Reflections

So my experience in the class has been an interesting one. In our discussions we talked a lot about the over-worked Carnegie Mellon student who desperately needs to take a break from his or her computer, put down the problem set, and venture into the woods to reconnect with nature. We talked about how there was a necessity for relaxation and reflection on this campus, and while I initially jumped to disagree (I am a extremely motivated person and take deep pride in my successes within the institution) I would have to argue, upon reflection, that this class succeeded in its goal.

No, while I am not the type of person to drop every thing for two hours to do “nothing” on the floor of my dorm room (with the exception of my weekly meditations—but I actually view those a productive [for my mental well-being perhaps]), and while it is debatable whether I will force myself to lessen my load of responsibilities anytime soon, something I was extremely thankful for regarding this class was the way in which it really was my three hours of relaxation in the week. This is not to suggest that we as students were given a lesser workload, but rather that the readings and assignments we were given were intellectually stimulating but at the same time not stressful or violently demanding. I came to class each day having not specifically planned topics for conversation, but instead, just allowing my ideas and comments to flow naturally into discussion.

This may seem crazy to you, but these are the things that I do on a daily basis.

I am an extremely anal person. Organization and reliability are everything to me and I hate letting down those who trust me with responsibility and their confidence. That being said, I have noticed that this class has been a refuge for me this year. In our classroom space I was able to escape my own obsessive tendencies (checking email every five minutes, writing down each word of a comment I feel the need to make in class before saying it, etc..)

So cheers to that, my friends. I may not have formed a best friendship with the Transcendentalists or Thoreau, but this class has definitely caused me to take a few deep breaths—and honestly, any progress is progress.