Riley Kawola Portfolio

      Everything that we encounter in life is a learning experience. Whether it be an obstacle we must overcome or a moment of gratitude. That is why it is so important to take a moment to slow down and reflect on our past experiences, take what we learned, and apply to the future. Over the past year I have not only grown as a writer, but also as a person. I want to take the time to reflect on my five biggest takeaways from this year, not just regarding my writing, but also my growth as a person.      The biggest and possibly most important lesson I learned this year was to push the boundaries and not stick to the norm. As I looked through all of my assignments, videos, and work that I completed, I noticed that they all had something in common. Each assignment assessed a norm within society, and encouraged me to reflect on that specific norm. From breaking apart a famous New Yorker image to assessing a documentary on minimalism ; each video, article, o...

          Whether we admit it or not, most of us are living to impress others. From buying designer bags to show our friends that we're wealthy, to hiding our true passions and interests to fit the norm. Caring about what others think of us is the center of our worlds; it influences who we're friends with or what we wear. The movie Little Miss Sunshine directed by Valeria Faris and Johnathan Dayton, starring Steve Carell and Abigail Breslin tackles the idea of what really makes people happy, and what is normal.      The movie follows a family's trip across the country to have the youngest family member, Olive, participate in the Little Miss Sunshine Pageant. The story follows the family's dynamic, along with all of the struggles they face. While at first the movie may seem to be about the family's bond, it can be deciphered that the movie is actually about doing what makes you happy and not caring about what others think.  ...

           While the the documentary Minimalism: A Documentary on the Important Things was interesting to watch, the argument was overall ineffective and the main message was lost. After watching the documentary and reviewing my notes, I came to the conclusion that the film was trying to show people that they should try and focus on relationships and people, rather than products that only give temporary satisfaction. This is an inspiring and important message, but was lost in translation throughout the film.      The first thing that I believe could have been done to create a more effective argument was to focus less on Ryan Nicodemus and Joshua Fields Milburn´s trip. Although their trip around the country played an important part in the film, I feel that the time that was focused on the trip could have been used more wisely. Such as focusing on how their lives changed specifically after being a minimalist, or even how minimalism allowed...

            When people hear the word argument, they often think of raised voices, rolled eyes, and unresolved conflict. But most of this can be avoided if people learn argue responsibly and set some guidelines to prevent things from escalating. In an article written by Gary Layne Hatch,  he describes how arguments can be handled calmly and responsibly and gives tips on how to argue effectively. It is important to mention that Hatch states that there will always be differences, and it's what makes us unique and gives people a sense of identity (197). But, there is a line to be drawn, and it is important to make sure that you can uphold your own opinion and identity, but show respect and understanding to someone with an opposing view from yourself.      One of first and most important things Hatch points out is that it is ineffective to use force. This is meant for more of  a large scale argument, such as in government, but can ...

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            The New Yorker magazine is known for its vivid magazine covers, political cartoons, and depiction of popular social issues. One of their most recent magazine covers, “A Weight Lifted” by Barry Blitt is a cartoon representing a certain political issue. The image depicts a bald eagle carrying away former president Donald Trump in the sky. At first the image seems rather simple, but as you take a look there are a lot of little details that carry a big meaning. The background of the image is a baby blue, with subtle notes of white. The baby blue then fades down the page into a brown color. The blue takes up almost the entire page, except for a little bit of brown at the bottom. The background colors fade into each other easily, looking like a watercolor painting. The top half of the picture shows a bald eagle. The eagle is very large and takes up almost half of the page. The eagle is shown flying and stretched out. Its wings are angled above it...

 If there is one thing that society avoids discussing, it's the topic of death, especially the death of children. In the Op Doc Dying In Your Mother's Arms   Dr. Nadia Tremonti, a palliative care physician, who specializes in the death of infants talks about dying in a new light. Dealing with children who are approaching their last few days is no doubt a difficult job, but she brings comfort to families, and provides new ways to look at things differently. She spends a large amount of her time working with parents, and helping them with grief. She does not hide the truth, but delivers news in a sympathetic way. She explains to the parents that her job is to make sure that their child's time on Earth is as meaningful as possible. The documentary follows along Dr. Tremonti and her patients. While watching what the parents of these children go through, is heartbreaking, Dr. Tremonti's explanation of death helps to look at things from a different perspective. She said that ...

            Whether we realize it or not, toxic masculinity is plaguing the United States. In the movie  Tough Guise 2,  director Jackson Katz, describes what toxic masculinity is and how it is affecting men today. Personally, I had heard very little on the topic, and was shocked when I found out the truth about why many men behave the way they do.     Growing up as a girl, I was never shamed for crying or showing emotion. In fact, it was completely normal. But, I grew older and realized that men were not granted the same privileges. Katz explains why this is: toxic masculinity. From a young age boys are told to be tough and hide their emotions. And when they do show their emotions, they are called harsh nicknames and made fun of. Unfortunately, this type of behavior is cyclical, and roots back to old fashioned and outdated stereotypes. The idea that men need to constantly be tough and mighty, has very negative impacts. All of ...

In her TedTalk, Celeste Headlee talks about ways in which one can be a better conversationalist and gives ten rules one should follow when having a conversation. I personally found each rule helpful, and plan to implement as many as possible, but one in particular stood out to me. And I would like to share that rule with you. Headlee states "Don't Pontificate". She goes on to explain that everybody is an expert on something, and that you can learn from everyone. As I began to think about this, the impact of this quote really started to resonate with me. As I began to think, it became clear, that if everyone has something to learn, then everyone should be equal, and treated with the same respect. And this might seem like common sense, but it's shocking to see how many people view others "as below them". Handlee brings up great conversation points, but also shows how you should look at conversations as a learning experience. Handlee expresses a main concept th...

           One of my favorite ways to get information is through blogs. They are often set up in a way that is easy to read and to find the information you need. Below are some of my favorite bloggers and what each of them publish content about, and why I recommend them.  The first blogger I ever really got into was Sophia Lee . She covers everything from college to cleaning. I started reading her blog when I was a sophomore and continue to read it. looking through her blog has made me feel much more comfortable about going to college. She gives so many great tips from organization to moving in. My favorite part about her blog is how organized it is. As someone who is very type A, this blog is a dream to read. She makes a lot of her posts in list format, which makes it easy to locate information, especially if I'm on my phone and don't want to spend a bunch of time looking for a specific piece of information. She also includes a bunch of spreadsheets a...

  Here is one of my all time favorite quotes. I look at it whenever I am in need of insipration or even a burst of energy.