Page 4 – The Waltonian

Midterm season is upon us, and it seems as though we’re drowning in a sea of papers, tests, projects, presentations, review packets, and study guides. With all of this work building up, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by it all, but there several things you can do to stay motivated and get all of your work and studying done.

Breaking up your work into small, manageable chunks is one way to alleviate stress and prevent burnout. Look at your schedule and plan out 20 to 30 minute sections where you can devote your attention to one task. Whether that be studying a vocabulary list, outlining a paper, rereading a chapter of a textbook, make sure that your goal is realistic and manageable, and write it down. You’ll be surprised that there’s less to do than you think! Just make sure that you’re dedicated to working through those blocks of time, which means removing distractions like social media by putting your phone elsewhere and blocking certain websites on your computer for that time period.

You can also find a way to reward yourself for completing certain tasks, like watching one episode of your favorite TV show after you submit a paper or buying yourself a candy bar once you’ve memorized a certain process or list of terms that you’ve been struggling with for a while. In rewarding yourself for completing bigger tasks like these, you’ll be more motivated to keep going because your brain will begin to associate the completion of tasks and assignments with fun and enjoyment. If you’ve tried this method on your own and ended up rewarding yourself before you completed a task or a milestone because you simply couldn’t resist the temptation of chocolate and Netflix, then have a friend that you trust to be responsible hold you accountable and make sure you’re actually working towards the goals and rewards that you set for yourself.

It helps, too, to find a productive place to work. Environment plays a huge role in motivation. If a place is too loud, too quiet, too crowded, too empty, too bright, or too dark, it can be hard to be able to really focus and invest time and effort in what you want to get done. For some people, that place is their desk in their room because it’s quiet and it’s a space that’s specifically theirs. Sometimes being too close to a comfy bed can end up becoming a distraction though, so it’s good to find multiple places where you can work peacefully and still be inspired to keep going. This can be a table in the library or the Jammin’ Java, a coffee shop off campus, a park, an empty classroom, or anywhere you’re able to best focus on your work and the tasks at hand.

One of the most important ways to stay motivated is to remind yourself of why you’re working and why it’s important that your assignments and studying get done effectively. Take a few moments and write down a list of why the work you’re doing matters. Is it going to make you a better academic, a better teacher, a better engineer, a better scientist, a better person? How are the information and skills you’re learning and applying through these tests, papers, and projects going to help you in the near or distant future? Once you know what it is you’re striving for and why the work you’re doing is important, your goals will become much clearer and easier to work towards.

Of course, if you’re still feeling lost, stressed, and overwhelmed, there are plenty of resources on campus available to help. You can talk to your professors and ask questions, sign up for a tutoring session, visit the writing center, and make a counseling appointment whenever you need to. The faculty and your peers want to see you succeed and put your best foot forward, so as we’re heading into midterm season, keep your chin up and know that you’ve got this and you’re not alone.

Little Women. It’s a story that’s been admired since its publication in 1868. And now, this timeless classic is now making its way onto the stage of McInnis Auditorium.

But what goes into the making of a musical, especially when it’s based on a beloved tale of sisterhood, love, and family that’s been passed down for generations? Morgan Leavy, who plays the role of Jo March, was able to talk about her experiences auditioning and rehearsing for the production.

Little Women isn’t the first production that Leavy has been a part of. Throughout her undergraduate studies, Leavy has been in every mainstage production at her former school, Hesston College, for the two years she was there, as well as playing roles in Eastern’s productions of Peter and the Starcatcher, The Three Sisters, and Into the Woods. Despite her previous experience with theater, the audition process for Little Women was different than the other auditions she’s participated in. “We had a pre-audition before [winter] break because we have a newer department head. She didn’t have a show chosen for the spring, so we had the pre-audition to figure out the show,” Leavy said.

The actual audition consisted of singing 16 to 32 bars of music from a song of the student’s choosing, as well as a cold reading from the script for several different characters so that the director, Professor Abdelmalek, could decide what characters you would play best. “I felt pretty confident going into this audition. Normally, I feel pretty nervous, but I feel like I’ve done this more and more times, and I felt more and more comfortable which is nice. The night that I had to audition, we didn’t have a pianist because he got stuck in major traffic, so I had to sing acapella, and that was the only thing that was a little bit nerve wracking because you don’t plan for that,” Leavy said. After the initial auditions, there were then two nights of callback auditions: one night for script readings and one night for musical auditions.

Once the cast list was made, rehearsals began, taking place most nights of the week, including six hour long rehearsals on Saturdays. As one of the four March sisters, Leavy’s character Jo is in almost every scene, meaning that she has to attend almost every rehearsal. “Every rehearsal is different. We split it up so each rehearsal kind of has its own goal. Sometimes we have choreography rehearsals, we have music rehearsals, and we have blocking rehearsals. That’s what it’s like for the first couple weeks,” Leavy said. With more practice comes more familiarity with the script, songs, and choreography, and soon, the rehearsals shift from split up rehearsals to walkthroughs of the plays, going through each act like it would be performed.

According to Leavy, the rehearsals are full of cast bonding and laughter, with students from previous shows returning as well as students who are brand new to acting with Eastern’s theater department. “We have a lot of jokesters in our midst, like Michael Cross, Bryan Eltman, and Jake Craig. They are always cracking jokes, and we’ve had a lot of fun with this script because there are lots of times for laughs,” Leavy said. Though the show has its jokes, it also brings up messages about the importance of women in society and the importance of family. “I really hope that the audience takes away this sense of empowerment and also a sense of loving and family,” Leavy said.

You can see the performance of Little Women on March 26th through March 28th, so be sure to support this hardworking cast and all of the effort they’ve put into making this show possible.

Eastern University’s motto, “Faith, Reason, and Justice,” is something we’re all striving for during our time here. One student in particular embodies all three of these values through her studies and her free time.

Mei Moerder is a sophomore with a wide variety of interests. She started her academic career as a double major in Bible and Theology, but recently switched her major to Math. “I took astronomy my freshman year, and I fell in love with it and quickly realized that might be what I want to do at some point – something in the math branch … something to do with the stars,” Moerder said. Though she’s now pursuing math full-time, she’s still balancing reason with faith by minoring in both Bible and Theology, taking classes on spirituality alongside classes in calculus.

Aside from the beautiful campus, one of the main things that drew Moerder to Eastern is the school’s focus on working toward justice. “As I started to look more into Eastern, I saw how big the community was: how everyone knows everyone, and everyone cares for everyone, and I really loved how much the school actually tried to get people involved with justice and get involved with clubs like IJM [International Justice Mission] or YACHT [Youth Against Complacency and Homelessness Today] or Prison Ministry,” Moerder said.

Her desire to pursue justice carries through into her extra curricular activities. Moerder has been involved with YACHT ever since her freshman year. “I wanted YACHT to be my service learning site my freshman year, but I couldn’t because it was too full. But I went on every outing pretty much, and I fell in love with it the first time. I wanted to lead it this semester as well, but I couldn’t with my scheduling,” Moerder said.

She didn’t let that stop her from going on weekly outings to talk to those experiencing homelessness in Philadelphia, and this semester, she was offered a position as a co-leader of YACHT alongside Mary Johnson, Connie Hrdina, and Chris Yanak. “They asked me to lead this semester, and I had to say yes because I really wanted to… That’s been a lot of fun to be able to work with such great people,” Moerder said. Now she’s working with the rest of the YACHT leaders to organize and fundraise for their upcoming missions trip to Washington D.C., which will take place over spring break.

When she’s not studying or helping to serve the community, Moerder enjoys spending her free time reading, writing, playing guitar, and extending her passion for community by hanging out with friends and getting to know new people on and off campus.

While she’s not sure she knows exactly what she wants to do after graduation, Moerder is looking forward to figuring that out alongside her friends. “I’m excited honestly to just see where everyone, including me and my friends, will all go in their lives, because college is a really exciting time for all of us, and it’s also very stressful because we don’t know what we’re doing in the next five years or so, so I feel like it’s going to be really fun in the next few years or few months to see where we’re all directing our lives,” Moerder said.

With her emphasis on balancing faith and reason and her love for pursuing justice, I’m sure that Moerder is going to accomplish great things in the months and years to come!

Now that the semester is in full swing and work is piling up, it’s easy to feel like there are no good ways to relieve stress, especially if you’re not particularly artsy. Some of the most commonly recommended forms of stress relief have to do with drawing, painting, singing, writing, and dancing, but there are plenty of other creative ways to decompress and relax that don’t require a high level of skill in those areas.

Though there are many mental health benefits to keeping a journal, like being able to get all of your thoughts and feelings out safely onto paper, it’s not for everyone. Sometimes it’s hard to write your feelings down in your own words. Sometimes other people’s words work just as well. Keeping a song lyric journal allows you the freedom to not have to worry about what you’re going to write, and it gives you an opportunity to listen to and reflect on music that you really like. I’ve been keeping a song lyric journal for a little while now, and it’s interesting to look back and see what songs I was drawn to at different times. There are even times when writing down lyrics makes me want to write more, so I add little notes explaining why I like a certain song or certain phrase, what it reminds me of, and how I feel listening to it.

Similarly, creating a new playlist can also help settle your nerves. It’s always nice finding that perfect arrangement of songs that go together and encompass your current mood, bring a fond memory, or make you smile!

Spending time with friends is great for relieving stress when you all need a break. Taking a walk together and taking pictures of anything interesting you see along the way helps you get fresh air and exercise to boost your mood as well as memories you can look back on. If walking is not your speed, try baking something together in the KaGe. You can catch up with friends and enjoy some freshly made sweet treats. After all, “stressed” spelled backwards is “desserts”!

There are plenty of easy and fun ways to relieve stress without being a writer, singer, dancer, or artist, and these ideas only scratch the surface. So go take some time to relax and be creative!

If you’re anything like me, this time of year makes you want to stay inside and curl up with a blanket and a cup of tea to stay warm and out of the elements. However, staying inside for prolonged periods of time, even if you’re active, can have negative effects on your health. According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, people need exposure to sunlight everyday in order to stay healthy.

Sunlight provides us with vitamin D, an essential nutrient that increases the absorption of calcium in the blood, making our bones stronger. If someone has a prolonged vitamin D deficiency, they could develop osteoporosis as their bones aren’t absorbing enough calcium and therefore beginning to wear away in certain areas.

Aside from maintaining bone strength, vitamin D also prevents infections such as influenza, bronchitis, tuberculosis and more. It may also prevent some forms of cancer.

It’s no surprise then as to why influenza and bronchitis are more prevalent in the winter than they are in the spring or summer; because it’s cold, people are less likely to go outside in the sun, and less sun means less vitamin D.

Though winter in Pennsylvania is no tropical paradise, studies show that even 10 to 15 minutes of being outdoors everyday can have numerous health benefits related to vitamin D. That’s about the length of a short walk around campus!

Aside from physical health benefits, getting outside also has mental health benefits. Staying inside all day with artificial lighting can readjust your melatonin levels. Melatonin is a hormone that works alongside light to affect our sleep cycle. Indoor lights are much dimmer than sunlight and can be controlled so that they’re turned on or off at any hour of the day. The dimness of the lights makes it harder for your body to distinguish between day and night, and if the lights are kept on well into the night, your melatonin levels will adjust to fit that schedule and routine instead of the natural sunrise and sunset.

So by increasing the time you spend outside, not only will your bones be stronger and your body be more prepared against illnesses, but you will be more likely to have a regularized melatonin schedule that can help you sleep better and more routinely, increasing your overall energy and mood as well as combating Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Now go and bundle up, sled, skate, take a walk and admire the beauty of the winter landscape with the knowledge that every minute spent outdoors this season is leading to a happier, healthier you!

Source: ncbi.gov

Nov. 16 to Nov. 24 is National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness week, and one organization on campus, Youth Against Complacency and Homelessness Today (YACHT) has planned an entire week of events centered on raising awareness for these issues.

“This week is mainly centered around putting a human face to those who are often labeled as ‘the homeless’ and ‘the poor.’ In other words, HAHA week is about coming together as a community to discuss, learn, and magnify the issues that our fellow brothers and sisters are facing each day and night,” Mary Johnson, one of the leaders of YACHT, said.

HAHA Week kicked off on Friday, Nov. 15 at Windows on the World. Karen Ennis and Cassandra Staton, speakers from Washington D.C.’s National Coalition for the Homeless, came and talked openly about their experiences of being homeless, discussing what led to them having no home, what it was like trying to sustain themselves and their children and what they went through to get proper housing. Their stories of addiction, assault and abuse were heart-wrenching and emotional, but through it all, they both mentioned how the grace of God got them through it all. “No matter what I went through, I had God on my side,” Staton said in her testimony.

Throughout the rest of HAHA week, students across campus were encouraged to join YACHT on a prayer walk around campus on Monday, where students prayed for something relating to certain spots on campus, like praying for clean and accessible water at the water wheel. On Tuesday, students made bread and muffins to give to those experiencing homelessness and wrote letters to the mayor of Philadelphia advocating against the new anti-homeless architecture, such as benches with metal bars in the center so people can’t sleep on them. Wednesday, the group organized and washed donated clothes so that on their weekly Thursday outing into Philadelphia, they could hand them out to those experiencing homelessness along with the baked goods from earlier in the week.

Friday marked their annual sleepout. After hearing from a guest speaker from The Synergy Project, an organization that offers food and shelter to homeless youth, the members of YACHT and any other students willing to participate slept on Eastern’s tennis courts in cardboard boxes. “Although sleeping on Eastern’s safe tennis courts is much different than what individuals experiencing homelessnesss go through, we hope to spend this night in reflection and contemplation,” Johnson said.

Even though HAHA Week is over, there are still ways you can help raise awareness about the issue of homelessness and actively participate in working to decrease the amount of homelessness and hunger. “We invite everyone to come and join us on an outing to get to know the people we serve. It’s important to remember that they are real people going through tough situations,” Kendra Kemp, another of YACHT’s leaders, said.

“Each week I have the privilege of seeing new faces, learning new names, and loving more people. While it can be very saddening to see or hear about certain things on the streets of Philadelphia, I cannot help but think that what saddens myself or others for a moment is someone’s daily way of life,” Johnson said in regard to the weekly outings.

While YACHT outings are a fantastic way of reaching out to people experiencing homelessness, participating in these outings is not the only way you can help. “If you are going to the city, carry around a few granola bars or food that can be handed out. That way, you can help people along the way. If you don’t have food with you, take a few minutes to talk with them. A genuine conversation can make their day!” Kemp said.

As Ennis finished telling her story and giving her testimony at Windows on the World, she gave the crowd words of wisdom and encouragement and ways to interact with the people who are experiencing homelessness. “When you look at someone who is homeless, she may have gone through something like what I did…Ask them their name get to know them, give them a smile,” said Ennis.

Ultimately, a small act of kindness can go a long way when it comes to helping those in need, so don’t only try to help during HAHA week. Be a light to others every day both in the big and little things you do.

If you’ve attended chapel or one of Eastern’s Arts Showcases or concerts, then you’ve probably heard the lovely performances put on by Turning Point. Turning Point is Eastern’s audition-only choir, performing at events both on and off campus. With classes, schoolwork, and multiple performances a semester, the members of Turning Point have quite a lot on their plate.

One of Turning Point’s members, Morgan Thomas, a senior Music and Psychology double major, talked with me about what it’s like being a part of Turning Point. “I’ve been a part of Turning Point since sophomore year, which is typically the first year someone can join, because we audition in the spring,” Thomas said. “The audition was kind of weird because the current members of Turning Point sit in on the audition. It’s not just you and the director. It’s you and twelve other people. That was a little nerve wracking, and then just getting in was really exciting because it was something that I wanted to do.”

This being her third year as a member of Turning Point, Thomas has witnessed several changes to the choir, most notably, the change in directing. “With the transition from Ron [Matthews] being the director to now Derek [Kostovick] being the director with Ron becoming President, Turning Point has changed a little bit. We toured not as much my sophomore year, and then Derek became the director, and we started reaching out to churches and reaching out to different venues to go and perform at, so we started touring a bit more,” Thomas said.

Since Turning Point is a full year commitment, the members of Turning Point arrive on campus a week early for “Turning Point Camp” where they not only learn most of their music for their performances, but bond with each other and get to know one another better. “Derek likes to play team-building games, so then we get to know each other. That’s kind of why it’s an audition-only group, because you have to be able to blend with the other people both vocally and personality-wise, and you have to know how to read music,” Thomas said.

Thomas has been able to perform at many different churches and venues throughout her time in Turning Point, but her favorite memory from touring and performing happened close to home, when the choir went to Heath Village in Hackettstown, New Jersey, Thomas’ hometown. “It was just funny to see people’s reactions to the middle-of-nowhere New Jersey when most people think Jersey is like a big city. That was really fun. We got to drive into Jersey, we sang for the residents at the nursing home, and then my parents brought pizza, so it was great to be back home and really funny to see everyone be like, “Oh my gosh, there’s farms in New Jersey?” Thomas said.

For the rest of the semester, Turning Point has several more performances at churches around the area as well as a performance at Christkindlmarkt, a large Christmas market in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania where the choir also performed last year, and a performance at the Kimmel Center in conjunction with Eastern’s University Choir, the choir from Church of the Savior here in Wayne, and Jubilate Deo. “It gets really intense this time of year, but I’m really excited for all of [the performances],” Thomas said.

If you are interested in potentially auditioning for Turning Point in the spring, Thomas advises that you come prepared and come early for your audition. “We have time slots for people to sign up for. Come five to ten minutes early for the audition so you can kind of calm down in that space, and also if we’re running ahead of time, then it’s good for you to be there,” Thomas said. She also mentioned how it’s important to not act nervous, since everyone in the room has been in your shoes before and wants to create a relaxed and comforting environment for you. Ultimately, “if someone wants to do performance, [Turning Point] is something to look into,” Thomas said.

If you would like more information about Turning Point and their performances, you can contact the director, Derek Kostovick, with any questions you have by sending an email to dkostovi@eastern.edu.

For some students, their undergraduate education experience won’t be ending in May like the majority of seniors’ will. Instead, they will be graduating and moving on in December. One of these seniors is Christian Mendoza-Laude, a General Music major with a concentration in Music Composition.

Mendoza-Laude came to Eastern at the suggestion of one of his mentors back home. “[My mentor] had many other people that he’s known come to this school, and he really admired the Christian background and ethic of the community on campus and the faculty and staff,” Mendoza-Laude said. “Originally, I wasn’t even necessarily planning to go to college, but he also really wanted me to go, and at his recommendation, I applied to the school, came and auditioned, and was graciously accepted.”

Throughout his time at Eastern, Mendoza-Laude began to figure out what his passions are with the help of his mentor and the faculty he got to know through his classes.

“I originally came in as a Music Performance major playing the tuba, but I quickly realized that that wasn’t the route I wanted to go down. My mentor has his Doctorate in Music Composition, go figure, so maybe a year or a year and a half into my time at Eastern I realized that performance is nice, but it’s not really what I find myself enjoying to do with my free time, and with my free time, I like to compose,” Mendoza-Laude said.

The overall academic atmosphere and experience was made better by faculty members and friends on campus, as they encouraged Mendoza-Laude not only academically, but spiritually.

“All of them have had their own Christian walk that differs from mine and differs from anyone else’s, which is a good experience to have just knowing that there are people that are similar to you and have similar tastes to you in an intellectual setting, but still have something to tie them and tie you all together outside of those things,” Mendoza-Laude said.

In regards to graduating in December as opposed to May, Mendoza-Laude felt that it probably isn’t all that different emotionally and mentally in juggling all of the work and projects that come with your last semester of undergraduate education. The difference lies in the amount of time you have to wait to walk at Commencement.

“With Commencement being only once a year as opposed to twice a year, I will have to wait to walk, which is a bummer to say the least, but just knowing that once it’s done – your degree is done – knowing that that will be out of the way, then you can start focusing on either what comes next or just waiting until Commencement comes around. That is kind of the moment where you get to show your friends and family that want to come out and see you that these are my steps forward. It’s been four plus years, and I’m at the end of the road. Once I come off this stage, undergrad is officially done,” Mendoza-Laude said.

Mendoza-Laude’s plans after graduation include finding a job and a place to live around the area, and potentially applying for Masters programs for next fall.

“My plan at the moment is to figure out, more or less … how I’m going to navigate what comes immediately following graduation until potentially going into a Master’s program in the fall of next year … Just making sure that I’m able to sustain myself in the meantime before figuring out what comes next in my career path,” Mendoza-Laude said. He also mentioned the possibility of putting off going into a graduate program if he finds a job that he’s passionate about in a place where he’s comfortable, since adaptability is key.

Though Mendoza-Laude is excited to graduate, he will miss the beautiful scenery on campus, especially in the fall and winter. More than anything, however, he’s going to miss the people that he’s met during his time here.

“I will definitely miss the faculty that I’ve become close with and the friends I have on campus that aren’t graduating, but even if they were, we’re all going to go our separate ways,” Mendoza-Laude said.

For all of the seniors graduating this semester, we wish you all the best in your future endeavors. Whether you’re going straight into the workforce or seeking further education, your friends and the faculty and staff will be cheering you on as you make your way into the world.

There are about 2.3 million people in prisons all across the country, 95% of which will be released in their lifetime. But what will happen to them when they go back home? They’ll need to find jobs, and many employers are wary of hiring people who have served time in prison. Moreover, by 2020, 65% of all jobs will require some sort of postsecondary education, making it even harder for those who never had or took the opportunity to get a college level education before their sentence to find employment.

Eastern University is looking to help rehabilitate those incarcerated through the new Prison Education Program (PEP). Dr. Kimberlee Johnson, the founder of the PEP, began wondering how she, along with higher education institutions, could help those incarcerated back in 2014. “I took a sabbatical to research how a higher education institution could respond to the problems of juvenile injustice and mass incarceration. Offering what Eastern already does well, education, was suggested by many,” Johnson said.

The process of creating the PEP began in February of 2015. For the next year and a half, the university paid for market research on what a prison education program would look like and whether or not the university would be able to fund it. The results of the research were ultimately in favor of beginning the PEP. At this time, Johnson also assembled a Prison Education Advisory Team of 25 members that included faculty, staff, administrators, board members, alumni, people who were formerly incarcerated, and community stakeholders.

In June of 2016, the University President at the time, Robert Duffett, went to the White House and signed the Fair Chance Higher Education Pledge, which increases the amount of access to higher education for individuals with criminal records. Now, as of Jan. 2019, Eastern University is working with SCI Chester, a men’s prison 17 miles from campus, and over 200 men are interested in participating in this new program.

The program itself will have three phases. Phase one is currently operational and provides workshops and seminars that help the men at SCI Chester with reintegration. Phase two is coming soon and involves what Johnson calls “Inside Out/Learning Exchange courses” in which Eastern students will be able to go to SCI Chester and take classes with those incarcerated. Phase three will be providing the men with a degree education, and while that step is still in its planning stages, it will offer people with a criminal record tremendous advantages and opportunities.

“I’ve spent time with the men in Chester prison – some forgotten, broken, feeling defeated – and have found that so many want to grow, change, and work on rehabilitation. And education does make a difference!” Johnson said. That difference is clear. When those incarcerated receive postsecondary education, recidivism, or the possibility of a convicted criminal to reoffend, goes down by over 43%.

“President Matthews is very supportive of the Prison Education Program and gave us the following Scripture which he felt characterized our work: Isaiah 45:2-3. Indeed it does,” Johnson said.

Isaiah 45:2-3 reads, “I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.” These verses are a call for help from those who can, help for those people whom the PEP program aims to reintegrate and reach out to.

If you also feel called to help by taking on an internship or field experience through PEP, or you would like more information about the program, you can contact Johnson through email at prisoned@eastern.edu.

Sources: Eastern University, Prison Policy, Prison Studies Project

It’s early in the morning, and the children are just getting settled in at summer camp, sitting in rows in the middle of a room that’s empty except for a fold-up table and a few plastic chairs. The room is warm and humid, it being the middle of summer and having just rained the night before, but the breeze coming through the open window feels nice and gently moves their hair as they look up bewildered at what’s sitting on the table in front of them: a clear jar, measuring cups and various containers full of liquids and powders.

The children watch in stilled wonder as their counselor combines Vitamin C with water, iodine, hydrogen peroxide and laundry starch slowly and carefully. When everything’s combined in the jar, their counselor tells them to keep their eyes out for any changes. At ﬁrst, the liquid is cloudy, but clear, and the children don’t see what the big deal is. But then, the solution turns a light green. Then yellow. Then orange. Then red. Then ﬁnally, a dark, inky blue that settles calmly in the jar. They had never imagined that a science experiment could be so beautiful.

There is a common misconception that art and science are completely separate from one another, or perhaps even complete opposites. On the surface, it may appear to be that way with science tending to lean more on data, and art more on expression. However, I believe that there’s much more overlap between the two ﬁelds than meets the eye.

I am an English major, and as such, there is no reason for me whatsoever to take an Anatomy and Physiology (A&P) class. But I did. And when I mention it in conversation, I’m always met with questions like, “Couldn’t you have taken something easier?” or “Aren’t you studying English?” or, most commonly, “Why?”

There is a logical explanation as to why I decided to take A&P. Simply put, it’s a prerequisite for most, if not all, graduate occupational therapy programs, and at the time I registered for the course, I was planning on studying occupational therapy after graduation. Plus, I’ve always been fascinated by the complexity of humans, and I wanted to learn more about what makes our bodies work.

The most important thing I took away from A&P is that our bodies are works of art. Studying what makes us up is a work of art. Art is detailed and nuanced and seeks to know why. Why people act the way they act and look the way they look. Why grass grows and ﬂowers bloom and water ﬂows. Why when some things interact, there’s a reaction and change, sometimes violent, often small, and when others interact, there’s stasis. It’s in asking “Why?” that we are all artists. It’s in asking “Why?” that we are also all scientists.

The art of science is looking at the big picture while focusing on details, observing the world and wanting to understand it fully, challenging others’ ideas and not being afraid to delve into the unknown. It’s turning unrelated materials into something extraordinary, like a rainbow reaction that changes before your awestruck eyes.