive all the time.  This can be done in many ways, whether taking a trip to the strip, or having small events throughout the week, or encouraging them to daydream a bit.  An important part of this year will be to help our residents find balance in everything they do, including finding time for themselves.

Danielle

Part 2: "An Orientation of the Heart" by Vaclav Havel

In Vaclav Haven's "An Orientation of the Heart," Havel speaks about the development of power and awareness in certain ideas.  He begins by speaking about not relying on expectations from "above," but rather by looking at what is "below," and seeing the movement of ideas in what has already been established due to history.  Havel then goes into examples of different events throughout history that have led to a change in perception and the development of new movements.  For example, Havel describes the social awakening that resulted from soviet rule.  In the end, Havel concludes that everything we do is a part of history and can effect and cause these social revolutions.

An important message to take from this essay is that everything we do, even the smallest of actions, comes with consequences, both good and bad.  As an RA, we have to constantly be aware of how actions we take and things we may say will be interpreted by our residents.  Especially with freshmen, who are coming in with vulnerable minds ready to learn new ideas, we need to be careful with how we act, as to prevent giving a false impression.

At the same time, however, this can be an incredibly useful tool, in that if we act the right way, and be the best person that we can be, we can help produce these tiny social revolutions.  If we work hard to perform as a great RA and cohesive RA staff, we can wholly affect the kind of community that will form in both our floors and in the Rez as a whole.  From my own experience living in a freshmen dorm this year, one RA in the building acted in very specific ways that set a precedent on the floor from the start.  Because of the way this RA acted, his floor became very much one big group of friends and were all happy to live together.  Every action we take, starting with orientation, even the small things, can change the course of the entire year.  We should take in Havel's advice and realize that we are a part of history, and therefore, every thing we do in our role as an RA has a major effect on the future.

Danielle

Part One, "A Slender Thread" - Diana Ackerman

The author Diane Ackerman in her story "A Slender Thread," writes about her experiences working at a crisis center as a hotline operator for people with suicidal tendencies.  In her anecdote, she deals with a patient Louise, who has placed herself in a near suicide situation when she consumes a very high dose of tylenol.  Louise speaks about how although she has many good things in her life, she feels like there is a lack of value to everything she does, and therefore, she has no desire to live anymore.  Diane coaches her through these issues over the phone, ultimately making a decision against Louise's will to call the police.  In the end, we find out that Diane saved Louise's life when Louise sends a letter to the crisis center saying that her life was changed for the better.

This story definitely has multiple applications in our role as an RA for freshmen. Though almost all cases are not going to be as extreme as a person considering suicide, it is our job to act for the wellness of our residents.  Besides all the fun activities and events we get to participate in with the residents, we have a duty to create bonds with individuals, and learn as much as we can about them.  Sometimes, though a person may seem like they are doing well on the outside, they may be struggling with many personal issues ranging from the stress of school work, to problems at home, to relationships with their fellow classmates.  Even the simplest of conversations can positively affect a person to get a better outlook, or think more clearly about what they are doing with their freshmen year experience.  It is part of our RA duty to help each resident, whether they are the most outgoing, or the most introverted, find where they are comfortable and happy at Carnegie Mellon.

Another part of this story that speaks to the role of the RA is when Diane eventually makes a decision to help Louise, even though it is against what Louise has told her.  Literally speaking, we may actually encounter a situation like this where we may have to act against a resident's request for their overall health.  More generally speaking, however, as an RA, we may have to make decision sometimes that make us uncomfortable, or don't go along with our personal feelings.  In these situations, we have to consider the overall well-being of the dorm community both on our individual floors, or in the residence as a whole.  This year we may be faced with tough decisions, but using the right judgement, we can properly create a fun and healthy residence.

Danielle

Hello World

Well this is my first blog post... ever! And considering I've spent this summer programming, I thought it would be fitting to title this post "Hello World"

I hope summer is going well for everyone. This summer has unquestionably been the most productive of my life. I'm not quite sure if it's a good thing just yet, but I'm enjoying myself. Right now I'm working 50+ hours a week. Most of that is full time for a start up in Cupertino called Comity Designs. I'm learning how to make iPhone Apps, and at the end of the summer I will teach one of their programmers how to make iPhone Apps so he can develop one for the company. This means I basically get to teach myself how to code for the summer. Pretty cool! The other 10+ hours a week I spend tutoring for the SAT/ACT, working on small tasks for my neighbor, and developing my own soon-to-be iPhone App in the App store. Busy, busy, busy.

I'm relaxed and appreciating the weather in California more than I ever have! (70° and sunny, be jealous of me :] haha)

Anyways, I'm learning a ton and enjoying myself, so that's kind of like school I guess. But I like school so that's okay! I'm pUmPeD for this year. Only one more month until it begins.

See you all soon.

Ian

Hi everyone!

Hey guys!

I hope all your summers are going well. The beginning of my summer was pretty eventful. In the beginning of June I went to Israel for my cousin's Bat Mitzvah.  I was there for a week with my whole family, and it was absolutely wonderful.  As soon as I got home, I drove up to Canada to work at a sleepover summer camp up in Muskoka, Ontario.  I'm a counselor for girls and boys entering ninth grade.  It's a lot of hard work, and they days are long and tiring, but I'm really enjoying my time here.  I just got back from a 4 day canoe/portage trip in Algonquin park with 7 campers.  The lakes and forests were beautiful, and I had an amazing time!

That's all I'm really up to right now! I'll be posting my book blogs within the next day or so hopefully...our internet access is spotty at best.

Happy summer!

Danielle

Part Three, “Fragile and Hidden” – Involvement and Impact

The author Henri Nouwen discusses a life-changing experience he had when he started helping a handicap adult named Adam who could not speak or walk. He lived in a community with such handicap adults so he was asked to help wash, feed, and care for Adam. As time passed, Mr. Nouwen slowly started discovering what life is about. As he cared for Adam, he began realizing how incredible of a gift life is. Adam spoke to him in a language that Mr. Nouwen did not know he could understand; Adam told him “how hidden, vulnerable, and deep life is.” Adam offered him a hope that “can form a very strong bond among people who are willing to go where life is fragile and hidden.”

Mr. Nouwen gets across his view that he is a “yes to life” person; which is why he chose to help Adam. He notes that if people really are committed to saying yes to life, then they shouldn’t be afraid or hesitant to help others; they are “going to have to become a person who chooses it (life) when it is hidden.” As RA’s, one of the reasons we are chosen I believe is because of our sense of understanding and outreach. We are open minded and can get along with those that are outgoing and to those that are shy and speak very little; we are not afraid to get involved. Mr. Nouwen would say that in our roles as RA’s, it is in those that are “hidden” and quiet in which we may find the most meaningful and strongest bonds.

Therefore I think in our duty as RA’s, Mr. Nouwen would encourage us to motivate not only the outgoing and most social (who are more willing to become involved) but more the quietest and shyest individuals to become involved in the community. All first-year students should make an impact in their house community and other groups at Carnegie Mellon but we should make sure those more introverted realize their involvement is just as valued and wanted as others, regardless of how many friendships they form. In my point of view, the bond between two individuals can be greater than the friendship between many.

Jaime

Part Two, “The Optimism of Uncertainty” – Transition

The author Howard Zinn is definitely an optimistic person (perhaps an extreme one). Even though I myself believe I’m optimistic, I still did not quite agree with everything Mr. Zinn was encouraging. However, he does have a very important general theme which I find very important and can relate to heavily. Mr. Zinn begins with stating we should not let ourselves be intimidated by “those who have power.” He notes that many times we may feel unhappy, unimportant, or weak compared to those who have power. But he reminds us that those who seem powerful in our eyes are only powerful because we give them that strength. Those very few powerful people rely on the hard working majority of the population. Therefore it is us who grant them that power, and it is us who can take it away.

Mr. Zinn begins his message in that way because we often feel pessimistic about our lives when we feel helpless. But this feeling of helplessness and uncertainty of our lives is inevitable in everyone’s life. He gives examples how even the most richest and powerful nations have been stopped in their aggressions by poorer, less armed nations. Everyone experiences events in their life in which they were uncertain about the outcome, some of which are unfortunate; but Mr. Zinn stresses to always keep an optimistic mindset. He points out the struggles of war and poverty we face today and how many choose to focus on only the negative and be filled with despair the rest of their lives. But he argues that though things may not be perfect right now, we have come a long way from times of world war, slavery, and laws encouraging discrimination. And these progressions came about through hope and optimism.

I can relate to Mr. Zinn’s story in that I have experienced unfortunate events and changes in my life which I took very poorly. Specifically, my transition into my freshman year of college was very difficult. I had a hard time adjusting to this new culture, academia, and even weather. I had never experienced things go in such a way I did not expect them to and I was not prepared mentally for that challenge. I learned from my mistakes; I learned to keep an open mind and an optimistic one. I’m sure there will be freshmen who also have a hard time transitioning and it’s our duty to make sure they not only adjust rapidly and comfortably to their new lifestyle, but that they are mentally prepared to do so as well. To go along with Mr. Zinn’s message, I believe it’s important to encourage an optimistic mindset in the freshmen even when they think their academic, social, and/or spiritual life has taken a big hit. We need to make sure the first-year students have a successful transition in all aspects of their new life.

Jaime

Part One, “Standing Up for Children” – Community Commitment

The author Marian Wright Edelman talks about the role of adults in believing and supporting a “positive vision” of “our children and nation.” Ms. Edelman focuses on exposing the unfortunate poverty, violence, and growing income gap that exist in our world today. She not only points the finger at the very few, immensely rich and powerful who do very little or nothing to solve these problems, but she also calls out those of us who may not be as wealthy or politically influential, yet realize the problems and still do nothing to help. Those of us that are closer to the line between middle and lower class; those of us that are closer to streets filled with poverty and those homeless. Those of us that see the problem clearer and understand better a need for change and help yet feel helplessly overpowered by the wealthymen and political leaders. However she concludes “we must wear down our powerful leaders through persistent witnesses all over America until they hear and do right by our children” (p.41)

She aims the message at us, the message to support our children because our children are the hope and answer to the problems. Our children have the hope to dream of a world we no longer have faith in, our children have the purity in their minds of not knowing or feeling racism; and if we support them, they may have the courage to carry out dreams of morality and equality. Ms. Edelman discusses how we are responsible and how we should stand up for our children. Throughout her message she highlights the significant impact each and every one of has on our world and our youth, and not for a moment should we doubt that we do not. She adds that we should “Let God use us, unworthy, weak, and inadequate as we are. God used a stutterer, Moses, as a spokesperson to Pharaoh” (p.43)

Ms. Edelman stresses our responsibility to support, but illuminates the importance of community commitment in our youth. As I read the first-years outcomes handout and Ms. Edelman’s hope of our youth, I found the parallelism of RA’s to freshmen as adults to children. Our responsibility as RA’s is to believe and support a positive vision of freshmen just as adults should do of our youth. The first-year outcome handout points out that each freshman should “demand respect, courtesy and civility in one’s dealings with others” and “understand the responsibilities that come with adulthood.” First-year students should be respectful and civil but demand fairness and kindness as well and understand their responsibilities to their community just as Ms. Edelman explained that adults should expect the same community commitment from the youth.

Jaime

What’s up everybody

I hope everyone is having a good summer, so far mine has been pretty good. I am also currently in Pittsburgh; I’m doing research for the Stats department here at CMU. It’s going good especially given the fact that I can work my own hours (wake up around noon if I feel like it) and was given housing in Stever which has AC so that’s another big plus.

Other than work, eating, exercise, and watching The Big Bang Theory, I haven’t been up to much this summer. However I was back home in LA for about two weeks earlier in the summer for my brother’s wedding. That was pretty nice, and planning his surprise bachelor party was stressful but the look on his face was worth it I guess haha.

Can’t wait to move into the Rez (full size fridge, private bathroom yeauh!). Anyways I’m about to post the blogs about the stories I read. If anyone feels I went about the assignments wrong, please feel free to comment on what you would like me to elaborate on.

Jaime

Blogging Schedule

Hi All!

I hope that everyone is having a great summer so far! I have been here in Pittsburgh- taking organic chemisty (ew) and working as a summer RA in fairfax.

I know that before school ended, we talked about the summer reading but didn't actually make any concrete plans. Now that the summer is (quickly) moving along, I wanted to set some expectations for the reading. Here's what I'm thinking:

The book is divided into 9 different parts. I'd like everyone to choose one story from within 8 different part to write a short blog entry about. This entry should tie the reading back to one of the first year outcomes (I'll email everyone another copy of these shortly) in such a way that we can think about the reading in a Student Life Context. In order to help us not procratinate the reading, here's a schedule:

June 20th- July 11th--> 3 book posts/1 post to update us on your summer.
July 11th-August 1st--> 3 book posts/1 post to update us on your summer.
August 1st- August 15th--> 2 book posts

It is definitely fine to post about the same reading as another person but make sure you bring your own new and unique ideas to the table. Also, please feel free to comment on everyone's posts and get some dailogue going. Once we are back for training, we'll go back through our posts as a way to stimulate more discussions about the book. For now, we're just trying to get into an RA mindset.

Hope this sounds ok to everyone! Please let me know if you have any questions.

Rezlove,
Lindsay

First Post!

Testing this blogging tool. This may or may not actually be working...