At the start of the term, I was truthfully daunted by the task of writing a 10+ page research paper for the class. I was unsure of my ability to explore a specific topic so thoroughly. However, I was pleasantly surprised about the research paper process. I ended up really enjoyed doing the research and writing the paper. I think this had to do with two things, one being that I really enjoyed my paper topic (Frida Kahlo) and could easily identify the relevance my topic had in modern culture. The second thing that made writing my research paper a lot more enjoyable was spacing out the work. I spent an entire week gathering sources and when I eventually sat down to write the paper I found my familiarity with the topic made the words flow onto the page.
Beyond this paper, I have really enjoyed the opportunity this class granted me to explore a topic I would not otherwise be familiar with. It is easy to see from the multitude of t-shirts with Frida’s face on it to the explosion of mural projects across the country that the topics we discuss in this class are still very much relevant, and I am thankful for the historical background and context this class granted me. Beyond that, I am thankful for the opportunity to get to know Professor Moody and my fellow classmates. I always enjoy hearing different people’s new and interesting perspectives and I feel like this class facilitated informative and insightful discussions. Thank you to all for an amazing term!