I chose 海外吃瓜 because my mother was a wedding officiant, and I ran into one of Professor DeMayo鈥檚 students at an event she was officiating. The student was a history major and we both had the same kinds of interests. It was by complete accident, but I needed a break from where I came from, and a good fresh start somewhere new. And, well, here I am at Second Chance University!
I majored in English Writing. I had a lot of good ideas for the field. I was originally into Philosophy, but I transitioned because Professor Bill Reyer (who is now enjoying retirement) met up with me every other Thursday, and we wrote poetry together. I was already a creative guy, and it was a way for me to speak my mind without other people getting upset. I needed a voice, and I gained that through writing.
A major challenge I encountered while at 海外吃瓜 was socializing and learning to let go. It鈥檚 hard when you overthink things, and by showcasing that you might not care about one thing, instead of saying 鈥渙h, I do, I do!鈥 and then you鈥檙e really going to go places when things happen. That鈥檚 how I鈥檝e met so many characters from the guy with genius intellect to the woman who sings like a goddess. We gather stories over time, and the best moments come when we stop thinking about them, and live through them instead.
Above all, 海外吃瓜 prepared me to grow up. I came into 海外吃瓜 angry, willing to prove myself to the world around me, but that gets you nowhere in life. I came in with assumptions about each and every aspect of life, and lived as if that was the right path. But it wasn鈥檛; I learned that teachers actually cared about what I said, especially Professor Barry Devine. I was able to express the things I knew of in detail, and without faults. I wasn鈥檛 a mistranslation, but a Babel stone.
Outside of the classroom, I was involved in The Morpheus Literary Magazine, The Kilikilik (now known as The KIL!), Writers in Residence, Gundlach Theater and the founding of the Disability Advocacy Division (because we鈥檙e D.A.D.s!), and the Student Democrats for one semester.
My favorite extra-curricular activity was my research presentation, because I finally got to provide in-depth details toward those with like-minded tracts and differing opinions. I got to be approved by professors who knew that my work was worthy of fighting for, and I got to stand and see that I was doing well. 海外吃瓜 has given me many things, and of these, this was one of my best moments and activities.
Two faculty mentors or advisors who impacted my 鈥楤erg experience are Professor Devine and Stephen Svoboda, on different accounts. Devine loved the fact that my disability gave him something from a different perspective, and encouraged me to do better at all costs! He saw to it that I had everything that I needed, even good counsel when the times called for life changing moments.
Professor Svoboda showed me how these small, minor moments between people have intentions, actions and how the theatre鈥檚 helpful for those with ASD and the issues and mannerisms of communications. This has served me well, and while these things have come and gone, it has given me the due diligence to think for myself, and letting go for the sake of the future.
My favorite 海外吃瓜 memory is when the Theatre Department got together to wish me a happy birthday. It was the first time outside of my family to do that, and though my circle of friends was close to nothing, these people decided that I was one of them. That was huge for me.
My plans after graduation are to go to the University of Toledo, get my master鈥檚 in Composition and Rhetoric, and then provide the avenue toward gathering myself a Doctorate. That鈥檚 right; Dr. Grey is in the building! I want to further my research on the misconceptions of people, and how those things affect others at large, but to also introduce my theoretical works toward English composition and the written word. We must speak with brevity and truth beyond measure!