What Does It Mean To Be Human?

What Does It Mean To Be Human?

I've been upside-down, I don't wanna be the right way 'round.
Sami Murphy
Sami Murphy Jan 18, 2017
6921
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I was sitting on the couch one night trying to think of something to write my article about when my fiance walked into the room and asked what I was doing. I responded by telling him I needed to write an article, but was suffering from a never-ending writer's block and could use some inspiration.

I was then shown this video and became inspired within five seconds.

What does it mean to be human?

Wow.

To me, being human means having the freedom to be whomever you want to be. To be able to create and discover yourself as an individual without caring about the judgment of others. Being human means accepting all that you are and living your life in a way without regret or worry. Being human means having and showing emotions. Crying when you're upset or mad, laughing like a maniac when something humors you, and loving people to the ends of the Earth—and letting them know that.

Being human means making mistakes and being flawed. Being human means gaining a few pounds, eating unhealthy sometimes, and having stress breakouts. Being human means split ends, regrowth, chipped nails, worn out jeans, and stained t-shirts. Being human means making friends, and then having their backs turn on you (or vice versa). Being human means discovering all that is around you and traveling the globe. It means spending your entire Sunday in bed watching cartoons or getting up to watch the sunset and then spending your morning worshiping Christ (or whomever it is you believe).

Being human means giving it your all in every thing you do, but also realizing when enough is enough. Being human is putting differences aside and standing together with those you never thought you could.

Everyone will have their own definition of being human—what's yours?

Cover Image Credit: Sami Murphy
Sami Murphy
Sami Murphy Jan 18, 2017
At Dubuque, IA

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20 Fun Facts To Use When Introducing Yourself

As we embark on the semester, we are put on the spot in order to share interesting details about ourselves. This article discloses possible fun facts to tell others!
Jennifer Kustanovich
Jennifer Kustanovich Sep 4, 2017
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After experiencing my first week of classes, I have learned that every student needs a handy-dandy list of fun facts about themselves to tell other people. Many professors use the first couple of classes to learn about their students, so you may need to think about who you are and how you want to introduce yourself to your professor and classmates. We all have that one go-to interesting fact about ourselves, but sometimes you just have to mix it up!

1. My favorite hobby is...

What do you do in your free time? Personally, I love to stay active! I am a competitive Latin dancer and enjoy teaching and taking Zumba classes, going to the gym, and hiking.

2. I love...

Is there something, someone, or somewhere that you love? What makes your heart ache? What do you miss when it's gone? I can say that I love my friends because I feel my most confident when I'm surrounded by those who love and support me.

3. I look up to...

Is there someone you adore? Who mesmerizes you? Who do you wish to learn from? After watching "A Ballerina's Tale," I discovered Misty Copeland. In 2015 she became the first African American ballet dancer to become the Female Principal Dancer at American Ballet Theatre. Her passion, grace, and strength continuously motivate me to better myself as an athlete and an individual.

4. This art speaks to me because...

Coco Chanel said, "In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different." This encourages me to always follow my heart no matter what. I will never follow society's standards and norms because they do not define me. Chanel's saying definitely influences my character and lifestyle.

5. A funny and/or embarrassing memory of me is...

When you make others laugh they want to spend time and make memories with you! Don't be afraid to embarrass yourself. You will come off as down to earth, easy-going, and loyal.

6. My siblings or lack thereof influenced me by...

I can go on and on about my brother, who is 10 years older than I. We have opposite personalities and despite the age gap, we're quite close.

7. My pet(s) are my life because...

Only sad people don't like hearing about furry creatures, even if your pets are slimy and slithering creatures all human beings enjoy hearing pet tales!

8. I'm afraid of...

Your personality can be revealed by your likes and dislikes, including the things that you fear. I am terrified of change and the unknown, hence, the future is an anxiety-inducing topic to discuss for me.

9. I am the way I am because...

What have you gone through in life that has shaped you into who you are today? Remember to be open minded and allow yourself to open up to your peers. You may be surprised by how others respond and/or what others have endured as well.

10. The most unusual item that can be found in your dorm...

This is a fun fact about yourself that can easily liven up an awkward conversation. Think about your quirks and differences! One item I have in my dorm is my teddy bear, Peter, whom I like to joke is my boyfriend.

11. My dream job is...

In college, "What's your major?" is a widespread question. Nonetheless, skip the boring statement of "I'm majoring in..." and go in depth on what your dream job is (hopefully your major factors in to this dream of yours).

12. My hidden talents are...

Angelina Jolie is a knife thrower. Kendall Jenner can produce bird noises. Amanda Seyfried can crochet and knit. Is there anything special you can do? Some people have rare and unique talents, maybe you can think of some hidden talents of your own!

13. My guilty pleasure is...

I will say it a million times: don't be shy when introducing yourself to new people! I'll start by divulging my guilty pleasure: Youtube's family vlogging channel, "OKBaby"!

Check them out: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvUCbnwzySKgbKiB_...



14. Some activities on my bucket list are...


This is an easy way to grab people's attention and find others with similar desires as you. Be an adventurer! Go out of your comfort zone!

15. Talk about your best friend...

How would your best friend describe you? What do you love to do with your best friend?

16. Talk about an accomplishment of yours...

You are incredible and have achieved so much! Reveal something that you are proud of — show off a little!

17. This one time at my job...

Bosses breathing down your neck. Curious coworkers asking personal questions. Cursing customers who never leave you alone. Your job can be filled with tons of hilarious situations that can easily entertain a crowd.

18. During the summer...

Any scars with stories? Any summer flings? Any lessons learned from the tanning too long? Now that summer is over, disclose memories that can leave positive impressions on others.

19. I volunteer at...

Do you do any community service? Share a funny moment while you were volunteering. What did you learn while there? Would you continue?

20. [blank] is meaningful to me because...



What do you appreciate in life? What brightens your day? What makes you fall in love? What does someone have to do to make you smile?

Finally, remember to be outgoing! Reveal that three-mile smile and open your arms to learning about others. Spread smiles, love, and happiness.

Cover Image Credit: Pexels
Jennifer Kustanovich
Jennifer Kustanovich Sep 4, 2017
At The State University of New York at Stony Brook

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Whether You Love Waking Up Or Hate It, We've All Experienced These 5 Types Of Wake Ups

Is waking up the most exciting part of your day or your worst nightmare?

Wilson Vave
Wilson Vave Sep 25, 2018
16
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I believe that everybody has a story, unique and powerful, that inspires us, or encourages us to do something incredible. And these stories can be from any part of our lives: our innocent childhood, our emo-edgy teens, our melancholy adulthood. The story can be a span over all of these eras of human life. This is what I want to explore in myself, a cross-section over the different eras of life, focusing on something I did in each of those eras--every day, actually! I'm talking about the story of waking up.

Let's first look at what happens when one wakes up, without the story plot. The physical, in real life, universal actions of what it means to be conscious and get out of bed...I suppose, that is it! You are, firstly, not sleeping, and secondly, getting out of your spot of rest. These are universal. Nobody can do the action of waking up without going through these two steps. Note that my definition for "waking up" isn't just waking up, but getting up.

Now, let's look at the stories of waking up! There are five big ones that I expect we all have experienced at some point in our lives.

1. The Comedy of Waking Up

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I'm not sure what it is as a child, but everything can either be a lighthearted affair or the end of the world. It's either everything is amazing, or everything is horrific. In the case of waking up, I feel like it's almost a mixture of both, resulting in a comedy. A memory that I have from when I was 5-years-old comes to mind: my mom woke me up for school, I jumped up, put on my clothes, freshened up, ate breakfast and rode on my Dad's shoulders to school. The moment I entered my elementary school building, I woke up. Then, I repeated the entire morning the exact same way.

2. Overcoming the Monster of Sleep

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Honestly, this is me every day since I was 17-years-old. I picture sleep as an actual monster that tries to keep me from getting up. It's terrifying! Just this morning, the alarm clock woke me up from slumber at 6:30 a.m. The monster then manipulates my mind, casting me under a spell, forcing me to return to bed, against my will. I'd then regain consciousness some 20 minutes later. Realizing what happened, I create a magical sword from sheer willpower, slay the monster and arise victorious.

3. Rebirth and Reformed

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Following the story of overcoming the monster, needless to say, I am occasionally defeated. The Monster is a powerful adversary! However, in the words of Kelly Clarkson, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." When I regain consciousness, I'm empowered and motivated to overcome the monster in order to save the world. Or...because lab is in 10 minutes...

4. The Tragedy of Waking Up

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I can't decide how to look at tragedy--honestly, I am conflicted. A part of me imagines waking up as the struggle, and therefore not waking up in time is a tragedy. For example, imagining drowsiness as the Monster, the tragedy would be my lack of willpower (or refusal of summoning my willpower) to slay the monster. But, if I see actual life as the enemy, and sleep as an ally, then, actually, Waking Up is the tragedy. I think it depends on where your values are. As a child, the true enemy was school, so it was a tragedy to wake up. But, when the weekend comes in, it would be a tragedy if I overslept.

5. The Voyage From and Return to Bed

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Honestly, this is how my entire day is oriented. My daily life is a voyage, and I look forward to returning to the land of bliss: the Carlsbad II matress. The act of waking up is a departure from home to accomplish whatever it is I must do. And the return is the returning home to the resting place.

It's important for us to learn from stories in order for us to be better human beings. From the story "Snow White," or the Serpent and Eve, we know that we should never accept apples from witches or snakes, because we will die! From the story of "The Matrix," we learn to believe in our abilities and to take the red pill. From the story of "Lord of the Rings," we learn to not accept old wizards into our homes if we don't want to go on an adventure.

The question is, what can we learn from these stories of waking up, what pitfalls can we avoid in waking up, what can we expect from unexpected situations, like the cruel reality of waking up the next morning? The general orientation of our entire life can be signaled from how we see our story of waking up. Be a better person, tell us your story of waking up.

Wilson Vave
Wilson Vave Sep 25, 2018
At University of Minnesota Twin Cities

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