Tag Archives: introduction

Earth’s Second World and The Right to Understand

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Good evening Class,

Did anybody else get goosebumps reading the introduction to The Ocean Reader? Because those measurements made a shiver run down my spine.

It wasn’t until very recently that I’ve been able to better accurately visualize distances and lengths mentally – because of this newfound ability, I had to do double take after double take when reading the introduction to The Ocean Reader. I do all of my mental measurements in yards because its easy for me to visualize the length of a football field in my head than a kilometer. So if one kilometer is 1,093, and some change, yards long – or a little less than 11 football fields – then that means the Mariana Trench is about 27,887 football fields deep… please, somebody tell me I’m not the only one freaked out by that idea.

To think that a majority of the Earth’s crust is underwater is baffling. This means a majority of OUR planet is not easily accessible by any means. I’m personally conflicted by this. I see myself as a part of Earth – I believe that just because I can ask questions about how the world operates and what life means doesn’t necessarily mean I’m entitled an explanation. I do not want to meddle with the natural order of the planet just to scratch any philosophical itch I may conjure up. I WAS content with living in a world full of mystery and I DO enjoy looking at the sky and day dreaming about the universe and its plethora of mysteries. But seeing just how much of the world is underwater (and really being able to visualize it) has made me a little more curious than I was before. The ocean is truly another world existing within our own, and this realization is becoming more and more apparent to me the more we read in this course.

EDIT: I think I might have gotten my calculations wrong. My bad, everyone.

Week 1: Introduction

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Hello everyone, my name is Daniella Sanchez and I’m a transfer English student from Imperial Valley College. My plan is to apply to the teaching credential program once I acquire my B.A next year. I commute everyday from Calexico to SDSU, it’s tough work but I manage. I was intrigued with this class when I first read the reviews in “rate my professor” on how there is a huge focus on mermaids and it’s effect on society, I was hooked. This feeling of curiosity grew once I stepped foot in class. Mermaids had always been a fairytale for me, however, after hearing everyone’s take on mermaids throughout different points of history my gears began to turn. I’m eager to be in this class and learn more about mermaids/mermen and their position/purpose in society.

Week 1 Introduction

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Hello everybody! My name is Richie, and this is my first year attending San Diego State after transferring from community college in the area. I was born and raised in North County near Encinitas and Carlsbad, and I spent most of my time as a kid outdoors playing baseball or at the beach, which has led me to my passion for environmental sciences and my major, sustainability, because I would like to preserve our resources in order to allow future generations to have the same sorts of experiences that I was able to growing up. I recently adopted a kitten, my first pet, her name is Rosie and she is 5 months old and spending time with her has been my number one hobby lately. I was a little skeptical about the whole mermaid thing after the first day, however I loved the first classes and readings and I’m looking forward to a great semester with everyone and excited to have a passionate professor to teach the subject matter. Ya’ll can reach out whenever I’m always happy to meet new people!
-Richie

Introduction

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Hello! My name is River, I am a third-year student from a town near San Jose CA. I am studying Sustainability, and I am passionate about urban planning. Outside of working and my academic life, I enjoy spending my time outdoors. I also like to bowl and play spikeball. My most expensive hobby is traveling. Last week I got back from a backpacking trip to Japan.

Week One: Introduction

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Hi everyone! My name is Elise and I am a second-year Marketing major. I’m from Pennsylvania so I am really grateful to be studying in San Diego. I love spending time outside so San Diego’s weather has been extremely refreshing. Whenever I have free time, I love to bring a book to the beach and read. My time spent reading by the water is what initially sparked my interest in this class. I was unaware that our discussions would focus on mermaids, but I am eager to learn more. I have always found mermaids extremely fascinating but was never given the opportunity to explore this phenomenon. Overall I am extremely excited for this upcoming semester!

Week 1: Introduction

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Hello everyone, my name is Paige Harrisberger and I am currently in my second year at San Diego State University, studying as a Business Administration major. I was born and raised in Orange County, which is only about an hour and a half north of San Diego. I’ve always lived near the beach and cannot handle the cold, which is one of the main reasons I chose to go to school here. In my free time, I love doing things with my friends like going shopping or trying out new places to eat or get coffee. I don’t have a lot of free space in my schedule though because I work around 20-30 hours a week, as well as being a full time student. When I signed up for this class, I didn’t know it was going to be about mermaids, but I love learning about new things and I’m excited to see what is to come in this class!!

Introduction

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Hello class! My name is Jonah and this is my first year at SDSU. I transferred from Southwestern Community College and am studying Information Systems. I was born and raised here in San Diego, so if anyone needs recommendations on good restaurants, bars, clubs, etc. feel free to reach out. My hobbies are traveling, trying new things (especially food), and hitting the gym. A fun fact about me is I have 9 pets, no cats thankfully, and have a soft spot for animals, though not soft enough to turn vegetarian. When I found out this class was about mermaids I thought, “What did I get myself in to?”, but now I think it’s something new and interesting to learn. I’m looking forward to working with you all!

Introduction

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Hello! I’m Kim and my major is English and Comparative Literature. I am a second semester transfer student from San Diego City College and proud to be at SDSU! I’m also born and raised in San Diego. Although my knowledge about mermaids extends to the Disney version of The Little Mermaid, I’m excited to learn through a different and more intellectual perspective. I’m also enthusiastic to learn what relation mermaids have to the environment!

Introduction

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Hi all, my name is Casey Meyer and I am in my last semester at SDSU. I am a marketing major with a sustainability minor and have a strong passion for the environment and keeping it safe. In my free time I love to surf or at the very least be outdoors. I was born and raised near the beach in Los Angeles and after moving down here I realized I could never get away.

In all honesty, I had no idea this class was centered around mermaids until the syllabus came out, but all things considered I am pretty stoked to better my writing and analytical skills through the scope of mermaids. On top of that, I have a strong connection with the ocean and all of its creatures, which furthers my excitement for starting this class!

introduction

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My name is Karina Garcia and I’m a social work major. I decided coming in SDSU that I was going to pursue a degree in that field since I’ve been interested in the many different topics that go within one field but also the sense of urgency I have to help people in any way I possibly can. I thought the title of the class was interesting while I was deciding to enroll in it but now knowing that it is more of a focus on mermaids it has caught my attention as I have always questioned if mermaids and other creatures existed outside of the “mythical creatures” category.

I am originally born and raised in a city outside of Los Angeles and moved to San Diego right before I started high school and have been here ever since. I’m currently a full time student and also work at a car dealership. Outside of both school and work I enjoy spending most of my time with my dog, listening to music or spending time with my family.