Leila Mullison – arts, ink.

Study Hal: Week 43 – Celebration Time

May 13, 2021May 13, 2021 Leila Mullison 2 Comments

Well friends, this is it! The final episode of Study Hal. On May 1st, Hal and I graduated! It looked like a beautiful day, so Hal tried to watch the ceremony outside (like he would have if he were at the Big House). Unfortunately, he ran into some familiar problems… I guess it’s nice to know that even when everything seems up in the air, there are constants that carry on.

I want to personally thank you for watching the Study Hal series. I started making these videos very nearly a year ago. It started as a fun way to engage with the arts and my school while challenging my creativity. Now, Hal and his world hold a very special place in my heart. Of course, Hal and I will keep in touch, but that sort of thing is always different after graduation.

If you’re new here, you hopped on just in time for the end! Hal is a U-M graduate with a degree in electrical engineering, but he worked and studied from home this past academic year! You can find the rest of the videos on the Study Hal tag. I am also a U-M graduate, but with a degree in art and design. If you’d like to keep up with me, you can find me on Instagram @lrmull!

Study Hal: Week 42 – Final Task

April 29, 2021April 29, 2021 Leila Mullison Leave a comment

It’s been one heck of a semester, but it’s finally winding down. Today, Hal turned in his very last assignment for his undergraduate degree. That means he’s basically finished with college..? How wild! Hal says it feels strange for his last assignment to be a causal essay. To make up for it, he dedicated a lot of time polish it.

Hal was pleased with his efforts, but Sparky would rather play. Sparky has gotten used to Hal not being able to play, but he still comes and checks on Hal occasionally. It was a pleasant surprise that Hal went outside with him in the middle of the day! I think they’re still out there playing fetch.

I hope all the students out there are winding down and getting ready to enjoy their break, and I hope the graduates out there are taking care and enjoying the last bits of college. We got this!!

In case you’re new here, welcome! You’ve come just in time to catch the last few of videos from Hal and I. Hal is a senior studying electrical engineering from home. We usually post on Tuesdays, so check back next week, but in the meantime feel free to look through the Study Hal tag for more!

Study Hal: Week 41 – Spring Cleaning

April 13, 2021April 13, 2021 Leila Mullison Leave a comment

Birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, finals are just around the corner… It’s starting to feel like spring! As a study break today, Hal harnessed the springtime spirit and tried to tidy his room. It wasn’t long before he found his video game console and, well, it’s been months since Hal had time to play a game! But what was supposed to be one level turned into a whole afternoon of accidental gaming.

Hal can’t say he didn’t need the break, but he didn’t intend to take the break either. I think many students are in the same boat. With each passing day we have less energy and focus, so it becomes easier for little breaks to become the rest of the day. We gotta stay strong, though – less than a month left! After that we can all play video games together.

If this is your first week finding us, welcome! Hal is a U-Mich senior trying to get through his last semester. We’re back Tuesdays with updates, but feel free to check out our archive under the Study Hal tag!

Study Hal: Week 40 – Calm Campus

April 6, 2021April 6, 2021 Leila Mullison 1 Comment

Hal had to attend to some business in Ann Arbor, so he made the trip over the weekend! He hasn’t been on campus since last January. When he got there, he was shocked by how quiet it was… Maybe it’s the pandemic, maybe it’s because it was a cold Saturday morning in the midst finals season. Whatever the reason, the lack of activity took Hal by surprise.

It seems like a lot of little things have shifted over the past year. It makes sense that campus activity patterns would change like anything else. Still, Hal and I both look forward to the day when north campus, the diag, and the UMMA can be full of people again.

If this is your first time here, welcome! Hal is a graduating senior at U-M, and he’s been studying from home all year. We post updates on Tuesdays, but if you’re itching for more content, check out the backlog on the Study Hal tag!

Study Hal: Week 39 – Online Shopping

March 30, 2021March 30, 2021 Leila Mullison 1 Comment

Ahh, online shopping. What a wonderful, miraculous, and fickle thing. While trying to get the garden ready for spring, Hal noticed that his bird bath broke over the winter. He thought he caught a lucky break finding a cheap replacement online… It was only when it arrived that he discovered he’d bought a bird bath for a doll house!

Hal was chagrined, but I had a good laugh about his mistake. I’ve done the same thing before by speeding through an item description. Hal is too stubborn to return this one, so maybe it’ll become a candy dish. Has anyone else ordered something unexpected because they only skimmed the specifications?

If you’re new here, welcome in! Despite his absent mind this week, Hal is, in fact, only a few weeks from getting is U-M diploma. He posts here on Tuesdays to share his experiences, but if you’d like to see the rest of the videos, check out the Study Hal tag!

Study Hal: Week 38 – Reflection

March 16, 2021May 21, 2021 Leila Mullison Leave a comment

Well, it’s been a year. And this time, we mean that both as “it’s been a wild time” and “it has been 365 days.” Hal recently invested in a motivational calendar – it has cool affirming messages on it, but having it on the desk reminded Hal of the date. March 16th, 2020 is the day I came home early from my study abroad program, and the day Hal moved out of his apartment in Ann Arbor. On his way out, Hal snapped a selfie with his friends and roommates. He realized today that hasn’t seen them in person since.

It has been quite a year, but Hal and I talked through it to find some positives. As much as Hal misses his friends and roommates, he’s glad they’re all safe. He’s also thankful he gets to study what he loves even though it’s been different and more stressful recently. If you haven’t had the time to chat with someone about how this past year has gone, we highly encourage it! It’s better to process the feelings as they come instead of storing them away for another year.

If this is your first time here, thanks for coming! Hal is a U-M senior who’s been remote alllll year. He’s here Tuesdays to share his experiences, but if you can’t wait, check out the Study Hal tag to see all the posts!