Please watch the following video, and answer the questions below:
If you could make a video as a message to your past self, what would you say? What would be the main theme of your video, the main message? (such as: wear sunscreen.) What approach would you take with yourself? Would you tell yourself the advice in a straight-forward way, or would your past self take some convincing? What kind of visuals would you use? What would be some minor themes to support your major theme?
Try to keep your responses to approximately 200 words. Take your time to think about the answers.
Answer the initial prompt by Wednesday, September 18, midnight. Respond to a classmate by Friday, September 20, midnight.
Response: Ask your classmate a question about his/her post. The question should continue to be respectful, and should provoke your classmate to think more deeply about the message s/he is sending to him/herself.
If I were to make a video as a message to my past it would have to be about the life I have lived now. The main theme of my video would be to never regret any decisions I have made. The title would be “Hot Peppers” based off of ups and downs of my life. I believe my past self would take some convincing with not regretting any decisions due to me knowing mistakes I have made, but I do not regret any because they have made me who I am today. I would use hot peppers, eyes picture, a brain picture, family pictures, and divorce decrees (2). It might all sound crazy, but I have the idea in my head. A minor theme would be a beach. I am a visual person, so it is hard to try and explain in words. It would turn out great though!
ReplyDeleteI like how you said," I do not regret any, because they have made me what I am today." I believe if we spend all our time regreting, we will blind ourselves to the learning experience that comes with ALL our decisions. Good or bad. I like what you have chosen.
DeleteThank you Alan! Not sure you will see this as I just randomly decided to check this now(9/28) haha!
DeleteThe main message of my video would be to do one thing everyday that scares me. I my life, I have been many different forms of shy or conservative. Although, I'm starting to break from that mold now, I would tell myself that being like I was and stiil somewhat am makes me miss social experiences and fun adventures. I knew it then and know it now but I struggle with the initial push. I would use visuals and scenes from movies i enjoyed then and now. Theres a scene in Fight Club where the narrator is told by tyler durden to break free of his mold because life could end at any moment so you need to start now. Minor themes that I would use would be examples of times that I specifically wish I was more outgoing or aggressive and also different ways to accomplish my main theme.
ReplyDeleteIf I were to give my past self one piece of advice to help him would be to stay strong. The main theme would be that no matter how hard life gets, or what life my through at you to never give up and, stay strong. The approach i would take with myself would be a comforting, assertive approach, being calm and collective but not let my past self go weak. I would show him how not staying strong costed his soccer team to go farther in the state soccer league. Also how it costed him a chance of going to a real four year university instead of a community college. I would also show him how staying strong has helped him stay with the most amazing girl of his dreams. This message would show him that staying strong is worth the time and exhaustion in the end, and maybe, just maybe his life would be going better than it is right now.
ReplyDeleteYou covered all the points except the visuals that you might use in the video to display your points. Good ways to convince your younger self to stay strong. You have a clear main point too that's elaborated in the paragraph
DeleteIf I could create a video I would warn myself of all the activities that I would miss out on, and all the friends I let go, just to be with my boyfriend. The main theme would have to be that everything comes in moderation. There is no reason to over “consume.” Obviously I didn’t over consume my boyfriend, but I consumed my life with him. I know how I thought back then, and trust me if my mom couldn’t convince me I was wrong, it would be tough for myself. I remember how real it all felt, how young and new we were. I would really have to lie out the loses that I didn’t yet know about, and the way that I will come to feel once that honeymoon feeling faded. I think easing into the situation would be best. I have an irrational temper, and it doesn’t go well when people try to direct me. I would throw in visuals of all the fun football games I missed. My friend had a baby, and I missed it, I would post pictures of that, all memories that I could have been a part of.
ReplyDeleteIf I made a video to my past self it would probabley be a video trying to convince myself to go to college as soon as possible. I dont think it would be an easy task but if I had the opportunity I would try my hardest. Besides, knowbody knows me better than me so I think I could come up with a pretty good one. I would ad points like: Alright Mark, one class at a time and you will be done before you know it. Or how about...Expand your life as much as you can now because these are the times you dont want to miss out on.
ReplyDeleteI like how you have already though of ways that would work to persuade yourself, comments that make what you didn't want seem not so bad. I would add a little more of what your missing out on...what would you have accomplished if you did go to college earlier? Maybe even some visuals of what you might put up there to further persuade yourself.
DeleteThe main point I'd try to get across to myself in a video is don't ever worry, just get it done for better or worse. shape myself not on what's expected of me from others but what I expect of myself. my achievments and failures cannot measure up to the stress accumulated in the process. Life has no purpose but to be lived and how I decide to live it should not be to make an impression other than on myself. I'd present my ideas now to myself then as if I missed out on understanding alot of concepts in live that would have shaped me better today, now that I realize them. I'd use clips from 80's music videos to get this message across, maybe scenes from purple rain. minor themes would include musical inspiration to expand my ideas and creativity, and major themes would include finding ways in life to relax, meditate, or find beauty in humanity. Things like this would have eased my worried mind as a younger teen or kid, and combated my pessimistic views about the world.
ReplyDeleteMy message would be to dance more. And work the body in every which way especially dance. With dance, you can connect to music or dance in silence. Dancing can be done whereever and whenever.
ReplyDeleteMy visuals would consist of videos of great dancers, mondern and past that have inspired myself and others. I would show images of dancing from class to dancing outside.
I would also mention that using the body in any activity has importance. Working out, like running and lifting weights.
When the body is active, hormones like dopamine and norapernephrine are released, creating feelings of euphoria and happines.
If people danced and exercised more they would live happier lives.
Do you dance professionally? If not, is this something you just love to do? I wish I could dance haha. I have NO rhythm!
DeleteIf I were to give myself some advice, it would be to not take everything personally. I am a very emotional person and in the past, I have let everyone and everything effect me. I would tell myself their opinions are just that, their opinions and stay true to who you are and stand for what you believe.
ReplyDeleteIn my video, I would have pictures of brick walls and willow trees being blown by the wind, as well as smiley faces and sun shining through the clouds.
If I were to make a video message to my past it would have to be to live life to the fullest with no regrets. I would base it off the everyday decisions and to live with what the outcome is. I would mention in the video how I could try to make a decision with a good intentions but if it doesn’t turn out that way, then just make the best of the situation. I would also try not to think about what I would want to do with my decisions in life. I would like to just go with it and try to make the best of it. I think some of this would take some convincing to do but I think once I would try it, I would be ok. I would use a heart, clouds, sayings, family pictures, animals, house, cars and just anything that you could use in an everyday use.
ReplyDeleteDo you think your younger self would believe you or be able understand how important these qualities are? All very true things.
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ReplyDeleteIf were to give a message to my past it would be to always see the bigger picture. Often times when something bad happens you see it as the end of the world, like things will never get any better. Looking back on anything that ever seemed like a crisis, I've started to realize how small and insignificant those details are to my life now. I change every year, and become a better person everyday. The book to my life is still being written, and the flaws and unfortunate events are only PAGES to the chapters of the WHOLE novel. Sometimes it's hard to remember the grand scheme of things when you're going through lifes trials that are destined to be thrown at you, but if there was one thing I could tell the younger me it would be just that, always remember there's a bigger plan and a bigger picture. The only visual needed would be a happy me, if I could show myself that I made it through to smile again it would be motivation to keep going no matter what I was going through at the time. I would just tell myself to remember to keep my head up, because emotions are just temporary.
ReplyDeleteJeremiah, you should of stayed in the Marine Corps. I would use a military type theme with the eagle, globe, and anchor as the main theme. The point of joining was to make a career out of it and advance as far as you can and retire or die in the Corps. I would walk right up to myself and punch myself in the face as I begin to talk to myself. The easiest thing for me is that it’s my dream and I loved it but allowed myself to be medically discharged. I would tell myself to fight harder. I would show myself the struggles, trials, and hardships of not staying in the corps. I would show myself motivational type things of people with injuries that continued and pushed through their hardships. I have done well and wouldn’t take much to convince. I did teach myself to walk again so just a nudge and I would have stayed.
ReplyDeleteMy video would would start out with the repeating message of "make good choices." There would be a split screen with two versions of myself. There would be various situations for which there would be one best decision to be made. As each scenerio presents itself, the narrator would say "make good choices." Ultimately, the sum of the choices made will lead each variation of myself to different places. At the end of my video, whichever side of the screen seems the most favorable will be completely dependant upon the paradigm of the viewer. Everyone at one time or another have made less than favorable choices, regardless of whether we would repeat them, or even if we knew that they were wrong at the time. If I could get one message to my younger self, it would be to make better choices.
ReplyDeleteThe main theme would be to slow down. My message to myself would be to relax. Before you know it, your life has flown by. Issues that were thought to be significant only ended up only wasting valuable time. I would definitely have to convince myself due to the fact that I was an active, involved, and hands on young man. Almost to the point of burnout. Youthful dilemmas came accompanied by hasty, swift decisions that sometimes did not benefit a younger me. I would use videos, photos, and music of my life through time. Thankfully, not all visuals would be depressing.
ReplyDeleteAll very true. In my own life I was way too fast paced as well, but mostly stuck to helping family instead of looking to my best interests. You bring truth and honor to your words. One question I have is the convincing yourself on how you would exactly try to convince yourself?
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