I’ve always been far more interested in learning about the arts than the sciences. Even though my dad found a career in teaching Exercise Science at the University at Buffalo and my mom is a clinical psychologist, I’ve always preferred to create something new than to discover something already in existence but unknown to humanity. I grew up with a love of reading, dance, music, and drawing- pretty much any medium with the ability to convey a message and tell a story. It’s not super surprising that I’m a freshman studying Music Composition at Penn State.
This is not to say that I have a passionate hatred for the sciences. Throughout my middle school and high school career, none of the science teachers did enough to immerse me in the learning and, like you said in class today, Andrew, I ended up memorizing facts and forgetting most of them soon after. Chemistry especially never seemed applicable to my daily life- all humans are made up of elements and ions and molecules… So what? How does knowing that these particles are in my body make me a better person? How can I actively contribute to a class discussion where there is only one right answer? How can I distinguish myself as a unique individual in class if earning an “A” can only be achieved by one way of thinking?
I’ve always LOVED to debate. I have a lot of opinions and don’t really have a problem in expressing what I believe or how I feel. I always do much better in classes where I am able to contribute to discussion in my own unique way, and none of my science classes have allowed me to do that in the past. For me to learn something well, I need to be able to connect the material with something I know from my own life experience. This is why I was excited to see that there was a science class based on controversy to fulfill part of my natural sciences requirement. While science will never be my cup of tea, I’m hoping a more interactive take on how the world works will be a better fit for me than my past experiences have been.
(this is me. I am obsessed with Disney World.)
Attached is a link to one of my compositions. I play the viola.
I love the arts too! In fact, I used to do musicals all the time in high school. I think it is so cool that you are majoring in Music Composition. Music is something that everyone should have immense respect for.
Here is a link to an article in the Wall Street Journal that had a feature on me in one of my high school’s musicals. I am the girl in the first picture on the first page. The musical we did was “Aida”.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/musical-theater-junkies-score-seats-to-high-school-productions-1428266494
I love the arts too! In fact, I used to do musicals all the time in high school. I think it is so cool that you are majoring in Music Composition. Music is something that everyone should have immense respect for.
Here is a link to an article in the Wall Street Journal that had a feature on me in one of my high school’s musicals. I am the girl in the first picture on the first page. The musical we did was “Aida”.
I totally get what you mean with high school classes being a one correct answer course with no debate!