Vannessa's CAS Reflection #8

While crocheting, I’ve learned the lesson that although one way may stop you and create tension/stress, there are other ways to approach the situation. When I first tried to crochet a hat with a needle and yarn, I tried over and over again to make a hat. Although I discussed in previous reflections to never give up on a situation, it is always important to take a step back and assess the situation. Because if I would have kept going on the problem I had, I may have never moved forward. However, I looked at the situation as a whole and realized that crocheting is not a skill I have, and decided to look elsewhere for guidance. That is when i found the loom and with that it was easier and more helpful to make hats. After that, I began making much more improvements and could see my time and effort in the making of hats. From this, I have changed since this activity by gaining problem solving skills, perseverance, and confidence that I can do things if I continuously put forth effort. With having problems on a daily  basis, I realized that no matter my performance, as long as I did my best that day, that was all the I could ask of me. Gaining confidence  and perseverance likely improved my performance further. I am able to meet more goals I set for myself and I know I’ve done things right if I feel satisfied with the outcome of events and projects. I need to feel mentally and physically drained or I’m unsatisfied with my performance in any subject or event. In school I am a perfectionist and I also believe that this may put more stress than what I already have on myself.   Despite my exhaustion and aggravation, I always continue to work as I always strive for more in anything. This project impacted me in that I gained physical and mental abilities I could never dream of having. I learned a lot about the difference between passion and getting it over with as at first I was just doing it for the grade but once I connected and grew with the project I developed a relation to the VLC project in hopes of helping the community. I believe I can apply what I’ve learned with crocheting to other life situations because whatever I do, I want it to be as enjoyable as possible and put my best effort into it in order to get the best results possible. If I were to have the choice of doing this next year or not, I wouldn’t change anything about my effort I put forth in these past 2 years. It is an amazing experience and I’m proud to have an impact on the community around me to make the world a better place. In the end, it might not have been the best ethical choice to give the hats to St. Mary's Hospital services as they might not have been is need as much as other places such as the Community Hospital or Hospice; I had the communications and access to St. Mary's due to my great relationship with Kris. Although this might not have helped as many people as I could have, I feel that my efforts and purpose of this donation have impacted people's life and wellbeing ethically. Another unethical option is I also had the inability to make hats personal as I cannot have the knowledge to know who I am giving the hats to. With this, I had to look at my ethical choices I had to make all my hats count and make sure I do make them with love and care in hopes of making an impact on their lives, whether big or small. Another ethical choice I had to make was choosing which group I could help the most with the amount of time I put in. Although crocheting was time consuming and I may not have helped as many people I could have with the long hours I put into putting effort into each hat, I feel that it should be addressed on quality vs. quantity when compiling how much of an impact my actions had on a community.

Vannessa's CAS Refection #7

When I first had the idea of crocheting hats, I thought it to be extremely painstaking and a miserable experience. This is why I was slightly hesitant to begin crocheting because the many times I had tried before I had failed. However, I was completely dedicated to self-improvement and wanted to preserver in my problems and leave no rock unturned because it haunts me. Although I began this project because of the CAS requirements, I ended up doing it out of enjoyment and helping out the community around me and not because I wanted to fill up my resume or college application, although that was an added bonus. I did it because I enjoyed the happiness and impact I could inflict on the community. I know I want to continue helping my community and the people around me in college and after, perhaps not as a requirement but for enjoyment and personal improvement. I believe I was very successful in personal improvement through this activity and gained a lot more reflection to the amount of weight one person can have on somebodies day. One particular setback that stands out to me is the time vs quantity it takes to create/crochet a hat using the loom. Even when I was extremely determined and pushed myself as hard as possible to make some yarn hats that fit multiple types of heads, I sometimes felt like I was not capable and I would stop working and focus my attention elsewhere.  Whenever this happened, I would console myself by saying that I must continue because what I was doing would help somebody else and that sometimes there will be bad days and seem like the world wanted to spite me. During this activity, I noticed that although there are set back in life, problems, and unpleasant situations, that should not be allowed to change the attitude and capability you have on life and the world around you. There is this quote that states, "Don't let a bad moment ruin your day. Think of it as a bad minute, not a bad day and you'll be okay. I promise." This is very inspirational and I have learned that along with crocheting this can be applied to life in general.

Vannessa's CAS Reflection #6

 Although crocheting is both frustrating and joyful, the most apparent feeling I get from crocheting is power. I feel like I have some control in patients happiness in the Hospital. If they are feeling lonely or sad, I hope that my hats will have some influence on making their day brighter. As I volunteered throughout freshman-junior year at St. Mary's Hospital as a popcorn maker, comfort cart deliverer, and reception/registration assistant, my eyes were opened to the many hardships some patients have to withstand with no support from family or friends. In specific, when I worked the comfort cart I went room to room talking to patients and seeing if there was anything that they needed. What I realized is most of them just wanted someone to talk to and make them happy. There are many programs throughout the hospital for people to read to patients or even to talk to them for certain parts of the day. In addition to that, I wanted something that would last to have a constant reminder that someone is there for them. This may sound cheesy but I hope that not only will my hats warm them physically but also warm their hearts throughout their stay in the hospital. I also wanted to extend giving the hats to the homeless people as well because it can get pretty cold and the couple times I volunteered at the soup kitchen I realized that many do not have clothing to keep them warm in the winter. Although the homeless center receives many donations, I feel like even a minor donation could help people in some way. My perspective on helping the community has changed since beginning of this CAS project of my hat donations of Volunteer Love and Care (VLC). Specifically donating and crocheting has allowed me to gain insight by realizing that I need to be grateful for the things I have because someone somewhere is wishing they had the opportunities that I am given. This made me also realize that I take a lot for granted and instead of being selfish, I need to be more selfless and help the community around me. Even the smallest acts can mean the world to somebody. I saw this picture recently that had a little boy and he asked his dad what he could do to make the world a better place and the dad told him to give the world anything. The little boy responded with he had nothing to give and the dad said event he little things can have a continuous, major response. The boy ended up telling someone that he hoped they had a good day and he ended up saving the guys life and not even noticing it. This made me realize that if I can manage to squeeze in little acts of kindness, that in fact kindness would be contagious and the world would in fact be a better place. It doesn't matter what I give to the world or people in my community as long as I can give them something, physical or emotional. is more mental than physical.

Vannessa's CAS Reflection #5

My personal involvement in this activity was to contribute to the myself. I have recently found out that my partner in this project does not want to help anymore and she has started her own project. Our project was based on us both making hats for the Hospital and sharing the amount of time and effort put into the project. Now that she left the group of 2 I realized I can do the same project and have the same effect without her. The main task besides effort was consistent participation. I was expected to have at least 30 hats to donate to the hospital. When my teammate left the group, we had only made 10 hats so she left me with a lot of work to do on my own. The hats take at least 2 days each and since I am still unable to learn how to crochet a hat with just a needle, I am using a loom. This is easier to make but the product is a little rough. The hats are thinner and it takes even longer to make. However, I was able to improvise and figured out if I use 2 yarns at once, it will make the hat thicker but the process is extended even more. I try daily to crochet even if it is for a little bit. The more I get done the more I can donate to the Hospital making in hopes even more people happy. This helped me with actually getting projects done and to not let little inconveniences and problems hinder the goal set out.  As I have stated in previous reflections, I have always struggled with finishing projects and I have learned that continuing with a project is very pleasing as you get to work with it the entire time and see it progress into the final product. I only hope that in the very end when I am done crocheting all my hats and give them to the Hospital it will be very satisfying. Besides gaining the skill of continuation, I also gained a great deal of crochet skills and crochets helps to stay in touch with reality. It also helps relieve anger and stress throughout the day and with the common IB homework and impending due dates for assignments, IA's, IOCD's, and tests. When I think about how crocheting has helped my life, I have found it allowed me to make more mistakes and learn from those mistakes and have the ability to grow and move forward in hopes of achieving the end product. When I crochet, I make multiple mistakes; however, I go back, redo them, and have the ability of restarting as many times as I need. This in turn translates into my life as I continuously make mistakes, but without mistakes I cannot grow as a person. If I cannot grow and accept my failures, then I will never be able to learn and move beyond them.

Vannessa's CAS Reflection #4

Throughout the summer, our main goal was to collect more yarn and start making more hats for the Hospital. We have collected 6 bags of yarn in total and have made around 10 hats. Our main goal this school year is to just focus on the hat making portion of our CAS project. My personal involvement in this activity over the summer was to contribute to the team; so, I collected 5/6 bags of yarn. I did this because Alejandra is more talented in the hat making as I have not yet master how to properly and proficiently making a hat. The main task besides effort was consistent participation over the summer and perseverance through our procrastination. As stated in my other reflections, I was expected by the requirements of the project to be prompt in persevering through the tough times of our project. This helped me with sticking to projects as I’ve always struggled with persevering through extraneous events. Besides gaining the skill of perseverance throughout this last year, I also gained acknowledgement that I am capable to complete this project and it just takes dedication. This project, over the summer, was pushed to the side as I also had homework in all my other classes. I feel glad and inspirational that I am helping others but am not fully successful in my goals as we have made minimal hats and have donated none to St. Mary's Hospital. Over the summer, I gained insight by realizing that it takes a lot of dedication to still be working on the CAS project over my break time away from school and teachers. Alejandra and I still want to include blankets and care packages in our donation to the hospital but we still need to work on our planning towards this goal.  I am completely dedicated to others self-improvement. I did this project because I enjoyed the joy I can give others and see their happiness, which is why I still push through even though we are barely getting our project together. Still, I am not very successful and proud in this activity so far however as I progress I can see myself gain a lot more improvement in this project.

Vannessa's CAS Reflection #3

My personal involvement in this activity was to contribute to the team as a partner with Alejandra. The main task besides effort was consistent participation and perseverance. I was expected by the requirements of the project to be prompt in persevering through the tough times of our project. This helped me with sticking to projects as I’ve always struggled with this. In the past, I have often given up and stopped working on it.  However, this project has made me realize that there is no excuse to not doing something and to always follow through. Besides gaining the skill of perseverance, I also gained a great deal of endurance and stamina. This project is both frustrating and joyful. I feel glad and inspirational that I am helping others but am not fully successful in my goals. My perspective of my project has changed since beginning of this project. Specifically, I gained insight by realizing that it takes a lot of planning to run a job and a lot of fundraisers to give back to the community. I learned that if your heart’s not in it, it will be a miserable experience. This is why I believed I loved helping others so much. I am completely dedicated to others self-improvement. I did this project because I enjoyed the joy I can give others and see their happiness. I know I want to continue helping others as I grow up, as I find personal enjoyment and enjoyment from others joy. I believe I am not very
successful in this activity so far however as I progress I can see myself gain a lot more improvement in this project.

Vannessa's CAS Reflection #2

Although I am still experiencing difficulties with financing for hats, blankets, and care packages, I wanted to start something so I began investing in this project. I began going around my family members and asking them to donate yarn to crochet our hats. So far, it has been a success and I have managed to get about 5 grocery bags full of yarn so my partner Alejandra and I can finally start crocheting and starting our project. Although, my dad did hep our project and bought us some yarn as well. However, at this point we still need products to make tie blankets. I still have the same ideas to fund-raise to buy the supplies such as the tie blankets I just need some initiative to actually start a fundraiser. The problem with getting money for my project is still so stressful and frustrating. Another problem that hinders our CAS project is the fact that I cannot crochet. I was relying on Honda to teach me but come to find out she is just a beginner as well so we will have to reach out to somebody else such as my grandmas to begin starting our long journey of our project to improve the community as we try to improve their health emotionally and physically health. By doing so, I have had the ability to tackle some global issues of emotional poverty and to help people who may not have the same opportunities and help that most people should get during their state of poor health physically or emotionally. By doing this, we make a small change in our community to influence the global problems we face