Soph from the future (5/20/22)
When I look back at the start of the semester, and what I felt, knew and did then, and I compare to what I know, feel and do now in this course, I think I’ve made progress at better understanding how I work as a student. I think I made the most of this semester, and really challenged myself by taking a course that was out of my comfort zone. The study of China was something I had never really done before, and being able to take this course and Dr. Miller’s course gave me a really in depth introduction to the topic. Being able to look at China from both an anthropologic and historical perspective was fascinating- the two courses complemented each other nicely. Specifically, the cultural understanding and analysis of Chinese society (i.e. marriage practices, gender roles, birthing traditions, and just the day-to-day life of everyday people) helped me make more sense of the context of historical texts we read. Knowing what the lives and societal standards of the women we studied, I can better understand the context in which they chose to navigate it. It should also be said that without this anthropologic viewpoint, I also would have been more inclined to apply my own Western views onto the experiences of the women we learned about.
Speaking to the exam-less format of the course, I think I faltered a bit without having that built in structure. Looking back on this semester, I wish I was more up to the challenge from the get-go… that’s on me though, not at all suggesting it’s a fault of the course. I’m not very good at self motivation + (YAY) thank you ADHD for making my brain an absolute hellscape. So having tests that are high stakes throughout the semester forces me to hold myself accountable. I also like how tests are something I can study for and be able to focus on applying the material in chunks… if that makes any sense. I feel like the way my brain works makes absolute 0 sense sometimes. All that being said, I completely understand the benefits of having no exams- it makes the course focused more on just learning the material to simply learn and appreciate the subject matter. It encourages the student to set their own goals and make the most out of the course as they see fit. In a college setting, I think this is arguably an ideal way to learn. However, speaking from my own experience, it’s a lot to adjust to. While there’s been a lot of ups and down, I’m looking forward to doing my best to finish out the rest of the course work these next couple of days. I hope to take the extra time I’ve been granted to really hunker down with the remaining texts and finish strong. My goals are to finish my 5-15 reports by tonight, and move onto tackling my final project.
Speaking about my final project, what I REALLY need to do now is start taking my ideas and just putting them into a video format. I’m shooting for a 15-20 minute video essay. This weekend will be SHOWTIME! I’m excited and looking forward to presenting my findings on gender performance in Chinese Opera.
TO DO LIST
- Week 13 5-15 Report
- Week 14 5-15 Report
- Week 15 5-15 Report
- Reflection #3
- Final Project
TADA LIST
- Week 10 5-15 Report
- *SKIPPED OPTIONAL WEEK 11 5-15 REPORT*
- Week 12 5-15 Report
- Reflection #2
