Ainsley Shapiro

Professor Lee
December 7, 2020
FYS-146 Class Reflection

FYS 146, better known as Comparative Ethnic Experiences, has taught me to look at the
world with an open mindset and a wider point of view. Over the course of the semester, I was
exposed to new ideas and perspectives that helped me to understand the societal challenges
certain groups of people face in their day to day lives.
One of the most impactful things I was taught was the concept of the single-story
narrative and how it has been subtly ingrained in our learnings ever since we were young. I
found it fascinating how, at least in my experience, I never stopped to wonder about the
perspective of history that I was being taught. It was always stressed that those who came to
America found a beautiful land and started a wonderful new country and experienced hardships
from time to time, but always persevered and came out on top because they were heroes, and I
never second-guessed it because I believed that my teachers, people of authority, were truthful.
What the single-story concept has now taught me is that they were telling a watered-down
half-truth because the goal of the single story is to propose and maintain a single, dominant
perspective that helps benefit the standing of those who wrote it, and it erases the histories of
others. In this case, the white people with a better economic standing. FYS 146 has taught me
not only about the existence of the single-story concept but how to slowly break it down and fill
the space with the vast and diverse histories of other groups of peoples, such as the Native
Americans. With the multi perspectives and new information, we were able to rewrite history in a
more inclusive manner that more accurately reflects the events of the past.
Another important topic I learned in FYS 146 this semester was the concept of race
being used as a societal pressure to behave a certain way and as a barrier to how we interact
with one another. I enjoyed the video of the students running genetics tests to find out who they
were more genetically identical to, and being completely blown away by the results. It was
amusing to see how their predictions were completely wrong and how one simple experiment
could debunk any myths about race being a genetic factor. I had always assumed that racism
was another shortcoming of the country I live in; a widespread ignorance from people who were
raised to hate the differences among us. FYS 146 has taught me that racism was actually
created out of the need for societal barriers so white landowners could keep those of African
descent enslaved and that the ideas were passed down from generation to generation. It then
led to a preconception forming that those of a darker skin tone or different background were
lesser and the barriers still have their sticky tendrils wrapped around today’s society. With these
two ideas feeding into my learning, I have developed a new grasp on how race functions in our
society. I understand that even though it was made up to give one party an advantage over the
other, everyone now believes these ideas to be true and so racism has fulfilled its destiny and
has become a subtle barrier in our society, quietly separating us for no good reason.
In addition to the valuable information that was taught in FYS 146, I also learned
important skills that can transcribe not only to other classes but to life. One of these important
skills is reading strategies which helped me slow down my reading and take a profound look at
the text. I would usually speed through class texts to only miss out on the fine details but the
new reading strategies have helped me to take a more in-depth look and develop my critical
thinking skills. The class reading logs used these strategies to help me break down the text and
pick at the words making me think about the meaning in a deeper sense and not just what I
could grasp at the surface level. Furthermore, I also learned how to enhance my communication
or “people skills”. Group projects are hard enough but the added stressor of being online was
the icing on the cake. FYS 146 helped me expand upon my people skills by placing me in a
multitude of group related works where I had to break out of my shell and take charge to make
sure that my classmates and I not only completed but understood the work being done.
Outside of the material being taught and the lessons to be learned, FYS 146 has
affected me by giving me one of the most positive introductions to campus life and the university
resources that can be given within the limits of our circumstances. The presentations during the
first few weeks of class exposed me to a multitude of resources that I would have undoubtedly
been unable to find on my own and the exercises before the start of each class helped me to
connect with my other classmates and take the stress away. I found it a really refreshing
experience to have a class that not only taught engaging material but also was concerned about
the student’s well being. I feel that, although not on campus, thanks to FYS 146, I am better
prepared to integrate into the community and find a place where I belong.
Overall I feel that this class has taught me more than I ever could have expected about
the history and current standing of society in America as well as important skills that I can carry
with me beyond just the learning environment. This class has helped prepare me for the future
to come by expanding my viewpoints as well as providing me with a more in-depth
understanding of our society, and I feel better equipped to now take on the challenges of life and
accomplish my goals. I still feel the words of my Vision Statement to hold true and undoubtedly
this class has helped me get closer to fulfilling those wishes and goals.