Artifact 5:

The Module 12 item to archive activity was very interesting. I am listing this as my 5th favorite of the semester due to the self reflection that it caused me. The activity spoke about your predominant body language. After some reflection, it came to my understanding that I do not have the most favorable body language. I feel as though this is due to my own personality and insecurities. I often find that I stand in an insecure way. For example, I often have bad posture, and commonly have crossed arms. I think that this is reflective of myself due to the fact that I struggle with many different insecurities. I am very shy, not very outspoken, and often have social anxiety. I find that it is easy for me to feel uncomfortable when I am in an uncommon environment. If there are a lot of strangers present, I generally feel insecure and anxious. Through this activity I learned about myself and how I represent myself to others. I think this activity allowed for me to be able to reflect and attempt to make some changes for myself. I want to conduct my body language in a more positive way. I look forward to correcting this negative body language quality.

Artifact 4:

The item to archive activity for Module 13 involved finding an image that represents something that makes you happy. For me, that would be country music. Everyone has a genre a music that is their favorite. Country is most definitely mine. Country music is something that I can always count on when I need a mood booster. It makes me so happy. When I am stressed or anxious, country music can calm me down. In the activity for module 13’s item to archive, we were asked if we think different things make you happy at different times of your life. I think the answer to that is yes. I think everyone goes through phases where they crave certain things. Different people have different cravings. Some people crave money or love for happiness. I feel as though all of us are guilty of those different cravings. I think that the desired happiness can relate to your physical health. I think happy people are often healthier medically. Someone’s mental state greatly affects their health. I also think that physical health can contribute to one’s happiness. I think they both go hand in hand. But all in all, I know that country music is something that makes me happy, and thus, contributes to my health. I think that was the greatest thing I learned throughout this item to archive activity.

Artifact 3:

In module 6, the item to archive activity involved drawing a significant experience that occurred in your childhood that made you into the person you are today. Although my experience was not a very happy one, it is definitely one that has shaped me into the person I am today. The picture that I drew represents my parents divorce. My father had an affair and left when I was two. This resulted in my parents getting a divorce. My mom was then left to pick up the pieces of our family. She became a single mom and did most of the raising of me. Although I still saw my dad when we had visitation hours, it was always my mom that I relied on. She was the one that was always there for me. She coached my sports teams, was at every parent-school event, and even was the one that taught me how to drive. My mother was my rock. What I got out of this “negative” childhood experience is an appreciation for my mother. She did it all on her own, and as a result, raised a successful daughter. She has taught me how to be an independent woman. I know how to take care of myself and how to do it happily. I owe so much to my mom. She has been such an influence on my life and my own individual values. I chose this item to archive as one of my top 5 due to the appreciation I have for my mother. Without her, I wouldn’t be half of the woman that I am today.

Artifact 2:

In module 5, we were asked to provide a picture that either showed our caregiver, or represented a value that we cherish. I chose a picture of my church. My church is called “Jesus the Divine Word”. This is my home church which is back home. I provided this as my “value” because my religion is something that I am very passionate about. It is something that has shaped me to be the person I am today, and it is something that will always be a big part of my life. I get most of my values from my religion. I was baptized and raised Catholic. Although I don’t necessarily agree with all of the Catholic teachings, I do stand for the values that they possess. Some of these values include treating all people with respect, being kind to one another, and always looking on the bright side. These views and values have provided me with a positive outlook on life. I feel as though I am a better and happier person because of them. That is the primary reason as to why I chose this as my second favorite artifact. It is something that truly represents who I am.

Artifact 1:

In module 3, we were asked to find an object that relates to our culture. I thought that a picture of my family was the best thing to be able to represent myself and my culture. My family is where I came from. They are the people that make my who I am, and that is why this is my favorite artifact. All people and cultures are different. Not one family or person celebrates the same way or partakes in the same traditions. That is part of why one’s culture is so special. This picture was taken last Thanksgiving. That day, we had partaken in one of our favorite holidays together. We have our own tradition of cooking together and then sitting down to enjoy the meal together. Often after our meal, we will sit at the kitchen table and play boardgames until we are so tired that we can’t keep our eyes open. I think our tradition is a fine example of how all cultures are diverse and unique. This is simply one of our traditions, however, others have vastly different ones.