Semester Reflections

Semester 3

This semester in Art Scholars has sparked growth in me. My Tuesdays are extremely long and tough, so sometimes I had to make an effort to be present in colloquium. With that being said, the joy that is found in Art Scholars is what keeps me going. I loved getting to know my peers better with fun warm-up games. I also LOVED the African drumming workshop. 

From colloquium, I deepened my understanding of how art can reshape our biases and beliefs. In times like these, (election years, the deep polarization of the U.S,) it is so important to recognize the importance of community, and art as an outlet for expression. This is also something I explored in my ENGL353 course, an intermediate poetry workshop. The week after the election, we did poetry prompts to help us process and recognize the beauty that still remains. Arts Scholars framed my understanding of how important safe spaces like these are, and that biases can always be unwoven with new perspectives, and new language surrounding a topic. This goes hand in hand with my English major concentration of rhetoric.

I have now taken three dance classes from the school of Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies in support of my Arts Scholars education. This semester, I took DANC418. Once when my instructor was out, our class merged with the African dance class next door. So when we had the drumming workshop, I was fascinated by the dancer in the room and recognized a lot of her moves. I wish I had the confidence to get up and dance with her, as I've done African dance before growing up and in DANC418. Experiences like this are very valuable, and they are the reason I stay in Art Scholars. Experiencing other cultures is extremely enriching.

My learning was definitely improved by connecting with my peers Katie and Natalie, whom I have other classes with. We relied on each other for capstone ideas, and overall support. With that being said about having strong connections with two girls in my TA group, I still wish we weren't in groups at all and could get to know everyone in the program. Seeing other peoples capstone ideas, specifically, help me in my own construction. I look forward to CPSA250 to further enrich my capstone with peer reviews.

I have contributed to the Arts Scholars community this year by being featured on our Instagram, and by showing peers the fun stuff we do. I am so excited for my favorite part of the year: spring workshops. I am always sending out pictures of new art skills I learn. I value creativity in my life for my mental health, and Art Scholars allows me spaces to prioritize it. To get even more involved, over break and next semester I hope to hold a campus-wide cover art contest for my UMD journal The Paper Shell Review. It will be a great opportunity for arts scholars, and for me to hone my leadership, organization, and graphic design skills. I also have a very ambitious capstone project where I hope to print a magazine and sell it at ArtsFest. I am in the process of applying for the UMD CLCS Academic Programming Grant. The entire process has helped me grow as a student and prepare me for my future career writing, editing, and/or publishing career.

Scholars has not brought me into contact with people who hold different beliefs than I. However, from our discussions in class, it gives me hope to see that even people with strong beliefs still crave decreased polarization in the country. We need to be able to discuss rationally, and politicians need to practice legitimate rhetorical skills in order to gain respect. People shouldn't stop learning after college, or stop being civil in discussion.

Theoretical models and strategies for starting the creative process include rapid prototyping, research, and communication with peers. We did a lot of mind mapping in class, and there were great opportunities to speak with TAs and peers about how research can be incorporated into a final product. Irene is a great resource too, even if I already have good research skills from being an English major.

I learned how to effectively incorporate feedback and refine my ideas with greater depth and clarity from Heather this semester. I had trouble consolidating my idea for my capstone, and ultimately had to change course because my idea was too abstract and non-empirical. Thanks to her, I understood the importance of empirical research, and now I am really excited about my project and my concept is very clear. I hope my book of guided meditations will make a real impact on campus too. It's more than just a school project to me.