2018 is here! Happy New Year! In the joy of the new adventure, I would like to reflect on my EcoReps experience last year.
During the fall semester, I had the pleasure of taking the EcoReps class which is completely out of my field of study, mechanical engineering. Despite this fact, I consider it my favorite class so far at the University of Rochester because it increased my involvement in the environment and sustainability. Unlike any other course requirement, I had to settle on campus a few days before the official move-in date. For four or five days, I got acquainted with my fellow EcoReps through various activities including icebreaker games, dinner, and picnic in the Genesee Valley Park.
In class, I appreciated the wide variety of topics over which we went, from mushrooms, genetically modified organisms, to tiny houses. My favorite one, which was for a long time the subject of our discussions, was permaculture, a short for “permanent agriculture”. Providing direct solutions to some of today’s environmental issues, permaculture is fundamentally “a system of cultivation intended to maintain permanent agriculture by relying on renewable resources”. I also had a lot of hands-on experience on this topic. For instance, I worked twice in the garden of a passionate permaculturist.
In addition to the environmental point of view, I also enjoyed the EcoReps class because it encouraged me to develop various skills. As a member of the publicity committee, I became more familiar with social media marketing and was able to practice my graphic design skills. At the end of the semester, the class was assigned to make environmental awareness videos as final projects. Thanks to this, I acquired basic knowledge in professional video tools.
With these extraordinary opportunities, I personally regret being able to take this course only during my first year. Thus, I would highly recommend any prospective freshmen to take advantage it.
Written by Kelly Jean, Class of 2021