This past week included the first official class of the LCS program as well as our class retreat, At the first class meeting on Wednesday, all of the Life Course Scholars finally got to me each other. It was nice to finally see and have everyone together. Already, I’m inspired by my peers in this program; I felt empowered being among a such a diverse, thoughtful, and like-minded group of people. During class, we had the chance to introduce our Extraordinary Persons that we chose for our oral history assignment. Many of us shared very similar sentiments for our choices: we are largely unaware of our older EP’s lives and experiences. This is an accurate reflection of older adults’ positionally in today’s society. They’re often an “invisible” population, which contributes to a glaring disconnect between older adults and the rest of society. Today, with a rapidly growing and aging population, the number of older adults in the US will only continue to rise. Because of this, the needs of this group can no longer be neglected. I’m excited for the quarter with this group, because I’m very interested to learn more about fostering intergenerational connections, spaces, and perspectives that can help to build healthier, more inclusive communities.
Later in the week, we had our LCS Retreat at the Martin Johnson House on UCSD Scripps campus. The day felt well-balanced with group building activities, lecturettes, and refreshing breaks. I got the chance to get to know everyone a little bit better and (sort of) learn everyone’s names. There were a couple individuals that I got to know even better because of the activities we did (eg. pair sharing activities). Overall, I felt a comforting, open, and positive vibe while spending the day with everyone. We also got to meet Patricia (Trish) Banesh, the author of "7 Memories: Partnering to Write a Memoir”, which is the book we’re using to guide our oral histories. During Trish’s workshop, I realized I never considered all of the simple ways to reaffirm someone’s life and experiences. Now, I hope I can apply some of the methods to the relationships in my own life, especially as I conduct my mother’s (my EP) interview. From this, I really hope to strengthen the relationship with my mom as well as make her feel proud of herself for all she’s accomplished. All in all it was a great first week and ready for more!
Later in the week, we had our LCS Retreat at the Martin Johnson House on UCSD Scripps campus. The day felt well-balanced with group building activities, lecturettes, and refreshing breaks. I got the chance to get to know everyone a little bit better and (sort of) learn everyone’s names. There were a couple individuals that I got to know even better because of the activities we did (eg. pair sharing activities). Overall, I felt a comforting, open, and positive vibe while spending the day with everyone. We also got to meet Patricia (Trish) Banesh, the author of "7 Memories: Partnering to Write a Memoir”, which is the book we’re using to guide our oral histories. During Trish’s workshop, I realized I never considered all of the simple ways to reaffirm someone’s life and experiences. Now, I hope I can apply some of the methods to the relationships in my own life, especially as I conduct my mother’s (my EP) interview. From this, I really hope to strengthen the relationship with my mom as well as make her feel proud of herself for all she’s accomplished. All in all it was a great first week and ready for more!