Part I of Final Project: Zoo Experience

While at the zoo last week, I got to observe several people laughing.

The first group I observed were two boys standing in a booth that I think simulated the sounds of being in the middle of a stampede. Both were laughing and having a great time, and their parents laughed watching them.

The second group I observed was a group of girls laughing as a water tower sprayed water on them. When each of them got sprayed, the others would join in and laugh with the girl getting sprayed.

The final group I observed was two zoo employees showing animals to visitors. When the turkey came onto the stage, it made a strange noise causing the zoo keepers and visitors to laugh.

Perhaps the thing that surprised me most about the zoo trip was how hard it was to find people laughing and smiling. I spent several hours at the zoo and visited each exhibit, but most of the people I saw looked rather unhappy, including the children.

While there, I did observe that laughter was contagious. There wasn't much laughter at the zoo that day, but when one person laughed, they were usually joined by others. I think this goes for almost any situation, unless someone is being put down or is purposefully trying to refrain from laughing. I think people are typically drawn to positivity and trying to feel better, so humans love to laugh. Also, people tend to laugh at things they usually do not find funny if they're with friends who laugh at it. Since it is a form of communication, I think laughing is contagious as it allows us to socialize with a group we are trying to join.

Negative Humor #1

Negative humor is the concept of making others laugh at someone else’s expense. With the advent of social media sites like Facebook and Instagram, we are exposed to negative humor on a much more regular basis. Almost a year ago, some people from my high school made a fake Instagram account claiming to be my best friend. They posted unflattering pictures of my friend in addition to posting offensive comments. They were funny to most of the people that saw them, except my friend. When my friend found about the account, she was devastated to say the least. I talked to her about it recently, and she remembers it vividly. The words she used to describe the situation were “embarrassing” and “degrading.” Thankfully, we found the people behind the account fairly quickly, and we forced them to delete the account.

            The purpose for making the account was to make people who knew my friend laugh. Surprisingly, the people who made the account were close friends of my best friend. When the people made the account, they didn’t think it was that offensive and did it for a laugh. Initially, only people in that friend group followed the account, but eventually more people followed it thinking it was actually my friend. That was how we found out about it.

            What made it so offensive was that the pictures and comments were things my friend would never post. The pictures made my friend look bad, and the comments along with them were usually suggestive and crude. What hurt her the most was that the people behind the account were people she trusted and cared about. Since then, she has forgiven those people, but I doubt she will ever forget what they did to her. My friend has a lax personality and does not mind having fun poked at her, but what these people did made her feel awful and betrayed. Social media has countless benefits, but it can also be used as a weapon of negative humor.

Learning Experience #3

            This week was Honors Week here at TCU. When not in class, most of my time was spent watching senior friends present their honors theses they worked so hard to complete. Although I learned something from each of these presentations, what stood out to me was what happened at Honors Convocation, the final event of Honors Week. At the end of the Convocation ceremony, the honors faculty presents an award to one professor in recognition of their contributions to the Honors College. This year, the Honors Faculty Recognition Award went to none other than my Literature and Civilization II professor, Dr. Dan Williams.

            As someone who isn’t sure what career path they want to pursue or what major they want to study, hearing Dr. William’s acceptance speech certainly got me thinking. After thanking his wife for years of support, Dr. Williams mentioned several important lessons he taught us in class. One, in particular, was the importance of finding a career that we enjoyed and were passionate about it. This is something that I have always struggled with; I’ve found that so many of the things I enjoy don’t lead to the most lucrative careers. Not only that, but I do not enjoy many things at all. Is it worth taking a lower paying job in order to do something I enjoy? Should I aim for a better paying job that I do not care for in order to provide a more comfortable life for my future family and me? These questions and more are always on my mind. I’d love to find something I enjoy that also provides a comfortable lifestyle. Although I did not necessarily find the answer to my question, Dr. Williams’ words still had an impact on me. There is so much more to a career than just the work itself and the pay; there are unique experiences that nobody foresees when they first take a career path.

            Almost a week ago, I changed my major to something that I don’t have a passion for but that I’m good at. After being reminded of the importance of truly enjoying what you do, I’m once again unsure of how to proceed. I just want to know that I am making the right choice, but I guess it is not always possible to discover the outcomes of the decisions we make until we have deeply invested ourselves in them. I envy Dr. Williams, as he has found something he loves and where those around him honor him. Hopefully, I too find where I belong someday.

Learning Experience #2

The other day in Literature and Civilization II, we continued our class discussion of A River Runs Through It. We talked about the themes of the book, and there was one that struck a cord with me. It was the theme of trying to help people we love that refuse to be helped. In the book, Norman does everything he can to help his brother Paul, a violent alcoholic indebted to the wrong people. As I meditated on this theme, I immediately thought of an important person in my life who fit the situation.

I will not name them, but there is a person in my life that has gone through a great deal. From early on in her life, she has experienced health problems in addition to family issues. In the past several years, she has been in and out of abusive friendships and manipulative romantic relationships. Things in her life have finally calmed down, but she has struggled with getting over the issues of her past. She often makes poor decisions and engages in reckless behavior, citing her past as the motivation behind what’s happening. When things begin to go well for her, her past catches up to her once more and she falls back into a vicious cycle of self-destruction. As a close family member, I hate seeing her like this. I always do what I can to help, but so many times I feel like my best still is not good enough. No matter what I try, she continuously returns to her destructive habits. I feel like this problem is similar to what Norman experiences in A River Runs Through It. Despite our best efforts, we are both forced to watch the people we care about suffer from problems we would do anything to set them free from. Paul eventually dies in the book after being beaten to death, and I can only hope the one I care about does not meet a similar fate.

In life, we must all face our demons and confront our problems, but we do not have to fight these battles alones. Although it might not be obvious, there is always someone somewhere that loves us and refuses to give up on us. Time will tell whether or not the person in my life figures that out before it is too late. Regardless, like Norman, I will continually fight to help the one I care about. Hopefully, I’ll be successful. Having enjoyed the book’s message, I actually bought and sent her a copy, hoping it opens her eyes to the same message that I got out of it.

Learning Experience #1

Today was our long awaited canoe trip down the Trinity River. As someone who had never been canoeing before this, I was just as nervous as I was excited. My anxieties were quickly assuaged, though, as the trip ended up being my favorite part of my Literature and Civilization II experience, if not my entire semester.  I’ve had many wonderful learning experiences since coming to TCU, but this one certainly ranks near the top.

After meeting in the rec center at the designated time, our journey began. Along with my classmates Mike, Kit, and Erin, I got to ride in Dr. William’s car while the other students rode in the van. I enjoyed talking with Dr. Williams, as he is someone I look up to. Mike also said he’d be my partner for the canoe trip, so things were already getting off to a great start. We finally reached our destination, where we were given instructions and tips on how to navigate the Trinity. Mike and I were the first ones to get our canoe into the water. After hitting everything from bushes, logs, rocks, the riverbank, and even other people, Mike and I finally got the hang of canoeing. The weather was great and the scenery beautiful. Mike and I talked about a lot of different things as we rowed down the river, but other times we just appreciated the silence and listened to nature. Mike almost flipped us over a few times trying to splash people, but we thankfully did not. We even got a train passing over a nearby bridge to sound its horn at us. The final minutes of our canoe trip was defined by a breath taking view of Fort Worth. Mike and I were the first canoe to reach the end of the Trinity, although Sruthi was first overall in her kayak. By the time we reached the end, everyone was exhausted and mentioning sore shoulders after hours and miles of canoeing. Still, it was completely worth it!

The Trinity River canoe trip was a lot of fun, but part of what made it so enjoyable was what I learned. First of all, I acquired a new skill. Not only did I learn how to canoe, but I also found something that I enjoy and would love to do again with friends in the future. More importantly, I learned to work with and trust someone that I did not know too well. I did not know much about Mike before today, but we had to work together in order to successfully navigate the river swiftly and without capsizing. Being the first canoe to reach the end was a testament to our teamwork. I also gained a new perspective on the city I call my home, as I’ve never had the pleasure of seeing Fort Worth from the Trinity River. This trip was an incredible learning experience that I am so thankful for as my sophomore year comes to a close.

Conversation Partner Meeting #6

         Today was my last meeting with Omar. The past few months have been fun, and I’m going to miss our meetings together. I have learned a great deal from Omar, not just about Venezuela and things there, but also about friendship and life in general. It’s amazing how an assignment that once stressed me out led to me making a new friend. Our last meeting was more of a reflection of the past few months than anything else, which I feel was a fitting end to this part of my Literature and Civilization II experience.

            We spent the first part of our time discussing what we’d gone over in the past meetings. We laughed about awkward first introductions and about all the cancelled meetings. So much has happened that it is hard to believe it all occurred over only a few months. It’s been an enriching experience, to say the least. We also discussed the future and what it held. As someone planning to be an international business major, Omar discussed what he hoped to accomplish in his career. With more of his family moving here next fall, Omar will have even more people to help and encourage him as he pursues his goals. I still have not decided on a major, so my plans for the immediate future are just trying to figure out where I belong and what I should do. It’s something I hope to figure out soon, as I’m now at the end of my second year at TCU. Life is so full of surprises, and I’m fascinated to find out where we’ll all come out in the end.

            Our last meeting was not about saying “goodbye” but instead “I’ll see you later.” I firmly believe I’ll see Omar again. Whether that’s sometime in the near future or years down the road, time will tell. Omar has a bright future ahead of him, I know. With all of his unique qualities put together, there is no limit to what he can achieve if he work for it. Thankfully, we have each other’s contact information, so we’ll be able to keep in touch as we navigate the waters of life.