Me,
MYSELFIE,
& I
LIFE THROUGH MY LENS
ABOUT.
The purpose of this website present myself through the use of Selfies. Over the past semester, I took the class "Writing the Selfie" and have learned to interpret selfies as visual texts and a means of expression through rhetorical discourses. When analyzing a selfie, it's important to ask, "what do we want to communicate when we take a selfie?" The selfies I've included on this website are used to communicate characteristics of my personality, viewpoints, and communities I belong to. After browsing my site, I hope you learn about me through my selfies and also begin to look at selfies from a new perspective
Selfie discourses
epideictic
Aim to celebrate the present, praising the subject or their good character
deliberative
Aim to change the future, convincing the audience to adopt an action
FORENSIC
Aim to understand the past, creating a connection between the subject, audience, & a community
post modern
Human subject speaks through an object
EPIDEICTIC.
Adventurous. Adj. “Willing to take risks or to try out new methods, ideas, or experiences.”
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Being adventurous opens up opportunities to try things that might scare you, to meet new people, or to discover your passions. Many times people view being “adventurous” as hiking mountains or traveling the world. Although these examples do fall into the definition, adventurous is so much more than just physical actions. Being adventurous can mean going to a new restaurant, attending an out-of-state college, or even just taking a class at school that is out of your comfort zone.
Going on adventures, or being adventurous is important for a variety of reasons:
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Adventures are enlightening: Cicero says, "it is the part of a good orator to have heard and seen much...not acquiring all this as his own possessions, but tasting what belongs to others." By experiencing something you are unfamiliar with, you can learn more and gain perspectives on an area of culture/life that you wouldn’t have known otherwise,
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Experiences make us happy: Research in the Huffington Post shows that people who partake in a variety of experiences are more likely to retain positive feelings than people with fewer experiences.
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New experiences can change how we view time: The more familiar the world becomes, the less information your brain writes down, and the more quickly time seems to pass. Therefore, expanding your view of the world can change your perspective of time.
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Trying new things help us grow: It’s easy to not be adventurous and to remain in the status-quo: order the meal you know you like, take the class you know you’ll get an “A” in, travel somewhere you know is safe. It’s hard to push ourselves past our comfort zone, but these are the times we can grow the most.
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In this photo, a girl is zip-lining while traveling in Israel. Her mouth is open and tongue is out. She is taking the picture on a GoPro and holding on to the zip-line harness with one hand.
Be comfortable with the uncomfortable. A lot of people feel uncomfortable whenever trying something new. By being adventurous you can push yourself out of your comfort zone and the results are likely to be amazing.
Selfies (and self-portraits) of me being “adventurous":
DELIBERATIVE.
In this photo, a girl is standing in her kitchen, holding a plate of vegetables and salmon she just finished cooking. She is smiling and is proud of the meal she just cooked.
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. Everyday people eat 3 main meals and fill in the gaps with snacks, desserts, coffee, and more. It is important to choose what you eat during these meals wisely, as food consumption can impact your health, mood and wallet. People should cook their meals, rather than eat out, because cooking can aid in a healthier lifestyles and also help people save money.
The first benefit of cooking compared to eating out is cooking is better for your physical health. “When people cook most of their meals at home, they consume fewer carbohydrates, less sugar and less fat than those who cook less or not at all – even if they are not trying to lose weight” (cite). Additionally, eating at home allows you to dictate the portion you consume, you know exactly what ingredients you are putting into your body, and you can avoid all the foods that might trigger a bad reaction.
The second benefit of cooking is that learning to cook can make you more creative, happier, and offers you a lifetime hobby. It’s been found that ritualistic cooking can enhance mindfulness, as you are in the moment and focused on what is in front of you. Experimenting with flavors, spices, ingredients, and oils can enhance your creative and work brain muscles that may not be used in daily life. All of these benefits aren’t attainable through eating at a restaurant or picking up take-out.
Lastly, cooking is cost-effective. On average, people spend $10 on lunch when eating out. Comparatively, people spend an average of $6.30 when making lunch, saving $3.70/lunch. By just bringing rather than buying lunch (one meal a day) people can save, on average, $925 a year.
There are many benefits that result from cooking and it's a hobby everybody should consider taking up as its physical and mental health benefits and monetary savings are unattainable from dining out.
CHECK OUT SOME MEALS I'VE COOKED:
FORENSIC.
Block M. Noun."Maize-colored 'M' symbolizing the University of Michigan for over 100 years."
The University of Michigan is home to 44,718 undergrad and graduate students and over 575,000 living alumni. It is more than just a school, rather it is a community. The University of Michigan community is filled with a diverse group of people who share common traits. They are hardworking, driven, intelligent, and fun. Regardless of major, students are driven to do their best work and the university is home to some of the brightest individuals.
In the classroom:
Many of the positive qualities of Michigan students are evident in the classroom. The benefit of being surrounded by a diverse group of smart, driven individuals is that every day you learn something new and are able to view things from new perspectives. Ideas are constantly being proposed, pushing your mind out of its state of equilibrium, challenging you to think in new ways.
Out of the classroom:
Outside of the classroom is the time to find individuals that make up your smaller communities within the larger Michigan community. From clubs, to sports teams, to Greek life organizations, there are so many places for people to find their own personal home.
After graduation:
One of the most valuable aspects about being a member of the Michigan community is that your membership isn’t revoked upon graduation; rather you are always a member. The alumni network is one of the largest and strongest in the world. Regardless of where you are in the planet, it’s comforting to know you can easily run into someone wearing the Block M and greet them with “Go Blue!”
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In this photo, a girl is taking a selfie with her friend on the way to a Michigan Football game. They are both wearing white shirts with yellow Block M's on them. The photographer is smiling while the other girl is kissing her cheek.
The Block M symbolizes a community that is truly full of the leaders and the best
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MY MEMBERSHIP IN THE MICHIGAN COMMUNITY:
In this photo, a girl is taking a selfie with her friend on the way to a Michigan Football game. They are both wearing white shirts with yellow Block M's on them. The photographer is smiling while the other girl is kissing her cheek.
POST-MODERN.
License plate. Noun. “A sign affixed to a vehicle displaying a series of letters or numbers indicating that the vehicle has been registered with the state.”
This is the license plate that was attached to my car on August 29, 2014 when I drove to Michigan from Nebraska for the first time.
“Nebraska?” “You’re the first person I’ve met from Nebraska!” “Do you live on a farm?” “Do you drive a tractor to school?” “Where even is Nebraska?” “Do you know Warren Buffet?”
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To most people at the University of Michigan, Nebraska is a foreign land. They wouldn’t be able to point it out on a map and they believe the state is solely a field of corn. From the outside you wouldn’t know that I’m originally from Nebraska. I don’t look like the stereotypical farmer and I don’t sport Nebraska clothing on a daily basis. Because of the uniqueness of Nebraska, when I first came to the University of Michigan, I was embarrassed to reveal my hometown to new friends. However, this characteristic has now become a distinct characteristic of my personality.
Throughout the years, my home state has helped shape me into who I am today. From my name changing from “Emily” to “Nebraska” in my freshman year hall, to being everyone’s “token friend from Nebraska” I have owned where my roots originate. That being said, there is more to being from Nebraska than just a conversation starter.
Growing up in Nebraska, I come from a tight-knit, supportive community. Almost everyone in my grade knew each other and my connection to my home friends feels stronger than most. Nebraska houses my earliest memories, traditions, and loved ones. It’s where I met some of my closest friends, had my first job, experienced my first successes and heartbreak. The slow-moving culture is a breath of fresh air and, although long, I find comfort in the 11 hour drive from Ann Arbor to Omaha.
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The comforting nature of the state is easy to get trapped in. Many of my friends go to Nebraska for college and stay for the rest of their lives. Although I love my home state, one of my biggest moments of growth was when I left Omaha and moved to where Nebraska was an anomaly. Being on my own without the direct support of my home community was scary but taught me to become myself and not get stuck in the Nebraska mold. There are still characteristics of Nebraska I hold true to my heart: being genuine, polite, and down-to-earth, all of which I’ve brought with me wherever I go.
In this photo, a girl holding a license plate, covering most of her face. The license plate reads "Nebraska" and is navy blue, yellow and white.
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Throughout my life, I'm likely to have many different license plates from a variety of states, however, regardless of the state on my license plate, Nebraska will always be a place I call home.
