Last Conversation Partner

              For our last meeting, Linda and I went to Union Grounds. I’ve been super stressed out 

with all of my finals this week, so I was looking forward to have a break from rigorous studying 

and trade in organic chemistry jargon for light small talk with a conversation partner. It’s 

overcast and chilly outside, so I decided to get a coffee to warm my spirits. 

              Somehow, we got on the topic of movies. I told Linda about the drive-in movie theatre, 

and Linda was pretty interested. She said that they did not have a drive-in movie theatre in 

Shanghai, and she really wanted to go next semester. I, myself, have not been since last year. 

My friends and I would load up a big SUV with pillows and blankets, and sneak in a bunch of 

candy to bundle up at the drive-in together. 

            As I mentioned earlier, Linda said she wanted to go next semester to the drive-in. I

 suggested that she should go with some of her IEP friends, and I let her know I would totally

 be down to go. In fact, I bet a few of us from Dr. William’s Literature and Civilizations 

class would be open to coming. We could definitely structure a group outing to the drive in 

theatre to take a break from our major classes. 

            The conversation gravitated toward talk about the gloomy weather today. We started 

talking about weather back home. Linda told me the weather in Shanghai was pretty similar

 to here. She said they had not had snow in a while, but within the last week, they’ve actually

 gotten a lot of snow. Linda said she misses Shanghai, but she does not get homesick in the way

 that a lot of other students do. Because she went to a boarding school for high school, she used 

to dormitories and being away from home. Although she’s excited to go home for summer, 

she doesn’t feel an intense longing for China. 

             I began to tell Linda about how I’ve lived all over the United States, and tried my 

best to describe geographically where I’ve lived. She definitely knew where California was, 

but it was a little difficult trying to describe Orlando, Florida, Atlanta, Georgia, and Chicago, 

Illinois. We talked about the differences in each state. Linda was shocked to hear how cold it 

gets in Chicago. Last year during winter break, during the week it was -20 degrees Fahrenheit 

with a windchill of -40 degrees. Not really ideal weather for someone raised in the South. 

             Overall, I’ve really enjoyed my time with Linda. I’m so thankful to have this experience

 to connect with someone I would not ordinarily get to talk with. Learning about her culture has

 been super interesting, and Linda is a very down to Earth girl. I’m definitely going to keep in

 touch with her for the rest of my time at TCU, and I hope she has an awesome experience 

here in Fort Worth. 

Conversation Partner 5

            After having such a positive experience at Union Grounds last night, Linda and I decided to 

go there again. We both did not order anything but went straight into conversation. We talked more 

about our excitement for winter break, and began to talk about our plans. 

             As I said in an earlier reflection, Linda is not going back home to China for the break. 

Because our break is only three weeks long this year, traveling back to China would be too 

expensive of a trip for such a short period of time. Instead, Linda is staying in Texas to take driving

 lessons in order to get a driver’s license. Linda plans on buying a car here in Texas that she can use 

when she is an upperclassman. The last week of break, Linda is going to Cancun with some of 

her international friends at TCU. She plans on going to the beach with her friends and on going sight 

seeing. 

            We started on the topic of “travel.” Linda told me once before that her coming to TCU 

was the first time she had ever left China. She said her grandparents travelled a lot though, and 

she planned to travel when she got the opportunity. Apparently, her grandparents go on many trips, 

both domestic and international.  

              I began to tell Linda about my plans for the break. After I graduated high school, my 

parents moved to Chicago, so I go up there for Christmas. Linda was not quite sure where 

Chicago was, and I tried my best to describe it geographically. We talked about how absurdly 

cold it is in Chicago. Last year, we experienced temperatures of -20 with a windchill of -40. 

              I told Linda that I, too, am going to South America during the later half of winter break. 

It was actually extremely difficult trying to explain that I was going on a medical mission trip 

to Panama. I felt a lot was lost in translation, but eventually, Linda understood what I meant. I 

can’t even imagine what it’s like to speak more than one language. 

               Linda’s English has improved significantly in the short time I have known her. Our 

first meeting was slightly awkward because the language barrier was extremely prominent. 

Now, Linda has a firmer grasp on the language, and seems to be more confident when speaking. 

Although several times this meeting she had to take a minute to think about what she wanted to 

say, her fluency has improved immensely. 

Conversation Partner 4

         For our meeting this time, Linda and I decided to mix it up a little bit and meet at Union 

Grounds. Linda had just come from the BLUU, so she did not care to order anything, but I was 

inspired to order a gingerbread latte. I’m a sucker for holiday drinks. 

           Linda excitedly told me all about her Thanksgiving. One of her friends, whom coincidentally 

is also from China, has a house just off campus. Over the break, Linda and her friends went to 

Kroger and bought a turkey and other traditional American Thanksgiving foods. Linda informed me 

that she had never had turkey before, and she liked it, although it was strange. 

            Linda went to the Christmas tree lighting and really enjoyed it. She showed me pictures of

 her and her friends in front of TCU’s massive tree, and shared her pictures of the entire event with 

me. She said she was confused at why we had a bull at the event instead of a reindeer, but other

than that, I think she got a lot out of the whole experience. 

            During our meeting, many of my friends happened to pass by. In fact, my room mate from 

last year, Ashley, came by and chatted with us a little bit. Ashley, too, had just come from the BLUU 

and shared her woes about what she ate with us. She had experimented with a smoothie, and it did 

not work out in her favor. 

            After Ashley left, we began to discuss our living situations. I told her more about living with 

Ashley last year and how she’s one of my best friends now. Linda wanted to know all about my 

current dorm, Tom Brown, because she is interested in possibly living there next year. Linda and 

her friends are also strongly considering living in Grand Marc because all of the apartments have a 

kitchen. 

           As the conversation continued, we ended up talking about her friends from back home. 

According to Linda, all of her friends stayed in China for college. What was interesting to me was 

that her friends are actually going through midterms as we’re about to start finals. Because the 

Chinese New Year is in February, Chinese students still have half of their semester left. I thought 

that was really interesting how different our schedules are. Linda said that was one of the main 

reasons she did not want to go home for the holiday break, because all of her friends would be in 

school still. 

           We decided to break up for the night because we both had finals to study for. While the 

majority of my finals are next week, all of Linda’s IEP finals are this week. We decided to meet up 

tomorrow night, too. 

Conversation Partner 3

         The weekend before Thanksgiving break, Linda and I went to go have dinner at Market Square. 

Linda brought one of her friends, a new student from China, Andrew. Initially, I planned for us to eat 

dinner with Mary Lauren and our friend Megan, but Market Square was pretty busy, and we could 

not find a table to fit all of us. Linda, Andrew, and I finally found a table, marked our territory with 

our school ID’s and backpacks, and went to get food. 

          Honestly, whenever I go to the BLUU, I pretty much always resort to pizza. Unlike the 

“Cookhouse” section of the BLUU that is consistently busy and has a quality range of mildly edible 

to “Are they honestly serving this,” the pizza section of the BLUU never has a line, and the quality 

of the pizza is consistently tolerable. I don’t like surprises. Linda and Andrew both had rice and 

chicken, which is the most similar dish to something they’d have back home, they reported. 

          As we sat down and began to eat our meals, we began to talk about the residence halls we live 

in. Both Linda and Andrew live in Waits hall. I told them I knew Terrul, who is an RA in Waits and 

coincidentally in Literature and Civilizations II. We began discussing room mate situations. Linda 

explained that she adores her American room mate. Inclusive and sweet, Linda’s room mate has 

made Linda’s year at TCU enjoyable. Her room mate often invites her to go out to eat with her 

friends. I told them both about my living situation from my freshman year. 

           I was in Moncrief hall in a forced triple: our room was intended for two people, but because 

TCU was beginning the Great Housing Crisis, three freshmen were crammed into one room. Ashley 

and Connie were lovely room mates. Connie is actually an international student from Taiwan, and so 

I related to Andrew and Linda about how I am somewhat familiar with some struggles faced by 

international students. Although I was skeptical at first about living with not one, but two girls, I 

enjoyed my time in our forced triple, and am extremely thankful I got to know Connie and Ashley. 

          Andrew, on the other hand, is apparently having a pretty rough time with his room mate. 

Although he did not get too specific, Andrew said his room mate is not courteous at all. I suggested 

to Andrew that he talk with a resident assistant about it, and he said that he hadn’t even met his RA 

yet. 

          We were finishing up our meals, and all three of us cohesively sighed as we noted the busy 

couple of days we had before us before Thanksgiving. We decided it was time to be productive, and 

began to pack our things up. We all wished each other a happy Thanksgiving, and decided that we 

should get frozen yogurt soon at Sweet Frog. 

Learning Experience

Two quotes from Emerson particularly affected me: 

'Society is a wave. The wave moves onward, but the water of which it is composed does not.'

           Given an abundance of Emerson quotes, I was particularly drawn to the one above. The 

diction of the quote is peaceful; the imagery of a calming wave surfaces, but the underlying message 

is relatively dark. The metaphor of society as a wave and individual people as drops of water allow 

the reader to feel insignificant in a peaceful kind of way. Simultaneously, Emerson forces us to 

acknowledge that we will not be a part of society forever. Clear and concise, the quote evokes a 

stream of thought from the reader. 

             Whether we ourselves have had a near-death experience or have known someone who has 

passed, we have all graveled with the concept of death. It’s uncomfortable. Death is treated as almost 

a taboo topic because our own impermanence is scary.

               Upon reflecting on Emerson’s insight, I’m reminded of my room mate, Alex, whom is in 

a class called Death and Dying. I ask her about it often because I think learning about how society 

copes with and grieves death is extremely relevant. The concept of society as a wave is a powerful 

metaphor to depict the role of people. 

“Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind” 

                To fulfill my religion requirement at TCU, I took a course called Latino Religion. 

Truthfully, I only enrolled in the class because I anticipated it would be less rigorous than a Bible 

study class or World Religions. The first week of class, we defined what religion is, according to the 

philosopher, Paul Tillich. According to Tillich, everyone is religious. Everyone is concerned 

ultimately with one thing, or idea. There is one idea or organization or something that takes 

precedence over every other facet of a person’s life. This facet of one’s life that takes precedence is 

called your “ultimate concern.”

                 Tillich also explains that spiritual fulfillment may only be achieved if your ultimate 

concern is “infinite.” That is, if you’re concerned ultimately with something finite, such as aesthetic, 

you will not live a fulfilled life because beauty fades. 

                 Tillich’s theory has rooted in my mind, and I think about it often. What you’re ultimately 

concerned with says an awful lot about your character. For example, I actively try to not be so 

consumed with the thought of financial instability and material possessions because they’re finite 

and unfulfilling. Emerson’s quote relates to Tillich’s theory because each person’s consciousness is 

what they hold to be sacred. 

Conversation Partner 2

          Several weeks ago, TCU’s Intensive English Program set up a party at the Recreation Center.

Mary Lauren and I walked to the Rec Center together and met up with our English class gathered by

the rock wall.

          Upon the arrival of the international students, we discovered that Olivia’s conversation parter,

Amber, and my conversation partner, Linda, are good friends. Both of the girls are from the same

general area around Shanghai, China. I asked them if they knew each other before coming to TCU.

They said they met here, but enjoy having a friend that has their hometown in common.  The girls

also introduced us to their friend who just transferred here from an area in South China in the middle

of the semester.

             At the party, they served pizza, soft drinks, and a traditional dish from Saudi Arabia. Being a

vegetarian, I couldn’t eat the international dish, but it looked like a flat bread with a meat-type

spread. We all joked about how “pizza” and “soft drinks” is typical American cuisine. We also had

chocolate cake and celebrated everyone with an October birthday.

             We all scrounged to find a table, but the only available table was not in the shade. Because

Fall doesn’t begin in Texas until late November, sitting in the sun would have been brutal. We all

decided to pull the chairs into the shade and “rough it” without a table.

                I spent most of my time at the party talking with Olivia, Amber, and Linda. They asked us

what students typically do for school breaks, such as fall break and winter break. I replied that what

we do typically varies every season and every year. Personally, I have friends and family scattered  

all over the country, so I travel to many different places depending on what break it is. Linda has a

family friend close by that she’s staying with for winter break, because winter break is too short this

year for her to fly back to China. I thought about how hard it would be to go without seeing my

family for a year, but Linda said she’s used to it because she went to boarding school back home.

Mary Lauren and her conversation partner, Hannah, also sat with us. Hannah is from Saudi Arabia

and is majoring in petroleum engineering.  Mary Lauren and I have always been interested in

camping, and Hannah expressed her interest as well.

                 Olivia and I both had to leave after an hour after the party began because we both had

class. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to meet everyone’s conversation partner, and I plan on getting

dinner with Olivia, Amber, and Linda in the near future. 

River Reflection 2

         This morning before my lecture classes, I walked to the Trinity River. Typically when I take

this route, I’m accompanied by a couple of my friends. With how hectic the last couple of weeks

have been, I was glad to find a little serenity by myself off campus. Although it certainly wasn’t my

first time on this path, I noticed certain things I had not noticed before. I noted leaves on the ground,

a trademark of my favorite season. So early in the morning, there was a crispness to the air which

would eventually be interrupted by Texas’ hot sun around noon. I walked down the winding path to

the water, and as I crossed the bridge over the Trinity River, I took note of the sun’s position, still

rising, blazing through the clear blue Texas sky.

           Walking up the river’s path, I decided to sit on the rock dam of the Trinity. The water flowed

between myself and the rocks, close enough for me to touch. I could have put my feet in the water, if

the Trinity wasn’t so disgusting. Nonetheless, sitting there was still relaxing. Hearing the water flow

past you is therapeutic, and I was thankful. I noticed that hardly anyone was on the Trinity Trail this

morning. A couple of joggers passed by me, but I couldn’t help but recall how active the trail was the

last time I was here. 

           During my reflection, I did not see as many animals as I was expecting to see. I did hear birds

chirping in the trees around me, though I seldom saw any. Typically when I go down the Trinity, I

see many turtles, but unfortunately on this trip, I didn’t actually see any. A few people on the trail

were jogging with their dogs.

             I started to reflect on the foliage around the river. Often, I complain to my friends about how

Texas doesn’t have Autumn, my favorite season. Although leaves do fall to the ground, the trees

 tend to go from green to the ground instantaneously, skipping over the pretty brown and orange

colors of Fall I miss. The trees around the Trinity are green and hanging on to their leaves as of yet. I

also noted the stark contrast between the perfectly trimmed grass of the golf course within my sight

of view and the grass around the trinity: unkempt and arguably unsightly.

               Reflecting on the river tends to make me thankful that we have the Trinity River in walking

distance to campus, but it also makes me wish there were more things to do outdoors in Fort Worth.  

I would love to be able to go on hiking trips with my friends during the day, or scenic canoeing trips

on the weekends. On campus, I feel cooped up with classes, homework assignments, and

meetings. 

                As time passed, I sat on the rocks, and the day became more active. More people began    

to appear on the path, as if the day were truly just now beginning. After a few moments more, I

decided it was time to start my day of lectures and labs and meetings.

Learning Experience

         When my freshman year biology professor asked me to be a teaching assistant for Introductory

Biology for this year, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. The only expectation I had was from

watching the biology TAs from last year. I thought I was nothing like them. They all seemed

superiorly intelligent and as though their lives were completely on track, with every facet in perfect

order. Now, midway through the semester, I can honestly say being a biology TA is nothing like I

expected it to be.

          Being a TA is less intense than anticipated. As a teaching assistant, I basically just facilitate lab

and answer any questions students have about the experiment. Because I’ve taken the class so

recently, most of the information is fresh in my mind, and comes back to me fairly easily. Initially, I

was sort of worried I would have to read over the labs extensively before class to ensure I was

knowledgeable enough to be of assistance to students, but luckily, I’ve retained most of the

knowledge from freshman year. 

          Helping students learn the material is rewarding; watching the class’s expression change from

confusion to an epiphany is a very special feeling. I have the opportunity to come up with and ask

challenging questions concerning the lab, furthering my own knowledge in biology as well as the

students’.

           As for sophomore TAs “having their lives in order,” we’re as disorganized and confused about

our futures as freshman are, if not more so. During sophomore year, students in the biology major

track take Organic Chemistry, or as I like to call it, the ninth circle of hell, is the bane of every pre-

med student’s existence. 

             I’ve learned a lot from being a biology TA. Students really do look up to you. The freshmen

frequently ask me advice on what classes they should take, which chemistry lab to enroll in, and how

to survive freshman year in general.

              Additionally, I’ve learned a lot from the graduate TA I work under, Kevin. Kevin is a

graduate student here at TCU, completing a masters program in biology. Still considering going to

med school, Kevin actually applied himself his senior year at TCU. During down time in lab, I get to

ask Kevin all about his research here with anthrax, what I should be doing as an undergrad, and what

the application process for medical/graduate school is.

                Basically, being a TA in general has been a learning experience for me this year. I’ve

learned what it means to be a TA, how to teach efficiently, and what life after undergrad should look

life. Overall, I’m really happy with my decision to be a teaching assistant. 

Learning Experience

         A River Runs Through It reveals the significance of water in our lives. In the story, two

brothers essentially grow up in a river together. Fishing on the river was a sort of spiritual experience

 for the brothers, allowing them to grow as people. Norman narrates, “In our family there was no

clear line between religion and fly-fishing.” The river is a place for the boys to play, compete, and

eventually, grieve. A River Runs Through It opened my eyes to the importance of water as a symbol

in this particular film as well as and in other major works, both film and written.

         Water is often used to symbolize topics in literature and film. While a river may symbolize

serenity and peace or the passage of time, the ocean often symbolizes strength, power, and

dominance. Unpredictable and uncontrollable, the ocean holds immense power over humanity.

Additionally, rain can symbolize an array of topics. Rain may be used to symbolize birth and renewal

and baptism, or conversely, confusion and despair. 

          As discussed in class, water is an important symbol in the novel/film A River Runs Through It.

In watching the film, our class learned that the Blackfoot River represents being replenished and

becoming whole again. Paul and Norman’s fishing trip with their father is significant as Norman

realizes that Paul is perfect, yet the moments cannot last forever, quoted, “And I knew just as surely,

just as clearly, that life is not a work of art, and that the moment could not last.” After Paul’s

traumatic death, for example, Norman uses the river to mourn the tragedy and find peace. As stated

earlier, the river may symbolize the unstoppable passage of time; Norman is able to grieve Paul’s

death by accepting the ephemeral nature of life, as the flow of a river.  

           Noting the symbolic nature of water in A River Runs Through It, I also reflected on the

symbolism of water in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The Mississippi River is a crucial

symbol in Huck Finn, representing change and freedom. Huck narrates, "We catched fish and talked,

and we took a swim now and then to keep off sleepiness. It was kind of solemn, drifting down the

big, still river, laying on our backs looking up at the stars, and we didn't ever feel like talking loud,

and it warn't often that we laughed.” On the raft in the river, Huck and Jim are equals, making the

river the medium in which Jim becomes free. Also, in a literal sense, the river is bringing Jim to

freedom as they journey to free land. 

            In my life, water has been an escape from the “real world.” Whether it be a lazy river, the

ocean, or even a neighborhood pool, water is always associated with a sense of freedom in my life.

Whether it be movies, novels, or our own lives, water is an overarching symbol in life.

Conversation Partner

        My conversation partner,  Linda, and I met up for the first time this past Saturday at Market 

Square for lunch. After we selected our food and picked a table, I began to ask her questions. My first

question for her was how she felt about the food at the BLUU, and food in the United States in

general compared to the food she is used to eating in China. To my surprise, Linda loves the BLUU.

She enjoys that the BLUU has many options she cannot find at home. Outside of the BLUU, she said

her favorite restaurant is Subway because she can point to the menu items she wants without

worrying about an error in translation. I thought that was very interesting, and had never thought 

about how difficult it must be ordering food in a foreign country.  

         I asked Linda what “American food” is to her, and she described pizza, hamburgers, and 

cheese. We bonded for several minutes over the importance of pizza. 

         Back home, Linda said, she went to high school at boarding school just outside of Shanghai, so 

she was used to being away from her family for long periods of time. She mentioned that she video 

chats with her father, mother, and grandmother once a week. I asked her if any of her boarding 

school friends went to international schools after graduating, and she replied that she was the only 

one. 

      She was pretty interested in what Americans do for fun. I told her about my typical TCU 

weekend, including hanging out with friends, avoiding responsibilities, and going to football 

games. 

Linda thought it was intriguing how much Americans invest in sports. In fact, she had no idea we 

had a football game later that day against OU. Linda explained that rather than focusing on sports,

 her culture tends to focus on the importance of academics. 

        The topic changed to holidays. I was interested to know what holidays are celebrated in China, 

and Linda told me about Chinese New Year traditions. She told me her family used to do fireworks, 

but they have ceased because they are not environmentally friendly. Linda in turn asked me about 

Halloween here, and I was more than happy to tell her, as Halloween is my favorite holiday. She was 

excited to tell me that she already had a Halloween costume picked out, and showed me a picture on 

her phone.  

       A lot of the time, I could not understand what she was saying, so I had to ask her to repeat 

herself. I can only imagine how hard it is to speak more than one language. A few times she had to 

bring up an application on her phone to translate a word from Chinese to English so she could 

describe what she was talking about. 

Learning Reflection

       The Big Thirst illustrates humanity’s complex relationship with water, and asserts that the

 problem of water instability is escalating at an alarming rate. While water purity and availability

plague multiple regions of the world, little is actually being done to solve the problem. As the

problem worsens, people turn a blind eye, assign responsibility elsewhere, and procrastinate. 

       The Big Thirst teaches that people will not deal with a problem until it is too late. This basically

applies to everything. We tend to not get gas until we’re on “E,” forcing us to call AAA for a tow.

Although I can shake my head at and scold society, I identify with this issue at a very deep level. 

     As a personal example, I am completely and utterly procrastinating studying for physics by

writing this blog entry. Additionally, our Literature and Civilization class has six essays due in three

days, and naturally, I have five more to write. 

     Interested in the issue of procrastinating (and also procrastinating myself), I decided to research

why exactly people procrastinate in the first place. After watching a couple of cat videos on

YouTube, I found some a interesting article. Through my research, I learned that twenty percent of

people identify themselves as chronic procrastinators in all facets of life, whether that be

assignments, payments, or Christmas shopping. Intrigued, I read further, “Procrastination is not a

problem of time management or of planning. Procrastinators are not different in their ability to

estimate time, although they are more optimistic than others” (Psychology Today). 

     As I read further, I learned that procrastination predicts higher levels of consumption of alcohol.

People who procrastinate typically misjudge their limits, leading to an excessive consumption of

alcohol, which pretty much sums up the college experience. 

      Skimming down the Psychology Today article, I noted that procrastinators tell lies to themselves,

such as “I’ll definitely do this later” and “I work better under pressure.” Haven’t we all done that?

Personally, I convince myself that a nap is totally a good idea and I will definitely get my work done

after a one hour power nap (which naturally turns into a four hour coma). 

      From the issue of water to global warming to filling up our tank, people procrastinate. So what

was the conclusion of Psychology Today’s article on procrastination? How do we solve this issue

plaguing society that renders us inefficient? 

     Well, the article concludes, “. . . highly structured cognitive behavioral therapy.” I’ll look into it

later, probably. 

Sept. River Reflection

       After a long trek from TCU’s campus to the Trinity River, Mary Lauren and I finally find solace 

from the oppressive Texas mid-afternoon sun under a tree. We allowed our belongings to fall on the

 ground and our bodies to fall onto the park bench. Under my breath, I curse Texas’ climate. After a 

mutual sigh of exhaustion, we decide to commence “reflecting.” 

      Observing the Trinity River, I notice how biology and chemistry collaborate together to create 

the scene in front of me. I take note of the relationship between the sun and the water. The sun’s 

warmth evaporates the water, creating the clouds that in turn block the sun’s rays, casting a large 

shadow. Further down the path, I could almost physically feel the relief felt by the dog-walker 

feeling the cloud’s sun-blocking effect. The sun’s beams warm the air. Having a lower density, warm 

air rises. Cooler air rushes to fill the empty space, creating the wind that ripples the water and rustles 

the leaves above our heads. 

      Through a collective effort, the sun and the water labor to nurture the plants. The myriad of green 

shades I observe are a direct consequence of the plants’ chlorophyll pigments absorbing the sun’s 

rays, and reflecting a scale of green. A critical ingredient in photosynthesis, water travels up the 

xylem in the plant stem to the leaves. 

      My thoughts are interrupted by a young family taking a stroll through the park. A young mother 

briskly power-walks on the pathway, while moments later her son trails along, asking her could we 

please go slower? The leaves rustle above my head, and the breeze follows it. 

    My favorite part about “reflecting” in a public place is when you come to a realization. 

Admittedly, most people don’t look at the Trinity and think the same thoughts I do. Being a natural 

science major definitely skews your perspective. Everyone has a unique perspective. While I sit and 

contemplate clouds and chlorophyll, the boys fishing across the river from me are observing life 

through a different lens. You get so immersed in your own thoughts, then you remember everyone 

around you is completely immersed in their world as well. While a biochemistry major might 

daydream about the hydrogen bonds in the river, an engineering major may contemplate the physics 

of the reflection of the water. An English major may consider the symbolism of water in The 

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and an environmental science major might gag over how 

contaminated The Trinity actually is. 

      We all perceive our surroundings through a lens, and what we expose ourselves to in our life 

molds our lenses. I let another sigh go as I took in my surroundings: the  calm river, the trees with 

rustling leaves. The relief of the breeze was brief, yet appreciated. After gathering my last thoughts 

of my reflection, we gathered our belongings and began our hike back to campus.

Definitions are subjective. Three individuals were asked their personal definitions of literature and civilization. The question posed was as follows: I am in a class called Literature and Civilization. What do you think literature is? What do you think civilization is?

"Literature is all the books that you should read but don't. Civilization is what happens when a whole bunch of people have some kind of formative story get together and all together don't read all the books that they should." - Philip Price, minister

 "I think literature is the stories and writings of a group of people throughout generations. Civilization is a group of people living in the same area" - Jessica Ranck, student  

"Literature is knowledge in the form of written material intended to enrich the mind and soul. Civilization is a unity of sentient beings to form a lasting community throughout existence" - Matt Anderson, local try-hard.