I
n light of the ongoing
contract
negotiations
between the University
of
Michigan
and
members
of
the
Graduate Employees’
Organization, I felt
moved to write a
piece
that
details
my experience with
Graduate
Student
Instructors and the
tremendous
impact
they have had on
my
educational
experience
here.
As
a
dual-degree
student in both LSA and the
School of Music, Theatre &
Dance, I have had wonderfully
supportive relationships with
the vast majority of GSIs I
have had in my courses, and
it is mostly because of the
support they provided through
an extraordinarily high level of
instruction that I find myself
where I am today.
The work GSIs do more
than warrants certain benefits
such as an annual 6 percent
increase in salary to cover the
high cost of living in Ann Arbor
and instituting a hard 20-hour
work-week cap. The inability
of the University to properly
compensate
its
graduate
student employees will make it
difficult for them to perform at
a high level. This consequently
detracts from the educational
experience
of
both
myself
and all other undergraduate
students
at
the
University
due to the significant number
of
classes
that
have
GSI
instruction
and
the
help
provided
to
undergraduate
students by GSIs in their
pursuit of an education.
One of the most prominent
and helpful experiences I’ve
had with graduate student
instruction was last year, in
my second-year written theory
course. This required course
built on the concepts taught
the year before, which I did not
put much effort into learning
during my first go-around as a
freshman. I arrived in my first-
semester,
second-year
class
determined to make up for lost
time. After struggling through
my first few assignments, I
quickly realized that I needed
extra assistance.
My professor referred me
to a few graduate students
who would be able to tutor
me and help me catch up on
concepts. I worked countless
hours with a graduate student
and progressed from a D the
previous semester to a B in
my first term of
second-year
theory and an A
in my final term.
This
graduate
student
helped
me
effectively
reach
the
point
where I not only
understood
the
material, but I was
able to teach myself
to
understand
it
on
my
own,
helping me gain educational
independence.
I
believe
that part of the educational
experience at a university is
learning how to learn, and in
this context, it was because
of the tremendous dedication
of
a
Graduate
Student
Instructor that I was allowed
the opportunity to do so.
After succeeding in theory
and finding an interest in
the field of communications
studies, I took it upon myself
to complete the prerequisite
coursework
for
declaring
a major in the Department
of
Communications.
The
instruction I received from the
GSI in the introductory courses
was paramount to my success
and ability to pursue this major.
At each stage in a difficult term-
long research project for one
of the prerequisite courses,
my GSI met with me multiple
times and reviewed my work.
His feedback, both related and
unrelated to my project, was
essential to my educational
interests,
career
goals
and
personal development. Without
this GSI’s assistance, I would not
have the same understanding
of
the
narrative
power
of
advertising that I do today.
Moreover, the services that
my GSIs have provided me
transcended merely helping me
understand the coursework at
hand. They not only helped me
to know the purpose behind
the concepts I was trying to
understand, but also the context
in which they appeared in the
real world and what I could do
to take what I learn to affect
change in the world as a student
and professional.
My communications GSI,
serving as both an instructor
and mentor, gave me valuable
insight into the broader field of
communication studies, what
my professional opportunities
were with a communications
degree
and
helped
me
understand the relevance of
what I was doing in regards
to my future coursework as
a
communications
student.
It was the experience that I
had with this GSI — and other
GSIs ever since — that, more
so than professors, brought
my learning full circle, as
he was able to connect the
metaphorical dots for me in a
way that I could not have done
on my own at the time in a one-
on-one, personalized setting.
The invaluable help and
guidance that I received from
my GSIs is not unique to me.
Without GSI contributions, my
education and the education
of many other students would
be undoubtedly lessened. GSIs
routinely
make
themselves
available
to
help
students
like myself with coursework
through
holding
weekly
office hours that supplement
those of professors, which
makes the attainment of an
education at the University
more
accessible.
These
office hours served me with
the valuable link between
material mentioned in lecture
and the important concepts
that I retain for use on exams
and
future
academic
and
professional endeavors.
The impact of the work
GSIs
do
is
significant
to
undergraduate
student’s
educational
experiences,
and
because
of
this,
the
University should collaborate
with instead of combat the
bargaining efforts of the GEO.
Without
GSI
instruction,
both
my
own
educational
experience and that of other
undergraduate students would
not be the same.
I
’m sure many of us have
heard “social media is
bad” and “it’s ruining
millennials’
lives”
enough. I won’t add
insult to injury, but
as someone who quit
social media almost
two years ago, I can
safely say I have felt
winds
of
change,
and I am better off
because of it.
I
was
a
social
media “enthusiast.”
When I was in 7th
grade, some of us didn’t
have cell phones yet. So, when
AOL Instant Messager became
popular, almost everyone had
an account. I spent my entire
summer glued to the computer
screen. The sense of privacy
and
direct
messaging
was
precious throughout my angsty
teen years.
About this time, people were
moving away from MySpace
to Facebook. While MySpace
allowed us to customize our
home pages, Facebook had new
features such as photo albums,
status
posting
and
“like”
buttons. These new features
were
highly
attractive;
I
was constantly told to be
“photogenic” and “funny,” and
I found myself craving more
of these accolades. I posted
statuses that would draw in
attention and edited selfies
to invite more compliments.
I knew I spent a lot of time
on Facebook, but my excuse
was the classic fat talk: “If
everyone else is doing it, why
can’t I?”
Shortly
after
Facebook
grew popular, Instagram was
launched, and it was better
than Facebook in many ways.
Instagram specifically targeted
the younger generation, and
it was a photo-based social
network, so aesthetics became
relevant.
People
posted
pictures
of
food,
outfits,
traveling and perfectly-edited
shots of themselves that fit the
theme of their page. One would
cut another’s throat to have a
more “artsy” Instagram page.
Rome wasn’t built in a day
and neither was my Instagram
profile. I arranged plates at
restaurants to take
the perfect shot of
the foods I ate. I
made people stop to
take
“celeb”
shots
of me as if I were
a fashion model. I
became
obsessed
with
things
that
were
aesthetically
pleasing, colorful and
spatially organized.
Having
perfect
profiles at the touch
of my fingers made Instagram
a
comparing
machine.
Do
I have more “likes” than
other people? Is my profile
better-looking
than
theirs?
Do I consistently have more
followers than them? Though
taking pictures and editing in
moderation can be a fun and
a creative process, Instagram
was something else — it was
a competition. Small actions,
like what restaurant to go to,
and important life decisions,
like which friends to keep
around, were all influenced by
how I wanted to portray myself
to others on social media.
I became sick of it. I
couldn’t enjoy being in the
moment
because
I
lived
life through the lens. The
time, energy and attention
I put into Instagram was so
damaging that I wanted to
quit social media entirely.
The transition to quitting
social media did not happen
in a day. It began with telling
myself to go on it every few
hours and then every few days.
It began with deleting apps off
my phone and re-downloading
them several times over the
months. There were urges I
couldn’t resist. There were
fears I would miss out on
opportunities.
There
was
anxiety without my social
media presence. There were
thoughts that deleting social
media would mean losing my
voice. But it was quite the
opposite — I regained my voice
and my life.
Looking
down
at
my
phone in elevators turned
into chats with strangers.
Taking pictures before eating
turned into a time to express
gratitude
for
a
wonderful
meal.
Scrolling
through
Instagram before class turned
into reading the news. Taking
pictures of the Law Library
turned into efficient study
time. Bingeing on social media
after a long day turned into
playtime with my dog. And
with all the extra time that I
gained from quitting social
media, I learned to cook,
work on small art projects and
become more involved in my
own life.
My case of social media
dependency is actually not
that special. I personally know
people who are far worse than
I was, and I see similar cases
of
dependency
everywhere
— people just can’t stay off
social media. I hope that my
transition to a happier and
healthier lifestyle can be a
small reminder to focus on
important things in your life
and make experiences your
very own. Pictures I take
from
trips,
refined
focus
toward school, time I spend
with friends and family and
all the conversations I have
with people are now my own
memory,
excitement
and
wisdom.
They
all
became
things that I want to share
with others, offline.
Opinion
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
4 — Tuesday, April 11, 2017
REBECCA LERNER
Managing Editor
420 Maynard St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
tothedaily@michigandaily.com
Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890.
EMMA KINERY
Editor in Chief
ANNA POLUMBO-LEVY
and REBECCA TARNOPOL
Editorial Page Editors
Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily’s Editorial Board.
All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.
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GINA CHOE | COLUMN
What my GSIs did for me
ZACHARY COX | COLUMN
Zachary Cox can be reached at
coxz@umich.edu.
Gina Choe can be reached at
ginachoe@umich.edu.
ZACHARY
COX
I
love
a
good
snooze.
Entering
my
beloved
dream world constitutes
my most consistent
day-to-day
goal.
But
it
can
be
challenging finding
a
good
enough
chunk of time to
get some shut-eye
when
burdened
with essays, exams,
emails,
essays
and more essays.
Yet,
no
matter
how hard I try to
secure the doctor-
recommended
eight
hours
of sleep, my energy levels
somehow manage to only
allow me six, on average. And
no matter how content I am
with my zzz’s, people still
tell me I need eight hours
to
succeed.
Empirically,
they’re right. Studies show
time and again that adults
need between seven and nine
hours of sleep. But it’s also
important for students to
individualize their sleeping
habits, as this can greatly
impact overall well-being.
For example, when I get too
much sleep, I’m often much
more tired throughout the day
and find myself in need of a
nap. Too little sleep, and I’m
struggling to stay alert. Six
hours seems to be perfect for
me, which is to say students
struggling with sleep-related
stress should learn how their
bodies react to over- or under-
sleeping. Apps like the Sleep
Cycle alarm clock are perfect
for storing and organizing
data like sleep quality and
hours slept. This kind of
tool can help students better
understand their sleep-related
needs and better acquaint
themselves with their own
biological clocks.
Honestly, it’s tough having a
non-traditional sleep schedule.
When society decides to wake
up at 8 a.m. and go to sleep
after 10 p.m., it can be difficult
operating
on
a
different
circadian rhythm. What’s even
more fascinating is the wide
array of slumber patterns that
coexist on campus. One of my
friends, for example,
goes to bed at 10
p.m.
every
night
and wakes up at 6
a.m., without fail,
each morning. He
then eats breakfast,
exercises for a bit
and
finishes
up
any
remaining
schoolwork.
One
of my roommates,
on the other hand,
lives each day as an
independent entity, separate
from the other days in the
week. I remember finding him
one early morning wide awake
after getting up at 2:30 a.m.,
going to the local mosque for
the Islamic dawn-time prayer
and going on a run by the
Huron River. Needless to say,
he crashed at around 9 a.m. In
his own words, “as long as you
make up your sleep at some
point, you’re good.”
Being
around
different
sleeping
styles
makes
me
question why I’m such a night
owl. I think it’s because I value
nighttime differently than the
daytime. In the daytime, I
can see how much of the day
is left depending on the angle
of the sun and the lengths of
the shadows. This creates an
hourglass effect for me. No
matter what time of day it is,
I feel like there’s still much
more to do before that ever-
oncoming sunset. The day is
always fleeting, and unless
I can “carpe diem,” I’m left
worrying about what’s still on
the to-do list.
But nighttime is different.
It’s more quiet, more stable,
more
blissfully
abundant
in
opportunities.
In
the
night, my mind shifts into
productivity mode. Creativity
flows through my fingers
and ink flows as I make
calligraphy. Words connect in
coveted eloquence as I write
papers I had procrastinated.
There are fewer people active
on social media, fewer mass
emails being sent and fewer
interruptions to my focus. The
only downside? It’s so hard to
find an open restaurant in the
middle of the night to work at.
Nighttime
is
also
filled
with fewer requirements and
greater discretion on how
I can use my time. I have a
nightly routine that really
helps maximize my happiness.
Happiness is an odd variable,
because it can’t be quickly
quantified, like hours spent
working or sleeping. Based
on my experiences, however,
going to sleep happier, even if
that means fewer minutes of
sleep, keeps my stress levels
low.
Each
night,
I
finish
my homework, watch some
Netflix with my roomies and
make my best efforts to pray
the night “salah,” one of the
five Islamic daily prayers.
Praying, for me, is a form of
meditation. It’s integral to
ensuring I go to sleep clear-
headed and focused on what I
find important.
With exams right around
the corner, it’s the perfect
time to maximize healthiness
and
happiness
through
individualized
sleeping
styles. In my case, there are
some nights when an extra
30 minutes of sleep seems to
outweigh
praying
“salah.”
However,
those
extra
30
minutes don’t offer me the
same meditative and relaxing
utility I get from praying. In
this instance, I’m breaking
free from the cookie-cutter
approach to sleep in order to get
a better night’s rest by praying,
even if it means sleeping for a
bit less. I encourage students
to critically think about the
days they feel more rested
or happier and how their
style and duration of sleep
influences this so everyone
can
make
individualized,
informed decisions when it’s
time to hit the hay.
Getting As and Zs
IBRAHIM IJAZ | COLUMN
Ibrahim Ijaz can be reached at
iijaz@umich.edu.
Carolyn Ayaub
Megan Burns
Samantha Goldstein
Caitlin Heenan
Jeremy Kaplan
Sarah Khan
Anurima Kumar
Ibrahim Ijaz
Max Lubell
Alexis Megdanoff
Madeline Nowicki
Anna Polumbo-Levy
Jason Rowland
Ali Safawi
Sarah Salman
Kevin Sweitzer
Rebecca Tarnopol
Stephanie Trierweiler
GINA
CHOE
The service that
my GSIs provided
me transcended
merely helping me
understand the
coursework.
IBRAHIM
IJAZ
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Time, energy
and attention
that I put into
Instagram was so
damaging.