“This I Believe” Podcast Ideas: 

1. I believe that the challenges you face are fundamental to shaping the person that you become.

For this belief I would like to use the story of how I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when I was four years old. I would like to talk about how this diagnosis has challenged me (the different situations I have faced) but also made me a more responsible and a stronger person. I could even use more specific events of times that I felt particularly singled out or challenged by my diabetes. I think that this has had the most profound impact on my life and has significantly affected the way that I face the other obstacles in my life. 

2. I believe that being forced out of your comfort zone makes you more confident and improves your self-esteem.

For this belief I would like to tell the story of when I was forced to dance down a “runway” and how that changed how I looked at situations that brought me out of my comfort zone. I became more confident and sure of myself. This experience helped me when I got to Penn State and was not in my comfort zone because I did not know anybody. 

3. I believe that taking time each day for yourself improves every aspect other aspect of your life.

One of my quirks is watching to Presidential debates before I go to bed. This started because it was the only time of day I really had to myself and could decompress and do something that I was interested in. I think that this is important because it allows you time to reflect and enjoy a part of your day. This will have a ripple effect in your life academically, socially, and emotionally.

Passion Blog Ideas: 

I would like to continue my passion blog about the different National Parks I have visited and the activities I enjoyed most while there. In the fall semester I wrote about some of the coolest national parks my family and I have visited. There are several more I would like to discuss in my passion blog this semester. 

Civic Issues Blog Ideas: 

The civic issue that I am most interested in is the prison system/the criminal justice system. More specifically flaws in our criminal justice system and ways that those can be solved. I would discuss wrongful convictions (the role of the media and celebrities that have helped overturn some convictions), race, drugs, recidivism rates, and eye-witness testimony. This relates to my interests and goal of going to law school. 

Another civic issue I could use as my blog topic would be the refugee crisis and immigration. I could look at the cause of this problem, how it is affecting countries, and how it is changing American culture.