Study Hal: Week 9 – Decompress

Leila Mullison 1 Comment

As summer is reaching its peak, the world seems to be getting more chaotic. Hal’s having trouble managing his anxiety because of it. Today, he snapped out of his anxious spiral when he saw his dog Sparky napping closeby. Sparky is really good at taking things as they come, and Hal has decided to adopt that mentality.

Hal would like to remind everyone that it’s alright to step away from the news to engage with what’s around you! Hal’s been spending with Sparky, but folks without pets could go for a walk, try a new recipe, or clean a long-forgotten area of their home. After all, it’s better to engage with the things we have control over than to stress about the stuff we can’t change.

Hal is a U-Mich student at home for this summer. He’s back with updates on his experiences every week, so check out the Study Hal tag for more of his thoughts and good vibes.

Study Hal: Week 8 – Heat Wave

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For the first few months of this pandemic, Hal found a lot of comfort in taking breaks outside. Now, though, it’s starting to get hot outside. Like, really hot… As nice as it is to be out of the house, the house has air conditioning and cover from the sun.

Hal tries to get outside early in the morning or later in the evening now that it’s so hot during the day. That way, he can enjoy nature without overheating. He’d like to remind everyone to stay hydrated and wear sunscreen, even if you’re just sitting in your backyard!

Hal’s a U-Mich student staying at home in suburban Michigan over this summer. He’s back every week, so check the Study Hal tag for more.

Graduation Composition

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For my Common App essay for admission to the University of Michigan, I wrote about music as an analog to life. A graduation essay following the same principle feels apropos.

Life is an collection of opuses. An opus is a separate composition or set of compositions by a particular composer, usually ordered by date of publication. School represents our early work as intellectual composers: grade school, high school, and college, each comprised of unique compositions. To all the graduates who find themselves with an answer to the infamous “so what’s next?” —congratulations. One, you finished college. Two, you are ready to write your next composition. To all those without an answer —congratulations. YOU FINISHED COLLEGE SHEESH! Why does all the questioning about what’s next feel like we overlook this?! We just had a lifelong academic odyssey. It’s okay to soak that in for a second, especially now during this time of shared uncertainty. Make sure you are excited about your next composition however you manage. Remember, you don’t listen to music to get to the end of the song; you listen to enjoy the music.

As I reflect on my own 16 year academic journey, on each opus I have written, the sounds vary as do the themes:

Grade school was my halcyon days with rich imagination baked into my everyday life. Then, I contrast high school and college, attempting to favor one over the other, yet my analysis comes  to a stalemate as the each 4 years encompassed vastly different experiences. My understanding of the world has evolved more than I have as an individual. That’s to say, my identity is more or less the same throughout the 8 years in terms of how I perceive myself and generally how I imagine I’m perceived, but my reactions changed, probably a result of continuing experiences and, honestly, higher education.

High school was a single story that developed gradually with subplots that gained depth over time. I had reward in early investments. High school was team oriented, so I saw my role in a grander scheme. College was comprised of distinct chapters that often seemed unrelated. My own reflections link them together and assign meaning to them. College was self oriented which curated feelings of uncertainty or empowerment. Quite an extraordinary opus U of M has been.

Thank you arts, ink. for the last 4 years. It’s been a pleasure.

Go Blue.

Study Hal: Week 7 – New Threads

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Hal’s been making sure to cover his face when he heads out in public. He’s been using an old bandana because he’s stubborn and doesn’t like to buy new things, but a few weeks ago, he caved in and invested in a cloth mask for the school year. It finally arrived today! The only problem is that Hal didn’t think about the practicalities of wearing a mask with earloops when you don’t have any ears…

Don’t feel too bad for Hal! We’re gonna find something to hold the loops together in the back. Actually, tieing the earloops like that can take the pressure off your ears, making wearing a mask more comfortable over long periods of time. Very flexible wire is perfect for that kind of thing!

In case you haven’t met him yet, Hal is a U-Mich student who’s living at home over the summer of 2020. He’s back every week to share his experiences of living through this pandemic. If you want to see more videos, search the Study Hal tag.

Study Hal: Week 6 – Staying Active

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Now that summer classes have wrapped up and his mental health is a little more sorted, Hal took time this weekend to be active… in his community! With the growing movements around racial injustice, LGBTQ+ rights, voter suppression, and healthcare, Hal sat himself down to fill out his absentee voter ballot application and write some postcards to his elected officials. Checking your voter status and corresponding with your reps are good ways to make sure your voice is heard while staying at home!

Requesting an absentee voter ballot is easy in Michigan, and you can learn more about it for your particular situation from your state’s government website. If you’re a student like Hal and you’re not sure where you’ll be living for the future elections, put your home address so your ballot won’t get lost at temporary housing. Your family can forward it to you wherever you end up!

Hal’s sending postcards to his elected officials because he feels like it draws more attention than an email. If you don’t have any postcards on hand and you have some spare change, you could buy some from a minority artist or an artist donating funds to a worthy cause!

Hal is a U-Mich student who’s moved back home for the summer of 2020. He’s here every week with updates on all of the wild things that have been coming with this pandemic. If you want to see more, search the Study Hal tag!

Study Hal: Week 5 – A Very Good Helper

Leila Mullison 2 Comments

Hal’s been taking some online classes, and summer finals season is almost here. He’s been diligently trying to finish all of his work. But, his family’s dog, Sparky, is not a very good study partner. Sparky would much rather play…

Pets may not understand this whole “work from home” thing, but they do love hanging out with you. If you have a pet, I bet they would appreciate if you carved out some time to hang out with them.

Hal is a U-Mich student who’s living at his childhood home over the summer of 2020. He’s back with updates on his exploits and experiences every week. If you want to see more, search the Study Hal tag!