Semester 2

Arts TRYathlon #1: Choose Your Own Adventure

February 16th, 2024, Dekelboum Concert Hall , The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra: Marin Alsop & Time for Three

#music, #band, #orchestra

I went to go see the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at the Clarice. I would like to clarify that I did not attend the field trip, I went on my own initiative. The first thing that I noticed when I attended this performance was the audience. My observation was that the majority of the audience was of an older age, and I questioned why this was so? It made me think back to the discussion in the colloquium and how people have very different preferences for art. This could be due to people's previous experience. For example, I have performed in concert bands for nearly nine to ten years. Perhaps people my age are not as interested in classical performances unless they have had similar experiences as I have. However, this was performance was definitely different. There was a small group called Time For Three that accompanied the ensemble. I found them to be very entertaining and they brought a lot of energy to the event. I especially loved that they interacted with the audience so much and sang one of my favorite songs, "Stand By Me." It's amazing that the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center has so many amazing opportunities that are available to students.

Arts TRYathlon #2: Choose Your Own Adventure

March 10th, 2024, Cambridge Community Center, Guided Journaling Workshop

#Journaling, #Writing, #Therapeutic

As a result of the stress of midterms, I thought that I would benefit from the journaling workshop for my Tryathlon. Abby taught us the therapeutic benefits that journaling can have like clearing one's mind and reducing stress. The activity of writing about what we are most grateful for has personally been very enjoyable for me, because it gave me the time to reflect and think about all the people that are important to me. I also liked doodling and making it look nice. It gave me a chance to think about something else rather than all my assignments and exams. My journaling experience reminds me of what I have been learning in my Craftivism class. In class we learn about how crafts can be used for activism, however, the instructor also emphasizes how crafting is a great way to reduce stress. I personally crochet to help with my anxiety because the repetitive nature of the craft allows my mind to slow down and focus. Besides just crafting, journaling can be another tool that can help me reduce stress by allowing me to record my daily activities, future goals, and identify underlying issues I may be experiencing. Additionally, journaling can be a great way to reflect on my progress and motivate myself to continue striving for my goals.

Arts TRYathlon #3: Art Scholars Event

March 27th, 2024, Bel Air Lounge, Pen pals Craft & Chat

#Letters, #Writing, #Penpal, #Stickers, #Poems

For my last Tryathlon I went to the Penpal Craft & Chat. This seemed similar to the journaling workshop that I went to however, it had a very different vibe. This journaling workshop process tended to be more self-centered since it involved reflecting on your day, making a list of what you are grateful for, or establishing new skills that you would like to learn. The workshop leader described journaling as a form of self-care and I feel that writing a letter to a penpal does not serve the same purpose. I personally wrote to a friend, expressing my excitement about going to the cherry blossom festival with him and celebrating Easter together. As I also included songs and poems that reminded me of the person to whom I was writing the letter, I believe that writing a letter is dedicated more to the person to whom it is addressed. However, there were some people that wrote to themselves and took more of the journaling approach and I thought that was very interesting because during the journaling workshop most people stuck to the same exercises with some variation. This reminded me of the crochet project that we went over during Craftivism. As we discussed how some people crochet blankets to keep track of the temperature in their area, another creator changed the project to record the number of mass shootings in the United States. Letters have the advantage of being a flexible form of communication and are able to be adapted in a variety of ways, similar to the previously discussed temperature blanket compared to journaling.

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