Monday, September 20, 2021 (Day 262)
Relaxing Music for the week: Dammerschein: Deuter (9:54) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S91Sibgk-g
Question: Write about one interesting or unexpected experience you’ve had because of travel or adventuring – at home or abroad.
Answer: I can’t say that I’ve had any experiences abroad that have been interesting or unexpected, so I’m going to look at interesting experiences at home. To be honest, I actually believe every experience I have going to a new place is an interesting experience, whether it’s going to Maysville, Kentucky or Durango, Colorado. I always find something new and interesting, whether it’s the scenery (Durango) or the people (Maysville). I think that’s why I always love to visit new schools, since the culture is always different, especially from what I’ve experienced at UNCG. One of the more interesting experiences was when I did a two-day workshop at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology – yes, THAT MIT); I was asked to do a few Life Design Catalyst activities for the minority students one of their programs. When I asked them what it was like to be a student there, a few shared that they felt like they didn’t belong there, which made me sad. Here are students at one of the most prestigious institutions in the world – and yet they didn’t feel like they belonged. Worse, several felt the pressure of living up not only their family’s expectations, but for a few, their entire community’s expectations. Although they were honored to represent their entire community, they felt like they couldn’t let them down under no circumastances. And that was really hard to hear – that the pressure was so, so intense at school AND at home. I experienced that same thing at the College of William and Mary, where the expectations and pressure were SO great that a few decided that the best option to cope was to commit suicide. When the college experience has young people resort to suicide, that’s a problem. And that’s just one peice of the problem that’s never talked about. So, that’s always interesting to me…
P.S. A post is better late than never, right?
The Dream Dean 