Week 11: Reflection

Week 11
Course Reflection
Magnolia Garcia


        I remember going through my options for classes this quarter and coming across “Political Culture of Fashion” under the Asian American Studies major. I had never taken an ASA class before, but I was especially intrigued by the fashion aspect, because (as a Design major) I had actually never taken a course focused on fashion either. I was definitely intimidated on the first day, after finding that about 95% of the class was either an ASA major or had it as their minor. However, I convinced myself to stay because Professor Valverde was unlike any other I had come across before (the outfits were a bonus). It was truly refreshing being in a class that didn’t exactly feel like one--and I mean that in the best way possible.
        The weekly blogs were an interesting activity; I appreciated the reading blogs, because I was forced to not only complete the reading, but writing about each helped me better retain the information and also helped me form an opinion on the corresponding week’s topics. Meanwhile, I appreciated the Be Green Blogs because they were a bit more personal. I can’t remember the last time I wrote “for myself” as consistently as I did during the second half of this class. Of course, the Be Green Challenge itself was a great experience and something I believe everyone should give a shot at; I’m all for reducing carbon footprint!!!
        This quarter, I was also taking a World Textiles class with an emphasis on the Eastern Hemisphere, so I learned about the textiles that originated in countries such as the Philippines, China, Japan, India, etc. As a college student, I’d like to believe that one of the best feelings comes when the classes you’re taking during the same quarter happen to overlap in some areas, and that ended up being the case for me. I’m glad things worked out, and ten weeks later, I feel fortunate for having been a part of this class. Over the course of my college career, I’ve learned how important it is to step outside of my comfort zone and explore subject matter I’ve never dealt with before. I would like to end this final blog with a huge ‘Thank you’ to Professor Valverde for making this experience an unforgettable one. :-)