Fall '08 Semester Reflections...

Well as exams wind down I thought I’d reflect on some things I've learned/did this semester...

I learned Giffen goods violate the law of demand – the more produced the more they costs, and though economists have defined such a concept, they can't give an example (pointless, right?). I learned that the word “tragedy” comes from the word “tragos” meaning “goat songs,” which were sung by chanters that danced around a sacrificial goat in ancient times. I learned that drama people distinguish light and instrument – light is intangible and an instrument shines light (Who knew?) I learned that “Going up” in a performance means you forgot your line (get it – you can’t remember, so you look up). I learned that anthropologists are caught up in politics like everyone else – see the concept of lumpers vs. splitters. I learned that gender is somewhat biologically based – see the case of John Money and David Reimer. I learned all about the rise and fall of communism in Germany and liberal vs. coordinated markets in Europe. I also learned that in NC, students who “demonstrate a discrepancy between achievement & measured ability of at least 15 points” meet the criteria for a learning disability (see Policies of Governing Services for Children with Disabilities p. 80 – how ridiculous and arbitrary is that???). I taught young, ambitious 7th graders every week and learned that kids can be down right mean to one another!

I also read A LOT of books such as Autobiography of a Papago Woman, Hope Leslie, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, The Diary of Mollie Dorsey Sanford, Thousand Pieces of Gold, and Reading the Holocaust. Strangely enough, I strongly recommend Hope Leslie and Thousand Pieces of Gold!

I watched the movie Goodbye Lenin for European Politics – which is actually pretty funny. I saw Pericles and Blue Door at the Playmakers Repertory Center and Blue Door was AMAZING! I’d see it again and again if I could. I also saw the Nutcracker with my friends – it was fun.

And, thanks to my fantastic friends and roommates – I learned how to use a manual can opener (yes I know…) and that different apples have different names (ie. Red delicious, granny smith, gala, golden delicious…) I HAD NO IDEA!

Gosh, I love college!