This last blog post has truly been difficult for me to write because it comes with the realization that not only has my time at UCSD has come to an end, but also the end of the LCS program. I can definitely say that the Life Course Scholars program has been the most educational experience I have ever had at UCSD. It provided interactive, creative projects that facilitated so much discussion and improvements to assist in the promotion of healthy aging. I can say each and every project was so informative and empowering to do not only for myself but others i.e. my grandmother’s joy with her OHP, the excited EPs in the HAP video project, and the attendees of the Senior Prom. While I am thankful for the small class size- for it allowed me to closely interact with some incredible individuals- this class has been so eye-opening that I also wished so many more had the opportunity to partake in it. While my family and friends can not take the class, I have definitely brought my experiences and knowledge I have learned in LCS outside of the classroom via discussions at home. I have tried to spread awareness of healthy aging tactics by sharing the books we have read, debunking ageist myths from the posters I have seen in class, and talking about how effective and/or ineffective built environments are based on the insight of the NAPs. Additionally, since the start of this class I have noticed I simply tend to utilize the word “seniors” less and “older adults” more. Looking back, I am truly crushed that the class was unable to meet up again in Spring Quarter and meet some more incredible EPs and visit more sites. However, I look forward to future potential LCS reunions that may come. I know the lessons learned from this program have made- and will continue to make- a significant impact in my personal, professional, and social development! Thank you so much Professor Lewis and Professor Bussell for this amazing opportunity and these past two quarters!
Over the course of this quarter, fellow LCSers and I have been working on our Healthy Aging Project called, “Project ‘So Tell Me..’”. This project came about through the inspiration found on channels like Cut and/or Jubilee that ask a number of people to answer on the same topic i.e. their biggest pet peeve, their first kiss, etc. However, I wanted to curate a project that focused on the perspective of older adults. Thus, came about the video inspiration of asking some extraordinary older adults in our lives the question of, “What advice would you give to the younger generation?” This project was very interactive and incredibly fun to make from start to finish- from interviewing my lovely grandmother, to seeing the other LCSers interviews, and to editing. Watching the video I hope each and every older adult can see how beautiful and insightful they are. Also, by incorporating multiple languages and those of different backgrounds I hope this allows for a more multicultural audience. There was so much generational wisdom that was provided from each and every older adult, and I can not thank them enough for their participation. I hope to see this video and/or project continue either at its core (facilitating a conversation with an older adult in your life) or as it is in future LCS classes. This project was definitely limited due to COVID-19, for the goal was to ask many more seniors for their advice in the site visits that we were planning to go to. Therefore, I hope to see this project continue on later. This HAP has hopefully reached its aims of allowing the interviewees to be heard, creating a multicultural international piece, and offering a range of advice. I know by the end of the interview my grandmother could not beaming- I could not tell from the flattery of being asked to be interviewed or simply from having spent some quality time with one another.
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Katie HuynhArchives
June 2020
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