Tag: animation

Study Hal: Week 22 – Absentee

Leila Mullison 1 Comment

Just about everyone has been talking about the upcoming election, and for good reason! It’s important to make your voice heard, and during a pandemic, voting takes extra planning. Hal has had his absentee ballot for a while now. He decided to take a break from studying to fill it in, but he didn’t realize before opening the ballot that there were so many items to vote for!

Though he was tempted to skip the races he didn’t understand, Hal researched every race using the League of Women Voters nonpartisan voter guide. (They have different chapters all over the country! Hal highly recommends finding your local voting guide.) Hal was able to find candidates he agrees with and figure out what the proposals mean. It took him a while to get it all sorted out, but he did it! Tomorrow morning, he’s going to drop off his signed and sealed ballot in the official drop box in front of the city hall. Have you already voted, or do you have a voting plan? Better yet, do you have any voting uncertainties that Hal or I could help you with? Leave us a comment below!

If you’ve missed it, Hal is a student at U-M who’s staying remote for the semester. He’s around every week with a new video, so check out the Study Hal tag to see more!

Study Hal: Week 21 – Home Alone

Leila Mullison 1 Comment

Hal’s been staying in his childhood home since March, but today was the first day in months that he’s been there all by himself. Though he gets kind of annoyed when other folks distract him from his work, he found himself wandering aimlessly through the house in search of company. He was relieved when someone finally got home with the groceries!

Hal keeps telling me that he’s learning about himself from this pandemic. For instance, he used to think he’d rather live alone than with roommates, but now he thinks now he’d rather have people around more often. What do you think? Have you learned something unexpected from this time at home? Do you want roommates more or less than when this whole thing started?

If you missed it, Hal is a student here at U-Mich. He’s studying remotely this semester from his home in Michigan. If you’d like to see more of his exploits, check back in next Tuesday, or check out the Study Hal tag!

Study Hal: Week 20 – Grounding

Leila Mullison 1 Comment

As we enter week 5 of online classes, and with midterms lurking around the corner, saying Hal is stressed would be an understatement. In the before times, Hal would watch videos or scroll through pictures to unwind. But, now that all his classes are on a screen, he’s finding it better to take his breaks outside.

As part of his anxiety management strategy, Hal spends 5 minutes doing grounding exercises every day. He spends this time observing the world around him, from the ground beneath his feet to the sounds in the distance. Hal said his favorite part of his practice today was finding a yellowing leaf on the lawn. Bright red maple leaves are his favorite part of the season, and this is just a sign we’re one step closer to those beautiful fall colors. Did you notice anything in the world today that cheered you up?

In case you’re just tuning in, Hal is a student at U-M who’s been remote from his childhood home all semester. He’s back every week to share his thoughts and experiences, so check out the Study Hal tag if you want to see more!

Study Hal: Week 19 – Spooky Season

Leila Mullison 2 Comments

Happy first day of fall, everyone! Hal has been looking forward to this day for a very long time, because he finally feels ready to decorate for Halloween! Hal’s not usually spirited about holidays. In this weird year, though, I think he’s happy to take all the excitement and comforting nostalgia he can. Can you tell what nostalgia-inducing movie Hal’s watching to get in the spirit?

Speaking of nostalgia, what things have you found surprisingly comforting this season? For me, it’s been candy corn and pumpkin pie. Hal’s talking about doing some baking if he can find the time. Maybe I’ll ask him to try his hand at a pie or two!

For those just tuning in, Hal is a U-Mich student staying remote for the term! He’s back every week from his childhood home to share his experiences, good or bad. Check out the Study Hal tag to see the rest of the series and come back next Tuesday for more!

Study Hal: Week 18 – Perfect Setup

Leila Mullison 1 Comment

Like many students, Hal has an ideal study setup. Readings printed out, hot tea ready, pens in place, lo-fi beats playing… Unfortunately, in the now-times, it seems like even small tasks take up a lot of time and energy! Hal got all the way to being ready to study before having to call it a night.

Hal’s gonna try to get up and study in the mornings instead. What do you think? Do you prefer studying in the morning or at night? (Or, do you study between classes like a daredevil??)

If this is your first time here, Hal is a U-M student! He’s staying remote this term, but he’s around every week to share his experiences. Check out the Study Hal tag to see more!

Study Hal: Week 17 – Virtual Tour

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Week one of classes, done! Hal’s getting the hang of the online thing. He’s just figured out the virtual backgrounds and will not stop trying new ones… His dog Sparky wanted to know what all the fuss was about!

Hal’s taking it slow and trying to get ahead on classwork these first few weeks. Anyone else with him? Or are you more like me and you’ve already fallen behind?

In case you missed it, Hal is a U-M student taking remote classes this semester. He’s back every week with a new video. Check out his summer exploits in the Study Hal tag!