WHy am I here????

The first thing that po pped into my mind when I watched these modules was, "Holy mother of God this is extremely scary!" That was basically the gist of my thinking throughout the videos when it spouted statistics basically saying that Americans are extremely behind other countries learning wise. It makes me want to develope my critical thinking skills because I know that is an area that many Americans lack developement in and I know for a fact that, that is also my case. I wish that we could find an immediate solution to this problem but I do not see it because of the way so many politictians and the teacher's unions seem to be a roadblock of epic proportions!


And as for the second question... Why is Anna Fanelli here? My first thought was not even one I myself thought. It comes from my good ol' momma. She said, "Anna, I just know you are going to flourish here!" She also went on alot more but I shall reserve all the gooey I Love you stuff for myself. These words have played over in my head. I have been here only a week and everyday I just think, "Alright Anna, how can you flourish today?" I guess it is not all about me in the sense that of course other people are helping me reach my potential but I have also decided that oppurtunities will present themselves if I go and chase them. So I have decided I am here because I need to be. I need to be in this environment that not only nurtures me and helps me when I am feeling sad or homesick but also empowers women. It is nice to know that I am surrounded by strong independant women everyday. I like that I can feel comfortable without wearing makeup and speaking my mind in class. Although that never really stopped me before I feel as though it is even easier! But I also think I am on this planet to help people. I don't necessarily know how but I do know I love to listen and also just be there for others. I love to watch other people accomplish what they've always wanted or to at least know that I helped them succeed to that point. Call it cheesey or what have you but I have always been drawn to that. Well my rant about myself is pretty much over but it always help to clear my head once I see what I have put down on the computer screen! I think the next four years here are full of promise for me and I intend to make the most of it!

Classes CONNECTED!!

So I am involved in Women's studies right now and am presently surprised by how HUST and Women's Studies are connecting with all of this talk about women. Yes, we need to talk about women more! For one thing we are an all women's college and another reason is we just don't talk about women enough. In history and psychology all I ever hear is other girls moping on about the dumbness of men and the way in which they are just so hard to understand. Well men, your time of always being the the "talked" about gender is over for this one blog at least! For Virginia Woolf made it clear that women are capable of writing and having a clear voice that one should listen too. In my women's studies class we discussed Woolf's "A Room of One's Own" as well and it struck me that this book is not Woolf ranting about the unfairness that women go against, but rather the way in which it is harder in a society dominated by men to succeed in "male" fields of employment. This type of society is a patriarchal society. A term in which a society is male identified and dominated. It does not necessarily mean that men are aware of this type of society our western world is in because if they were aware it would take more then a few men to change such a widespread mode of thinking. This made me understand Woolf's point more of having that "room" to call one's own because it is a place in which thinking freely and intelligently is accepted because no one else can judge you for that. She then explains why it is so much harder to find this room because of women's lives are not their own. They are subject to their husbands and children. Their duties lie with them. Is that not also the same case today? Are not women always supposed to be the one when the husband gets home to comfort him after his long day. In "Gender Knot" Allan G Johnson describes just that. For men are autonomous creatures that do not share feelings. Therefore it is the woman's duty to make him feel better about his day and furthermore his life before she can even think or dwell on her very tough day. This is not meant to be a male bashing session. I just found it rather interesting the connection between HUSt and Women's studies and how women's roles have not changed much in the last one hundred years. The patriarchal society in which we all live makes sure of that. But it is certainly not all men's fault for if women ever had the upper hand in anything I am very certain I would not be complaining too much either.

Where I belong...

When I was siting and just plain pondering about a significant place that I really was able to be myself at, I immediately thought of home. Yes, it is a tad cliche and one does think of the sayings that are forever played in cheesy movies or love songs. But it is true for me. This place, my house and family is what truly makes me feel at my very best. I appreciate it even more now when I experience those first, hard pangs of homesickness. Sometimes I just want to curl up into a ball and wail for my Momma. But in five years, surprisingly enough, I see myself in another country, possibly Germany where I am sipping a latte and talking about the weather in the native tongue. I will smile nonchalantly at the passerbyes as if I am completely confident in the woman Saint Mary's shaped me to be. I will be wearing a flowing flowery dress with a button down white shirt. My hair will be pulled back into a flawlessly, casual bun with my signature scarf wrapped around my head. This woman I picture makes me believe in that I can in fact survive college for I was raised by Theresa Bossu and Bill Fanelli. They knew exactly what I would be able to achieve and they said that was basically anything. That makes me immediately picture this beautiful coffee shop and this strong, confident woman. I then begin to understand that these places that we cherish are the places that also shape us into who we are.



"Home, suddenly I'm home, home is when I'm with you."-Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros