Month: October 2021
Source for Unit 2 Project
This is one of the sources I will be using for my research project. It talks about how different cultures create different perspectives and how they work together to create an overall universal concept. Also how different cultural backgrounds shape a person.
https://serendipstudio.org/exchange/yml/culture-shaping-our-perception
Life update
I did not know that there are several midterm seasons in a semester. Education system in Ecuador is so much different than here because we just had 1 midterm each partial, but we did not had semesters or more than one midterm per class, which was kind confusing at first but know im getting the hang of it.
This past 2 weeks have been the most stressful weeks of the whole semester for me. However, Im happy I know im giving the best of me and I think im getting adjusted to college life more. I did summer classes here so it has been 5 months since I came to Penn State and I haven’t regretted my decision once, I think this place is full of nice people and a lot of fun things to do. My classes are also going very well so far, I’ve been doing so much work lately but they are subjects that interest me so I enjoy completing my assignments.
At the same time, the weather is getting colder and I love It, in Ecuador we don’t have winter or fall so right now im enjoying a lot the chilly weather, the nature, and the leaves, oh my god they are so beautiful. Before I had never seen leaves changing colors and is so pretty. I’m exited about the winter too, I’ve seen snow before but just for vacation, I haven’t actually lived in a place where there is a lot of snowing, and a lot of people tell me I need to be prepared for the winter season because is so cold, they think im not going to make it here because im not used to it but ill prove them wrong hehe. I do miss the beach a lot, almost every weekend in Ecuador I used to go with my parents to our beach house which was like 2 hours away from home , we would stay there for like 2 days and then come back to reality, it was like our escape from our busy lives. My mom and dad would make barbecues while I went to the beach with my brother’s family that live there. I would get to see my little niece which I miss so much and im so exited to see again once I go back.
Overall there hasn’t been happening a lot of events in my life recently, just going to classes, doing work, enjoying the fall season and missing home more than usual recently.
Ted talk
A TED talk I enjoyed watching was How to fix a broken heart by Guy Winch. I liked this TED talk because it talks about something everyone can or has been through. I learned that there are many ways of getting a broken heart, different types of relationships can lead to different kinds of heartbreaks, it does have to be necessarily romantic, it can be from family and friends.
Brainstorm for unit two projects:
2 potential topics
~Culture: How different cultures can lead to different perspectives?
As an international student, I find it fascinating to keep studying more deeper into the different cultures that exist in the world and how they work together, also how they can lead to differences in ideologies or perspectives.
~Relationships
Another topic I like is relationships, I want to know more about the evolution of different types of relationships and how they work with each other. Why do people say that opposite poles attract each other, how would a relationship with completely different people work?
New York!!
Thanksgiving is coming soon and I was getting sad because I knew I was going to stay on campus for the break because evidently is hard for me to go home for just a week. I was hearing how everyone got plans for the Thanksgiving holiday and I didn’t care as much for it because not a lot of people celebrate this holiday in Ecuador but I didn’t want to stay here alone, my friends are all going home and apart from that, I wouldn’t even be able to stay in my dorm, they would send me to Pollock our South, and also I would have to pay more money to stay there. My friend saw me being disappointed by the fact that I was going to stay here and she offered me to go spend the holidays with her and her family in New York! How awesome is that!
I’ve been to New York once before and I loved it! I said yes instantly, but then I realize, “What am I going to tell my parents?!” They are super protective so I was scared they would say no, and they did, at first. I talked to my mom first so she can ask my dad and silently put the idea in his head, but she said no immediately, after bothering her so much she finally got her mind to think about it, she didn’t say yes but she said she was going to talk to my dad about it and if he allowed me to go she would be fine with that.
After days of me face-timing her and the friend I’m planning to go visit she was more comfortable with the idea of me going, not my dad though, he was still very skeptical about it. Eventually, I explained the reasons why I didn’t want to stay here, which are obvious and they understood. Finally, they said YES!
I’m so excited to spend my first Thanksgiving in New York with one of my best friends, I want to try all the traditional foods and activities they do for this holiday. I think it will be like a reward for myself after these stressful months at college, I plan to relax and have lots of fun in the big city.
reflection (weaknesses and strengths of my speech)
After re-watching my speech multiple times I think one of my weaknesses was that when I was delivering it I kept looking at different places because I was nervous. I think focusing on one item or place to look at, or if the speech is in-person focus on looking at the audience is better than not knowing where to place your eyes. Also, something I could improve when delivering the speech is not having so many pauses, for this, I could rehearse the speech more so I don’t memorize it but I know the material I’m trying to communicate. At the same time, I think the structure of my speech and the way of delivery was good, I didn’t have as many filler words and I had a good voice tone so my audience can understand me well.
Update!
Not a lot has happened since the last time I wrote in my blog. Days are getting very repetitive which is totally fine because I like my routine. The schedule I created has been helping me a lot lately in organizing myself and my activities, I think it was a great idea to create it and more people should take it into consideration when struggling with time. However I hope days get more fun over time, I think everyone is just focusing on school right now, including me.
Changing subjects, there are only 2 months more until December!! It is my favorite month ever. I love the holiday seasons and this year is going to be extra special because I will be visiting Ecuador so I will be seeing my family and friends after a long time. I’m so excited to see them soon. Also, I love traveling alone, it is one of my favorite activities to do. The first time I did it was when I went home for the 2021 summer break, so this is going to be my second time, and I’m exhilarated. It’s so peaceful and kind of makes me to have alone time to reflect on my life, listen to music, and most importantly, relax. it sounds funny but I swear it’s a good time. My birthday is right after the holidays so I’m also thrilled about that, I will be spending it in Ecuador so I can celebrate it with my best friends too. I will miss my college friends though, I would love them to be there and meet my home friends.
At the same time my mom is not happy about me traveling alone, because she is very protective I think she is scared something bad could happen to me while being alone for so many hours, but I’m confident I will be just fine traveling by myself. I can’t blame her, it is the first time we’re apart for so much time and she’s probably just anxious to see me, also there are a lot of unfortunate issues happening in this world right now, people are awful sometimes so I have to be smart and take care of myself when I leave for Ecuador. My dad is calmer with the idea of me traveling alone, he trusts me and he knows I am able to communicate with people or asks questions if I need help. Every time we Tavel as a family I guide us anyway so he knows I’m good at it and it’s not hard for me to take a step like this.
Draft Workshop for Rhetorical Analysis
1. Identify the writer’s main claim about the rhetoric, ideology, or and subtext of the piece.
Both of the pictures make use of ethos, visual rhetoric, and commonplaces to claim their rights for body autonomy.
2. Identify and comment on the writer’s introduction of a context (rhetorical situation) for this piece of rhetoric. Name one thing that might be added, deleted, changed, or moved.
I like how the writer states why the second image isn’t successful in using the commonplaces and ethos because when claiming their rights of not wearing a mask they are able to harm other people. At the same time, she describes the reasons behind it, for example, that the second image is including middle-class white individuals that can afford to pay for healthcare if they’re sick. Something that can be added is to proceed in a deeper way for one of the 2 images, don’t balance them but focus more on the rhetorical analysis of the most interesting one, so the essay has more analysis rather than comparison.
3. Warning flags: check any of the following predominant themes this paper contains that might suggest a weak introduction or thesis:
Advertising is everywhere___
Ads try to persuade us___
Life really isn’t like what the ad proclaims_!_
Ads have many components__
Ads are deceptive__ T
The ad did a great job__
The ad catches your eye__
4. Find a strong analytical topic sentence and a weak one. Explain why you have identified them as such.
“The second protest tries to utilize the same strategies that the first uses. They both use the same commonplace and the same colored text, however taking kairos into consideration, the use of these strategies does not elicit the same effect when used against the mask mandate. The exigence of this event is COVID 19 which has killed thousands of Americans and overcrowded hospitals. The argument of bodily autonomy can not be used here since COVID does not affect one person’s body, unlike pregnancy. People have lost family, friends, loved ones because people have been ignoring the mask mandate and continuing to gather as if this disease does not exist. This is what makes the protests so ineffective even though they are using almost the same strategies seen in the first picture. They can not effectively use the commonplace because what it represents does not apply when one person’s decision to not wear a mask can cause another person bodily harm.”
I think this is a great paragraph, it explains why the second artifact failed in using the same strategies that the first one used, it analyses how the movement has different priorities and why the contexts they’re in are important, for example, the context in the second artifact is a completely different one than the first one because the anti-mask movement can harm people, at the same time people from middle-class status are able to afford healthcare while others are don’t.
“The first amendment of the constitution states that everyone has the right to basic freedoms. Freedom of religion, freedom of expression, and freedom of assembly. In the last 2 years, protests have been all over the media.”
I like this introduction and I think more explanation of the context can be added to it to make it a more strong paragraph.
5. Comment on the organization of the piece. What other possible arrangement strategies might make more of the material and develop arguments more fully? How well is the second comparative piece of rhetoric incorporated?
I think the structure of the piece is well thought of, I can easily identify the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. The only suggestion I would make is like is said before, make the comparison not balanced, focus more on one of the artifacts, and in the last body paragraph do a comparison with the second artifact.
6. You wanted to read more about….
I enjoyed reading about how these 2 pieces can be looked at as very similar but have so many differences when analyzing them. I would like to read more about the ethos in the artifacts.
draft: rhetorical analysis , revised outline speech
Ads are made to create an effect or impact their audience, Nike succeeds every time in creating appealing videos showing the best of their products by connecting to their audience in a deeper way, like their emotions, spirit, energy, or dreams. Nike’s advertisement shows the merging of fantasy and real life, as the video goes on, what was an idea or concept of success in the life of a professional basketball player becomes true for a little boy.
One of the main strategies Nike uses is the music they chose to be playing during the advertisement, which is “Shut Em Down” from the band Public Enemy, popular in the late 19s. Something interesting about the decision of choosing this song is that it calls out major corporations like Nike because they take profits from the black community but do not give anything back for example not opening businesses in black communities in the country. At the same time, it makes me understand that Nike wants to show their support to the black community by publicly using a song that represents them and the basketball culture.
Nike’s audience target sports lovers, which is why they use famous athletes to model their products. The appearance of Lebron James in the video is another important strategy Nike uses in order to get to their audience. This calls to the lens of trust, more specifically ethos, which means they are using an important and recognized character in order to persuade people to consume Nike’s products, the credibility is given by Lebron James’s figure, as he is talented and well know basketball player and most want to be basketball players aspire to become, simulate or mirror Lebron.
The structure of the ad is presented chronologically, the main character, Dante, starts as a little kid and then shows his efforts and dedication to become a professional basketball player. The advertisement shows the successes, struggles, and obstacles the kid faces in order to become triumphant in doing what he loves. The message Nike gives is perseverance is key to be successful in life and make dreams come true.
Speech outline:
Intro: Nike’s advertisements are known for the creativity and inspirational messages it expresses. “Want it all” is one of the many videos they’ve made that were successful in their main objective, which is to persuade people to use their products…
1st idea: Nike used the song “Shut Em Down” from the band Public Enemy.
This was an odd decision for me because this band is known to call out negatively big organizations like Nike because they don’t open businesses in the black community locations, but they managed to use it in favor of their products…
2nd idea: Nike uses the figure of Lebron James in order to gain credibility for the product.
I think the most important strategy is using someone as important as Lebron James to appear in the ads, this will get Nike the credibility it needs to persuade people to use their products because a famous athlete works with the brand.
3rd idea: Nike shows Duke university as the main team in the ad.
Duke university’s basketball team, the Duke Blue Devils, has been working with Nike for a long time and they just renewed their contract for 2027…
Busy times in college
These past 2 weeks have been the busiest of all the time I’ve been here, because of all the first exams and projects for the different classes I’m taking. I think college life is starting to hit me more. I’m starting to run out of time to do activities I enjoy, like calling my parents and friends, going on walks or runs, and also just resting in my dorm. I feel like I’m never in my room anymore, my roommate is going through the same situation, sometimes is hard to prioritize school over mental health, I’m working on it though.
I know that the key to success in everything in life is balance, so I’m trying to create a nice and organized schedule about my personal activities, school assignments, exams, quizzes, etc. For example, do a quick workout or run outside at least 3 times a week, the best days to do it are Tuesday and Thursday because I only have 2 classes. Also, I can call my parents and families on my way to different classes, so I can save time and still talk to them, which is a big and important part of my day. Another part of my schedule is when I’m doing homework or assignments, which I can do after my Monday – Wednesday classes because my last class is right beside the hub so I can walk there and get ahead in my classes. At last, when I am going to study for exams or quizzes, I can do that on weekends because I’ll have the whole day to myself and I’ll be more relaxed. I will also take Friday off the schedule apart from my classes because is the end of the week and I will be tired most of the time.
I know it all sounds a little bit messy but with a good design and organization in google calendar, this is going to save me from having mental breakdowns about school frequently. The best way for me to keep motivated is to be organized and keep track of my work. A good schedule will allow me to not be overwhelmed often, also I get scared because I usually think I haven’t finished my work, so with a planned schedule, I can make sure I’m completing all of my assignments on time without getting behind anything.
I’m excited about this new chapter and being busy keeps me from missing home sometimes, which is. good thing. Hopefully, I get used to it soon and it doesn’t feel as breathtaking and overwhelming as it does now, most of my friends feel the same way which kind of makes me feel better because I know it’s not just a “me” thing but more people are also struggling with the challenges of college so far.