Group Presentations

When the group presentation was first assigned to us I can honestly say that I was the least bit enthused. I don't like group work. Never have, never will. I always feel as though the work is not distributed evenly and a group member or two end up picking up the slack. However this was far from the truth with the group I was in. I was very appreciative that they were understanding of me being out due to illness. When it came down to it and time to work everything flowed. We were able to buckle down for a few hours every time we met and stayed focus long enough to get the work completed. When the day of the presentation came I'd lost my voice and was quite upset. Even though I wasn't fully able to project I spoke as loud as I could. When we were finish I was thoroughly pleased with the presentation that we'd given.

First Semester

Now that I've practically completed my first semester I think about the goals I originally set, and my expectations of myself and school. Overall I can say that I did well with both my course load and my social life. In high school I had a hard time managing the two simultaneously. So its good to see I've grown in the sense of being able to balance the two. When I first got here I was nervous and insecure about myself, my work ability and social skills. I can confidently say that after the last ten weeks I've become a better person. Not in a serious life changing way, but i can tell that I've grown up some since leaving home. When you think about it that's apart of the college experience. Not just getting a degree and making connects, but growing as an individual in a different environment.

When I ran into my first bump in the road at Howard I briefly reconsidered if this was really the school for me. Now that I've become acclimated to school and slightly acclimated to D.C as a whole I'm pretty sure that I made a good decision. Yes there are some days where I wish I would have attended a state university, but then I think about how many more opportunities I will have because I chose Howard over Georgia State.

Warmth of Other Suns

   Isabel Wilkins made an appearance at Howard a few weeks back to discuss her book, Warmth of Other Suns. Three points she made during the discussion included: many of us would not be where we were had the great migration never happened, the great migration was the first time that African Americans decided that they had other options and that they would persue them, and in the making of this book Wilkins interviewed over 1200 people.
  Two things that Ms. Wilkins said that peaked my interest was that 6 million African Americans fled the south during the Great Migration and African Americans would be arrested if they were caught leaving. This was astonishing to see how a society that degraded African Americans so much actually needed them to keep society afloat.
   Her talk made the Great Migration more tangible to me. Normally we learn about these things through text books; however, she presented this topic through real experiences. It proves that the Great Migration isn't just a part of history but it lives it's legacy through African American's daily.

Kristen Bailey

Fall 2011

   My first semester of Howard University was filled with success both academically and socially. I feel like I adjusted very well to college life and I have become very well rounded. Many people talk about coming to DC and getting lost in the "Howard Bubble". I would say that this is very true and I have seen it happen; however, I feel like I've remained true to myself over the past few months. I would say that the most necessary part to overcoming this is knowing who you are. Although many people come to college to find themselves, one must have already discovered the foundation of who they are or else college will mold you into something completely different. Every experience should have an impact but should never fully change you as a person.
   Academically my first semester has been very successful. It has been a struggle with some classes, especially calculus, but I have overcome these obstacles. Starting classes right after the craze of freshman week did require an adjustment period; however, I learned to manage my time very wisely.
   Overall my first semester has been one of the most memorable four months of my life. I cannot wait to see what the rest of my college career will bring.

Kristen Bailey

Group Presentations

The group presentation project started off slowly. I was nervous about doing a group project, because I was unfamiliar with all of my group members, and I had no knowledge of their work ethic. My goal is to pass this class and get credit for it, and I was unsure of how focused and determined my other group members were. I also didn't know if we would work well together as a team, because no chemistry had been established.

The first day the group was scheduled to meet, I could only locate one of my fellow members. I was originally convinced that the other members just didn't come to class. Eventually I learned that they had been coming to class the entire time, but because neither me nor my other group member knew who they were, we couldn' identify them. Once we did, we all came together and began to work on the project. Once we got the ball rolling and became familiar with one another, the project began to come together. We decided to focus our presentation on George Washington Carver and Charles Drew.

We met up several times, and got the project completed in well enough time to be prepared for our presentation. On presentation day, everyone showed up and participated in the presentation. There wasn't much of an audience, but that was perfect for me. At the conclusion, we were told that we did well. After presenting we sat back down to watch the only remaining group present, but they didn't want an audience, so we left and went our separate ways. Overall, I feel that our group presentation was a success.

GROUP PRESENTATIONS

When I first heard about doing a group presentation I really didn’t want to do it. The reason why I felt this way was because of experiences that I had during my years in high school. I thought that getting together was going to be hard because everyone had different schedule. What I can say is that we made it happen. Although we did it very fast I think we still did a great job on answering the overall freshmen seminar question. I actually enjoyed my group members and the little time that we got to know each other. On the actual day of the presentation my group was the only ones prepared other than the group that didn’t want anyone in there. We felt that the project would be hard but once we all got together and started talking about what we knew then it was easier. I think I couldn’t of had any better group members than GROUP 16!!!

First Semester Experience

Wow! I can’t believe that my first semester is all most over. Overall Freshmen Seminar is my favorite class of the semester. The class gave me new insight on my heritage and culture. Several things that I didn’t know I learned during this class. Although it was hard for me to get use to the college life Freshmen Seminar made things easier because I was surrounded by other students that were going through the same thing that I was. The opportunities that I have at Howard I don’t think I could have got it from another historical black university. From the very beginning of class all the way to the end I was learning something new. What I enjoyed most from the class was actual learning how each lecture had something to do with the previous lecture and then how they all tied together at the end. At first I was wondering why I had to take this class although I didn’t get the answer directly I ended up finding out by myself. Also this semester I really realized that you really have to study because test are challenging. From now on I will study weeks ahead.

Isabel Wilkerson

Isabel Wilkerson, the author if this year's common text The Warmth of Other Suns visited Howard University on November 14, 2011. She discussed her book in detail and talked about how people of the south fled the Jim Crow laws and moved to the north,west and mid-west. She told of the petty crimes that whites would charge blacks with simply to keep them in submission to the whites. I appreciated Mrs. Wilkerson's visit to Howard, which is her alma mater. I enjoyed reading her book also. I was quite disappointed in my classmates and their conduct during her visit. Many students were talking and not taking the advantage of hearing a wonderful writer take the time out of her schedule to visit us. I feel embarrassed because although I was not engaged in this conduct, it was my class so inevitably it also includes me. I really hope that Mrs. Wilkerson did not feel insulted by the way we behaved. I feel as though we acted in an immature way, as high schoolers instead of the college students which we are. I hope in the future when we are privileged to have a speaker come to Howard we act in a more respectful manner.

First Semester at Howard University

What to say about my first semester at Howard University? It has indeed been an experience. This is the first time I have ever lived on my own and also outside of the state of Tennessee, so personally it has been a change in scenery. In Tennessee I live in the suburbs of majorly white people so being at Howard in D.C. has also been a culture shock , but I am glad that Howard is teaching me more about my culture. Academic wise, I feel that I am doing pretty well. For the most part I enjoy my professors, some aren't perfect, but they do their best. Some students complain about Howard and I ask them " do you know where you are?"I appreciate being at this historical landmark. I agree that Howard truly is "the Mecca". Before coming to Howard I didn't know all the historical events that took place on its campus. I honestly didn't know a thing about Howard. I'm glad that I chose to come Howard. Don't get me wrong, Howard is not perfect, but what school is? I feel Howard does what it was meant for; it empowers blacks to accomplish their goals while also becoming enriched in their culture which a lot of us seem to lose sight of, living in a world that is not focused on African-Americans. I would definitely recommend high school seniors to apply to Howard and experience "the Mecca".

Group Presentations

To be honest, the groups in our cohorts were really unorganized. Not saying the individual groups were unorganized, but there were groups in our cohort who were not supposed to be in our cohort so I did not get to see them present. On the day of my group presentation, my group presented and the only group there to present after us asked that we not stay and watch their presentation so I did not get to view any presentations in my cohort. In the beginning, I actually did not appreciate this project. I didn't want to work with a group or have to do extra work. I was just being lazy, but after actually meeting with my group and getting to know each of my group members, each of them I had never met before, I became engaged in the project. I don't think the point of the project was to simply present information,but in reality we acted out what we were trying to present. The members of my group and I took on a communal responsibility and took knowledge we already knew and transformed into information that those who saw our presentation might not have known. Overall, I appreciate Freshman Seminar as a whole. Although some Tuesday mornings I didn't want to come to class, every week I was, as Dr. Gbadagesin says," In for a treat".

Homecoming 2011

As a freshman I know that I personally had A LOT of high expectations as far as the events and activities that surrounded homecoming. After being told endlessly by other students, family friends, and older alum about the "great HU homecoming" I was slightly disappointed. I did have my share of fun however nothing really lived up to its hype. It may be because I had a lot of preconceived notions, or because I've been told about the grandeur of homecoming since I told people I was applying for school.

To start most of the ticket prices were out of my budgeted range. Fifty dollars for a step show plus transportation there seemed unrealistic. One because I am a (relatively) broke college student, and two because I could just wait for my classmates to buy the tickets and then resale them, which is what I did in most cases. Another reason homecoming wasn't as spectacular as expected was the celebrities. Yes they were great however they weren't the ones I grew up with nor were they in the limelight currently with the exception of two or three. Once I got passed that and realized that homecoming is what you make of it I enjoyed myself. Homecoming left a lot to be desired but all in all I wouldn't say that the prestige team failed (they just need a little improvement).

My First Homecoming..

   My first Howard Homecoming... It was exciting and at some points anticlimactic, but overall it was a well appreciated experience. My best friend from home, Sabrina, flew in to help me celebrate. It has been months since I've seen her so her presence alone was enough to make my weekend enjoyable. I didn't attend any events during the week so homecoming truly started on Friday for me.
   Yardfest was more than expected. Not because of the performances but because of the abundance of food. The multiple options left me in a gluttonous bliss. Although Jeezy and Wale are great performance I didn't have the opportunity to see them because we had to leave early to make it to the r&b concert.
   The R&B concert of course didn't start on time; however, I know from the experience that I will be purchasing Melanie Fiona's CD when it's released. Friday night after the concert was an experience to say the least; but not an enjoyable one.
   Saturday's events topped those of the night before and my entire day was filled with entertainment. There was never a dull moment from 9AM Saturday morning to 5AM Sunday morning. Overall my weekend was more than fun and I am overjoyed for next year's homecoming.
Kristen Bailey

HOMECOMING!!!!

The only thing I can say is WOW!!!! I have never been apart of something so marvelous. This was a different experience for me because college homecoming is on a whole nother level than high school. I really did not know what to expect because this was my first college homecoming experience. It was like a festival. People were everywhere and the traffic was ridiculous. Although I did not get the entire experience it still was something new. I was excited because my family came and I have not seen them in about four months. We all just hung out in the yard and enjoyed the food and the music. We also got up early on Saturday and went to the parade. The parade was like the start of the day. It got us excited for what was to come later on in the day. The students that participated in the parade did a wonderful job. They were excited and they danced and marched with everything they had and I applaud them for a great show. That was basically all I did at Howard for homecoming because I decided to go to my brothers homecoming at the Naval Academy. Maybe next year I can get the full experience.

Niesha Bush

Freshman Seminar Overview

My overview of Freshman Seminar as a course is a positive one. I feel that freshman seminar has opened my eyes to be a more well- rounded African- American. Just a few days ago, I was having a conversation with a friend and I began to go into detail of how every individual has a communal responsibility.

Freshman Seminar has shown me a different view of how I should see how I fit into the world. I should expect out of myself, not only for myself to succeed, but the community around me to succeed with me because it is my responsibility to give back to the environment from which I came.

I have grown a respect and appreciation for Freshman Seminar and now when I look back, I am glad that it is a required course for all COAS students. Even doing these blogs every week was a good experience. These blogs allow for a reflection of how you actually felt about the lectures and your interpretations. I'm curious to see how my group project turns out, but nonetheless excited.

Jesseca Farr

iPhone 4S Rush!

Friday, October 14th was the day that the new iPhone was released. I had been planning on receiving one of these iphones but I'd missed the presale date, so my plan was to get up early Friday morning and try to get in line for one. I worked late Thursday night and had uncompleted homework due Friday, but I was determined to get my phone.

After work, I got back to my dorm around 1am Friday and began doing my homework. The apple store informed me the previous day that in order to get a phone, my best bet would be to be at the store (which opens at 8am) by 6am. I ended up doing my homework until 4am, taking a shower, and hopping on the bus (skipping sleep) just to make sure I didn't oversleep. Dozing off on the bus, I make it to Georgetown around 6:10am. There's already a line! I thought that by getting to the store before the sun even came up, I'd be at least waiting in front of the store. No dice.

News cameras and police were on the scene as well. I ended up in line about 200 yards away from the store, standing beside a lady and her canine companion. I was tired and bored, so to occupy myself I ended up playing with her dog to pass the time. Eventually Apple employees came out and started taking questions from consumers, streamlining the process which would allow us to get in and out the store faster. Apple employees also began passing out free coffee, water and donuts, which was a nice touch. Eventually, the clock struck eight and it was on!

Customers started filing into the store and making their purchases, finding their time and money well spent. After waiting about 5 minutes I was allowed into the store, and I bought my 16gb black iPhone4s! Its been 2 days, and I must say I'm in love with this phone. The rest of my weekend was spent playing with my new phone, which i thoroughly enjoyed.

M.L.K Memorial Dedication

The Martin Luther King Jr., Memorial Dedication is one of the best ways to celebrate a person of life, dreams, and legacy. This is a way that we as African Americans can show our appreciation to a man of integrity. What makes this moment so historical is that the memorial is the first in Washington, D.C to be dedicated to a person of color. King was a man of hope, love, justice, peace, and democracy.

President Obama spoke so well of King. He mentioned the things that we have overcome and yet more to come. It’s not about what we haven’t overcome but what we will overcome. Its time for us to stop complaining and get out and do what is right for African American rights. One of the things that we have to understand is there were people that paid the way for us. So what we have to do is work and fight for the things that will help the generations to come.

Niesha S.Bush

Passing Time...

With midterms finally here I've been reflecting heavily on my past few months here at Howard University. In high school, we often hear about and experience friends going to college and changing. A year ago I thought of this change in a negative light; however, after experiencing it personally I've realized change is a necessary part of life and isn't always negative. College students are forced to embrace a new lifestyle, new friends, and a new environment. It is human nature to adapt to new surroundings. While I try my hardest to keep up with people and friends back home, I find myself drowning in time conflicts. Here at Howard University there is never a dull moment. Being my first year I want to experience everything I can here and keep up with my schoolwork but I always feel as though I am being suspended between two worlds: my roots in California and my new life in DC. With the time change and schedule conflicts I am never able to have a full conversation with absent friends. Although I know I have not fully mastered this feat, I am trying hard to keep up with everything.
   One thing I know that will bring me back to the sanity I felt in California is my best friend coming to visit for homecoming. She goes to Xavier in Louisiana and I feel as though there is never enough time for us to talk anymore. Through everything she would always keep me sane and I am beyond elated that we will be able to reunite this weekend. Thinking about it makes me want to cry. I know through everything, even though we are not able to talk everyday and most times every week, she will always be my best friend.

Kristen Bailey

Practices of Freedom and Justice: A Charge to Keep

The speaker of this week's class presentation was Ms. Kimberly Worthy. She is a renowned educator, who's received "Teacher of the Year" awards at every school she's been to. Her topic for this week was "Practices of Freedom and Justice: A Charge to Keep" During this lecture, Ms. Worthy discussed the importance of teaching, as well as the various ways teaching is executed. She compared the way that students are taught in American schools with the way African students are taught. In America, we are taught information in a compartmentalized fashion, grouping and learning information by subjects. African students are taught information collectively, at the same time.

African students learn how everything is connected, and it's importance in society as a whole. African students seem more eager to learn than American students, because they understand how much of a privilege the opportunity to receive an education is. Another thing taught in African classrooms, is the importance of culture. In America, we learn very little about our own people in Africa. One of the reasons there is a disconnect between African-Americans and Africa is because of ignorance. Our school books contain very little of our heritage and culture.

I thoroughly enjoyed this class lecture, and it made me realize that our way may not necessarily be the best way. I believe that if we were taught similarly to how African students are taught, collectively we would be able to grasp real-world concepts and apply the knowledge we gain to tasks in our everyday lives. It also made me realize how much we as African-Americans take for granted. We should want to know more about our history, and take the steps necessary to make that a reality.

Miss Evers' Boys

The play titled "Miss Evers' Boys" was about a group of blacks who were selected to participate in a study for syphilis. This was known as the Tuskegee Experiments, and went on in the 1930s'. The government deceived the participants by leading to believe that they were being treated for the disease, when in reality they were not. The main characters of the play all had the disease, and one even had HIV/AIDS. They start off receiving "treatment" as normal, but after a while the funding for the program is cut short. The subjects are proposed the idea of allowing the doctors to monitor the effects of the disease, and compensating them for it later. Two of the main characters end up dying, and one has suffered greatly from the effects of not receiving treatment for the syphilis. The other main character was treated effectively.

This play made me think about how unfairly african-americans were treated in this country, even after slavery. It was later declared that conducting human experiments is illegal, but for them to even attempt to try using us as guinea pigs is degrading. The case of Troy Davis is a more recent example of the unfair treatment we as african-americans receive. We are fed misinformation and lies all the time, just as the black men of the Tuskegee experiments were then, as displayed in Miss Evers' Boys. These thoughts were accompanied by the thought that we as African-Americans have to be strong-willed and determined, because everything is shifted away from our favor. We have to work twice as hard to achieve the success and/or recognition of our white counterparts, which has made us stronger individuals. I believe that if we could come together as a unit, as we have in the past, we can put a stop to this type of treatment.

Miss Evers' Boys

Miss Evers' Boys tells the story of four men who instill their trust in a nurse from a similar background as them as they receive "free doctoring" if they take place in a government study of Negroes . This particular crew of men are chosen because they have what is known to them as "bad blood". After a few mere blood test their "bad blood" is diagnosed as syphilis. The men then decide it is in their best interest to take part in the study. At first the studies intentions are well, they treat the men with care in efforts to cure the growing syphilis epidemic. Once funding runs short the team of doctors decide that they will continue to study the men but instead of trying to cure them they will monitor the damaging effects of syphilis in black men. The study keeps the men by promising them life insurance and keeping them around with false pretenses like "back shots". Forty years later two of the men have died, and the other two have survived. One of which has suffered greatly from not being administered penicillin when it became readily available.

After watching the play I thought about other times in African-American history where as a people we were lied to, mistreated, and abused only to be made examples out of. It would be nice to say that racism like this doesn't still exist. However it does. Instances like "Jena 6", Troy Davis, and many more happen all the time sadly. Some go unreported, others receive national response. And though it seems as if we keep fighting for causes like this we cant stop there. We as a people shouldn't have to wait until its too late to step in and protest. Stories like "Miss Evers' Boys" angers me because the government would never (in a hundred years) allow that to happen to a group of country white men. All of these examples are reasons why as a people we need to come together. As its been said many times African Americans must stop acting like crabs in a barrel.