Laci Green

On September 26^th, I attended a presentation by the famous YouTube personality, Laci Green. She discussed what rape culture is and how we can “take it down.” Laci Green started her presentation by defining rape culture and presenting some startling facts such as 1 in 7 gay men and 1 in 3 disabled women are sexually assaulted. She presented us with a few montages of news clips in which we were to discover the pattern that the rapists are sympathized and often charged with little to none punishment for the crime despite the proof that victims presented. She then discussed how society does not like the term “rape culture” because it sounds negative and people believe rape to be common and tolerable, which completely made sense after watching the several news stories on different cases. She also discussed the fact that although it is against the law for universities to not follow through on investigations on rape cases, many universities do not and are now being investigated themselves because of this.

This was a very beneficial presentation to go to as a college student and the atmosphere of the packed Falcons Nest was supportive of this whole issue. I think this presentation impacted me as a multicultural educator by bringing awareness to this whole culture that was there, but under my radar. Now that I know how big of an issue this actually is, I feel like I can now be prepared to provide resources for students and families in a situation like this. I feel like I’m more prepared to answer questions (in an appropriate way) that students might have about this topic. I actually came away from this presentation and wanted to learn more, which will be beneficial as I grow and enter school districts because I’ll want to know what each school district is doing about this societal problem. As a teacher, I feel that the benefits of dramatic play are extremely important especially with gender roles. I plan to provide an environment where my students will be able to explore these gender roles safely. Finally, after seeing this presentation, I feel that it is important to teach children that they have their own rights, including the right to choose who touches them. Children are sexually abused as well and after seeing Laci Green’s presentation, I feel very passionate about protecting my future students the best that I can.

how to NOT procrastinate

I’ve been meaning to write this post for months (ba-dum ching)

Now that schools are back in session, I’ve found myself on Pinterest searching for studying tips to help me focus and not press that dreaded “Watch next episode in 15…14…13…” button on Netflix. My roommates and I will sit in the kitchen and gossip until one of us will say “Okay, I have to go get my homework done” at which point the four-five of us disperse faster than it takes me to strike a match (granted, it does take me quite some time to strike a match…but you get the point).

Look no further…
Nikki’s tips on NOT to procrastinate

1. Block all distracting websites. There’s this terrifying website that allows you to type in websites you wish to block for a designated amount of time. I did it once. It was awful, but it allowed me to only study (once I gave up trying to bypass it). If you have no self-control when it comes to social media, this might be a good one for you.

2. Create a studying playlist before you have to study. There have been countless times where I’ve sat down to study and spent tens of minutes trying to find the right kind of music to listen to. Now I’ve finally made a studying playlist on Spotify that’s my go-to when it’s crunch time. My current favorite study tunes are any piano cover of trashy pop music.

3. Eat before you study. I’m that kind of person who when it comes time to study, I’ll look for any escape. Food is my biggest weakness as I’ll sit down to study and think hey, I’m hungry, let’s eat. Half an hour later, I’m feeling stressed at my still-towering work load and guilty because I ate a whole loaf of bread. I study best after I eat a big meal.

4. Find a study location. When I really need to work hard, I go to the library and because of that, every time I enter the library, I become instantly more focused. Have a couple study spots that you can go to get away from the distractions of your roommates or mirrors. My favorites include a secret corner in the library, my living room couch (when the mates are gone), and top floors of any academic building.

5. Make to-do lists. Every day, I write down at least three things I want to get done. Crossing off things is one of the most satisfying feelings. That and actually finishing an assignment…I guess.

There you have it! If this helps you, fantastic. If not, figure out what works best for you and go off that. I wish you all the best this school year. We’ll get through it even if we come out alligator crawling.

Evening in Stillwater

Last night, I met with my old friend to go out for dinner. We decided to go across the ole Mississippi and venture into the beautiful town of Stillwater. We’ve both always love the look of Stillwater with the boutiques and the river so close by that it was the perfect destination. After walking around for a little while, we found out there is a Cherry Berry in town! Abandoning our dinner plans, we walked in and loaded up on some well-needed sweet treats. The espresso fro-yo is delicious and highly recommended by me. After paying for our frozen yogurt, we walked down by the river. We sat in a gazebo-type structure where we were inches away from the water. We had a gorgeous view of the river and lift-bridge that we couldn’t resist taking some pictures.

After our frozen yogurt was gone, we continued to walk around town, looking in a few artsy boutiques, and eventually making our way to a towering staircase. Laughing and struggling, we made our way up to a view that looked out on the entire town. The view was breath-taking (although we were already out of breath from the stairs).

We had such a great time together that we can’t wait until we go back!