Winter quarter was really great. I took my two favorite classes at UW this quarter. The Ways of Feeling class just blew my mind and has made me think about language and emotion in such a different way. I've never been so excited to do readings for a class before. I also got the chance to do a self-directed ten page research paper and it showed me that I have a real interest in the linguistics of ASL. It's something that I want to keeping thinking about and take classes on in the future.
The Plays and Styles class was my favorite class so far. I loved reading all of the plays and it gave me such a good foundation for play analysis that I will be using in so many of my classes in the future. Jonathan was such an engaging teacher and it really created a class environment where we all felt comfortable sharing our thoughts. Even on zoom, it was the first class that actually felt like a community. I even made a friend from the class, which I didn't think was going to be possible for me over zoom.
I've gotten to explore Seattle a little more, albeit still not as much as I could have. The weekend of snow was one of the best weekends in my life- it was just pure joy for three days. We also went on a hike in a mossy forest sprinkled with snow. I'm really appreciating the beauty here. It's very different from home but I like that. Being able to experience the relief of spring for the first time is also really making me appreciate the sun even more.
I've also been doing a lot of planning my degrees. I've decided to double major in Drama Design and Linguistics and I've been admitted to both majors. It means a little more work and I'll have to keep close track of my requirements but I'm confident I can do it. I haven't thought as much about Honors, so over spring quarter and summer I need to think about what my experiential activities are going to be. I still hope to study abroad some day but it's not happening this year.
It's been a very busy quarter for me because both of those classes involved a lot of reading and writing, but I've still been able to spend time with friends. I said it last quarter, but I'm so grateful for them. Though Covid means that they're the only people I see, they're enough for me. I have a really great support group here.
I spent winter quarter working even more on my set designs for the production of The Good Person of Szechwan. I decided to do the designs in watercolor and charcoal even though I had no experience in either of those mediums. But, I've been painting for a month now, and I've actually been able to see my improvement in that time. The picture above shows all of the backgrounds on the wall above my bed. It's been so satisfying to see the wall slowly fill up, and to be able to see the progression of the show so clearly. Rehearsals start in spring quarter, and I'm so excited to see it all come together. It's taken a lot of work, and there's still a lot of work to come. It's such a new experience for all of us that I don't think any of us really know what to expect from the final product.
I'm also extremely grateful to have something creative to work on. It's a break from school work but it still allows me to feel productive. I'm hoping that next year I'll be able to get into the theatre and work on real productions. I really miss live theatre and especially working on an actual stage. It's what I came to school for, so I can't wait for the day I can take a production class.