Globalization Project
Project Reflection
This project allowed each person to choose their own topic that revolved around globalization. Students had the ability to research anything from sweatshops to technology to free-trade. After much research, everyone composed an Op-Ed (Opposite-the-Editorial) newspaper and an accompanying political cartoon. This project allowed for each person to explore the ins-and-outs of globalization and expand their mindset through a topic that is individualized for each person.
I chose to focus on “the race to the bottom,” specifically the effect of sweatshop workers because of this race. I learned how much sweatshop workers struggle to make so many products most of us don’t think twice about. This project has changed my point of view in the sense that whenever I go to buy even the littlest things I can’t help but think what am I really paying for? Focusing on this topic made me realize how powerful and dangerous globalization is. I also learned how we could alter all that power for the greater good.
Researching and writing my Op-Ed had gone smoothly, but then there came the dreaded political cartoon. I’m sure you all have that one friend who just CAN'T draw. Well, that’d be me. Every animal I draw comes out looking like a cow. Everything I color looks like the proud work of a three year old. Being a very detail-oriented person, this frustrated me all the time. Going into this project with a negative attitude definitely proved to be a hindrance in the production of this cartoon because it made me think I wouldn't be able to pull off a piece of beautiful work. Nonetheless, I persevered, and along the way I just might've become a better artist.
My first draft of my cartoon featured stick figures galore. Have you ever seen a stick-figured political cartoon? Probably not. I went through many critiques, multiple changes, and just a few mental breakdowns to create my cartoon and ensure it had all the necessities to become successful.
One of the largest improvements I had to make was regarding the racing horses. As mentioned above, they started out looking like cows…they weren't supposed to be cows. With the help of peers, friends, and good old Google Images, I was able to transform my cows to horses. Going through that helped me improve my visual learning skills and the importance of keeping a positive mental attitude.
First semester of sophomore year focused on creative writing, along with the majority of the years before This style of writing is a mix between creative and technical writing, a medium I didn't have much practice in. The biggest thing I had to adapt to was the formatting. Short, concise paragraphs that get to the point. No extra words necessary. It had a very ‘say what you need to say and nothing else’ kind of feel that I hadn't had much practice in. After a little practice, this writing style proved to be beneficial because I can now better express my thoughts in more concise ways. This technique can be applied to all my endeavors to ensure that my thoughts are laid out in a short, tidy manner, when need be.
I chose to focus on “the race to the bottom,” specifically the effect of sweatshop workers because of this race. I learned how much sweatshop workers struggle to make so many products most of us don’t think twice about. This project has changed my point of view in the sense that whenever I go to buy even the littlest things I can’t help but think what am I really paying for? Focusing on this topic made me realize how powerful and dangerous globalization is. I also learned how we could alter all that power for the greater good.
Researching and writing my Op-Ed had gone smoothly, but then there came the dreaded political cartoon. I’m sure you all have that one friend who just CAN'T draw. Well, that’d be me. Every animal I draw comes out looking like a cow. Everything I color looks like the proud work of a three year old. Being a very detail-oriented person, this frustrated me all the time. Going into this project with a negative attitude definitely proved to be a hindrance in the production of this cartoon because it made me think I wouldn't be able to pull off a piece of beautiful work. Nonetheless, I persevered, and along the way I just might've become a better artist.
My first draft of my cartoon featured stick figures galore. Have you ever seen a stick-figured political cartoon? Probably not. I went through many critiques, multiple changes, and just a few mental breakdowns to create my cartoon and ensure it had all the necessities to become successful.
One of the largest improvements I had to make was regarding the racing horses. As mentioned above, they started out looking like cows…they weren't supposed to be cows. With the help of peers, friends, and good old Google Images, I was able to transform my cows to horses. Going through that helped me improve my visual learning skills and the importance of keeping a positive mental attitude.
First semester of sophomore year focused on creative writing, along with the majority of the years before This style of writing is a mix between creative and technical writing, a medium I didn't have much practice in. The biggest thing I had to adapt to was the formatting. Short, concise paragraphs that get to the point. No extra words necessary. It had a very ‘say what you need to say and nothing else’ kind of feel that I hadn't had much practice in. After a little practice, this writing style proved to be beneficial because I can now better express my thoughts in more concise ways. This technique can be applied to all my endeavors to ensure that my thoughts are laid out in a short, tidy manner, when need be.