Starting Professor Gupta’s CSR course this week has been incredibly exciting and engaging. I’ve begun to really enjoy working on my WSJ posts, and my favorite part of the class is listening to my classmates discuss their articles. I appreciate our ability to debate topics and consider each other’s perspectives. Additionally, I value Professor Gupta’s willingness to play devil’s advocate, pushing us to further explain our thoughts by presenting opposing arguments. Our discussion on the Plant Fitness article highlighted various points and challenges companies face when dealing with backlash on social issues. Listening to my classmates’ thoughts was intriguing, and many points were brought up that I had never considered before. I also appreciate everyone’s willingness to share their honest opinions, as it makes us better students and allows us to compare multiple ways of thinking. I love that our discussions extend beyond the classroom! Cooper and I continued our conversation on his social media and mental health article over three-dollar beers at a nearby bar.
I’ve also really enjoyed our internship seminar. It’s important to have a place to discuss and debrief what we observe during our internships and how culture plays a part in it. The readings have been engaging, and the recent debate was particularly thought-provoking. I’ve never experienced a formal debate in a class at Lehigh, and I found it very exciting. The article we debated posed challenging questions, prompting both teams to think outside the box and tackle tough questions. I appreciated how I could relate the Parable of Sadhu and other class readings to my WSJ post, as they all question who holds responsibility in various situations. This phenomenon of passing on responsibility is common, much like bystanders watching an accident and assuming someone else will call the police.
My internship is still going well! Forming a connection with my coworkers has been challenging, as I’m only in the office one day a week. Nonetheless, I’m becoming more comfortable with them and enjoying my time there. I love the freedom of working from home, which allows me to explore Milan and work in different cafes. It also lets me use Fridays as travel days since I can work on the train. However, working from home can be distracting, especially with an ongoing project without a strict deadline. To stay on track, I set daily goals and expectations, ensuring I’m making progress. My coworkers have been extremely helpful, offering travel recommendations and asking about my experiences in Milan.
The wine-tasting class experience was fantastic. I’ve always wanted to try wine tasting, and the knowledge we gained is useful for both formal dinners and casual gatherings. Learning the steps of tasting wine, such as smelling the cork and checking for a vinegary smell, swirling the wine to observe the drips, and examining the color, was fascinating. Additionally, I thought it was really cool that you could estimate the age of a wine by its color. The class not only enhanced my appreciation for wine but also boosted my confidence in tasting wines. I was also really excited when my new wine-tasting skills came in handy when we were in Florence, and I had to test a wine!
