This semester, we will work collaboratively in this course and across our First Year Learning Community (FYLC). To get to know each other better, please add a comment to this post introducing yourself to the class. Think of what we did in class as verbal drafting for this comment, which can include more information, ideas, and even some links or images. You could use the ideas about what makes you happy or inspires you as a starting point and then include your academic interests, and what your focus will be, what you enjoy reading, listening to, watching, and doing in your spare time, what you like to cook or eat, what the furthest away youāve ever traveled, where you like to spend time, or anything else you want to share, include your pronouns, if you wish. Aim to write an introduction that’s approximately 150 words (that’s a goal, not a requirement).
Remember that you do not need to use your real name in this commentāif you are signed in, your display name will be autogenerated as the author of the comment, so no need to add it.
Also, remember that even if you donāt have an OpenLab account, you can still complete this assignment because you can still add a comment! If you havenāt been able to sign up for an account, you can still do this work by adding your comment and filling in the Name and Email fieldsāthe name you use will show, so feel free to just use your initials; your email address will only display for the course instructors.
Please add your introduction after we meet in class on Monday.
Get to know your classmates better by reading the comments! Do you have something in common? Did you learn something? Reply to any of your classmatesā comments.
Hi everyone! My name is Jody R. Rosen and I use she/her/hers pronouns. I usually use my middle initial (R) because thereās another Jody Rosen who writes about music and pop culture, but Iām not him! Also my middle initial is in my City Tech email address, so I think that keeps things clearer.
Iāve taught in the FYLC program for a long time, with departments such as Communication Design (COMD), Architectural Technology (ARCH), and Hospitality Management (HMGT), as well as with Public Speaking (COM) in Humanities (HUM), as well as with the relatively new City Tech 101.
I am a native New Yorker and love seeing new places and taking photographs, using skills I learned when I worked with a photography class in my first few years teaching in the FYLC program. I donāt have to travel far to enjoy seeing new things or seeing things from a different vantage point. I love photographing things that donāt always mean to be beautifulālike the lichen that grows on trees and wooden benches and rocks; flowers and plants; interesting juxtapositions or vantage points; and other things that catch my eye.
Iām one of the OpenLab co-directors and a professor in the English Department, and I have a PhD in English from the CUNY Graduate Center. But as an undergraduate at Brown University, I double-majored in English and Biology. People used to ask me if I wanted to write science textbooks, seeing that as a way to combine my majors. I had no interest in that, but I do like using science in my creative writing, and as a metaphor in my literary and gender-studies scholarship (mostly focused on the early 20th century). My research lately focuses more on teaching and learning and on open digital pedagogy and the OpenLab. Iām also expanding into researching detective fiction set in the 1920s, or more broadly detective fiction with a focus on community. Iām always interested in mentoring undergraduate research on any of these topics.
If you have any questions for me, want to learn more about what I do, or just want to talk, feel free to reach out to me, or reply to me here!
My name is Madeleni Flores, a lot of people know me as Maddy. My pronouns are her/she. Iām 19 years old. Born and raised in New York City. My father and Mother are both Ecuadorian descent. I graduated in the year of 2022. One of my favorite artists is Lana Del Rey.In my spare time I like taking my cat for walks in his stroller and getting bubble tea. What makes me happy is thinking of my future. One of my goals is to have a career in something I love and to take care of my parents.Someone who inspires me is my dad. He inspires me in so many ways because even though he didnāt go to school nor knows how to read and write he came to this country and got his āAmerican dreamā. After high school I took a gap year and got a job as a certified nurse assistant also known as a CNA. My experience as a CNA opened many experiences for me. I learned about catheters, colostomy bags and IVs. I also experience death within my job. Before going into nursing my mind was set to become a radiologist technician but after working in a rehabilitation center, after working with LPNs and RNās I realized that I wanted to climb the ladder of nursing, I wanted to become a CRNA ( Certified registered nurse anesthesiologist). I still keep in contact with some of my patients and their family members.
Hello, my name is Keitonia Seaton, and I used she/her pronouns. I’m 19 years old and I’m a Capricorn if you’re into things like that. I was raised in Florida, but I love New York very much, due to its fast-paced people and city life. Mostly I love being the main character on the subway to school, my favorite artist to listen to on my Q train rides to school is Frank Ocean, currently, especially since he’s a New Yorker himself.
Academically I’m still very much all over the place since I have so many interests but I’m currently majoring in Health and Administration due to my interest in the medical field. What makes me interested in the medical field is just because I enjoyed science growing up and working with people is one of my good skills. But I can’t stomach the idea of bodily fluids so I had to look for other options other than nursing. Other than school I enjoy exercising, walking, and drawing. Other than dreaming about my future job and what life will look like I currently work with kids, most of the time they are fun to be around and remind me to enjoy life through the small things. I think what made me realize I didn’t want to work with kids entering college is that I don’t want to raise the future generation if that makes any sense.
Thanks for sharing these great introductions about yourselves, Madeleni and Keitonia! It’s great to read about how you’re thinking about people in your lives, spaces you spend time, and the goals you have for your career. I also love the juxtaposition between Madeleni, your experience as a CNA and Keitonia, your aversion to bodily fluids! It’s a great example of how there are different paths within the health fields. Not everyone is going to start college and go directly to becoming an RN–there are other steps along the way, or other paths entirely that offer the opportunity to help people in need of healing.
So many students in the class are planning careers in health fields that it would be great to see all the different paths you are imagining for yourselves–maybe you’ll even realize a different path is the better one for you!
Looking forward to reading more of your introductions! And also, please don’t include any personal details you’re not comfortable sharing!
Hello, my name is Racquel Rose. Many know me by the name Rocky. My pronouns are she/her. I am 18 years old and I was born and raised in the Bronx. Both my mom and dad are of Jamaican descent. I am a dancer. At the age of 6 I discovered my love for dance and as the years went on my love for dance has only grown stronger. If I had to say who my all time favorite artist is, I would definitely say it is Nicki Minaj. One of the reasons why she is my favorite artist is because of her musical diversity. Nicki Minaj is well known for her rapping but she is also a good singer. I personally love when an artist doesn’t stick to their natural vibe, it shows that they’re open to hearing how they might sound in a different aspect. Something that makes me happy would have to be my ability to make others happy and to be able to make them laugh. I love to be silly and get out of my comfort zone, especially around those who I get comfortable with.
As far as my academic goals and inspirations. One thing that is at the top of my list is to earn my nursing degree. My mom is an RN and being able to see her do something that she loves everyday just motivates me even more to get that degree. My dream is to be able to provide that help to people who are in need, not just physical help but also mental help. I am currently enrolled as a Pre Health student and I am willing to do whatever it takes to get into the Nursing program and earn the degree.
Another fun fact about me has to be my love for kids. For the past two years I have had the opportunity to work at a summer camp as a Lead Counselor. While sometimes kids can have their moments and be a bit challenging, I really did enjoy being able to take care of them and to also have fun with them.
My name is Amanda, my pronouns is she/her. I want to get to know the type of adult my classmates want to be for themselves. Describing myself, I am understanding, relaxed, open minded, evolving and a very chill person overall. My major is nursing, itās a field that caught my attention in high school while taking epidemiology in collage. I used to play volleyball, basketball and soft ball during my young teenage years. I was born and mostly raised in Brooklyn but I shortly moved to Manhattan. During my free time I like to listen to music and maybe choreograph something. I did a lot of choreographing in my middle school and high school, Dancing was my biggest passion and probably could still be if I continue to have effort for it.
After collage I might want to travel the world and use my studies in other places. I donāt have a dream job but i plan to learn as much as I can about the major Iām studying and see for myself if thatās the direction I want to take my life if not at least I had the experience and I could then study another major and get a degree for it. Iām really excited to see the type of adult Iām going to be for myself. The reason why Iām excited is mostly because I almost canāt believe that Iām becoming one already. One weakness I have is my mood mode changes, meaning I could be in the mood to do the work one day and then next day I wonāt be.Thatās only because Iām still adjusting until school mode overall.
^* Thatās only because Iām still adjusting for school mode overall.