Reflection: Connect to Life Outside of Berry

"We live in a day and age where whatever issue humanity is facing involves a variety of subjects in order to create worthwhile solutions."

My time at Berry has made me realize how interconnected everything in life is. My course work is consistently finding itself popping up in one class from another or information becoming applicable to my job, or my community work being applied to class readings or discussion. Starting college I was interested in environmental science which is a constant topic in the news and now with my change in major to environmental studies I am constantly realizing the importance of intersectionality in discussions and solutions presented to problems affecting humanity now and in the future. We live in a day and age where whatever issue humanity is facing involves a variety of subjects in order to create worthwhile solutions. 

One of my favorite quotes recently was from a study I read last spring that says, “food is an equalizer, we all need it, we all eat everyday, it can open doors,” which is so true and so overwhelmingly powerful to me. Food and especially food access is a prevalent issue that is faced not only globally, but locally and is a great example of the interconnected nature of problems we are facing. My SLE’s focus on my time working with Rome Food Oasis is directly correlated. RFO’s mission is to eradicate the food desert in Rome and to create an oasis where people have the ability to not only access food, but have access to good, nutritious, fresh, local food. My work with RFO began through my Environmental Anthropology course and I chose RFO for my project because of a prior classes reading on the impact of food deserts and their relation to environmental justice issues. I’m able to apply classroom knowledge directly as an undergrad student on actual community projects that have an impact which is wild to me and so beneficial. Not only do I work with RFO to help feed and address community needs, I also have the opportunity to work in several gardens on campus and I’ve been able to cook meals for local shelters and eat with the people there and learn about them which has left an imprint on me for the better. I’ve also worked to make a change in our toss out system at Season’s that allows us to donate produce to local shelters whereas in the past the majority was dumped into compost. 

My ability to apply knowledge and make actual change and see the effects has been so empowering for me. When I started college I wasn’t sure what direction I was headed in and now I am passionate about others and food which has served as a guiding force for me in my decisions. Not only have I found my passion, which I’m so grateful for considering some work to find theirs late into life, I’ve gained valuable skills that make me appeal to grad school programs and employers alike. I’ve learned organizational and leadership skills like communication, scheduling and delegation through all of my on campus jobs, as well as more niche skills that are applicable in my field like water testing, well monitoring, scheduling for planting and harvesting, and researching for film proposals. My time at Berry has prepared me to go to graduate school to research water quality, run my own business, or jump into the workforce at a non-profit. I’ve learned not only in the classroom, but through volunteering, participating in campus activities, and working on campus. 

I’m proud of myself for finding what I love and have a passion for. I’ve been better able to enjoy my college experience because of that. I’m also proud of myself for acting on my passion and working to make a difference for the better in the lives of others. Growing up I was taught to have a “servant heart,” I’m glad that I’ve carried it with me in my work. Since the end of my freshman year at Berry I knew that I wanted to help people and through classes I’ve narrowed that down even more, and applying that through my volunteer work it has reassured what I want out of life whether that be specifically through a future job or through volunteering my time outside of that. The only thing that I find myself dissatisfied with is not having enough time to learn all the things you want to learn. I started a research position my freshman year and I loved it and learned a lot about the topography of Rome and water quality, but I eventually had to resign from that position because my time became consumed with another job and increased classes, but I did enjoy it while I had it. I have learned about myself and confirmed things about myself throughout this process as well. I’ve always considered myself to be a hands on/ visual learner and my SLE has further proven that to me. My time spent attaining real life application of course work and applying skills directly at my on campus job are exemplary of that. I’ve also learned to trust my strengths and that identifying and addressing my weaknesses can go a long way. 

Often times we don’t realize what we’ve learned until it comes up later and reflecting on my time at Berry and even more specifically my SLE I can see how I’ve learned more than just what’s on the page of class readings or summarized in papers. Looking at my SLE from a broader perspective I understand how we all have a lot of applicable knowledge that can be applied to creating productive solutions to today’s problems. Everyone has a different knowledge base and skillset and no solution can be created from one viewpoint if it is going to be successful. My background working in a production garden and organizing events has been crucial in working to create a productive outline for RFO plans, but my education in environmental studies and geology has helped to inform that outline. It’s kind of in reference to a few reflections back discussing the importance of a foundations education that creates a well rounded individual. If we want well rounded individual we should also want well rounded solutions and strategies. I think that that line of thinking can make a positive difference in the way we address our world.