Elizabeth Ajose

Professor Murray

First Year Seminar

23 November 2020

Political Science Learning Community Final Reflection 

You and Democracy 

My college experience like many others has been quite challenging due to the pandemic.

Not only has this semester been mentally challenging but it’s also taking a massive toll on my

body. Nevertheless, I try to keep a smile on (under my mask) because I know that many have it

worst. My plans going into this school year was that I was not going to be involved and rather I

would keep to myself and focus on my schoolwork. At the beginning this plan worked for me but

overtime I started drifting away from society and I decided that I should at least try to be

involved in my community. Due to our current situation in the world it was quite a challenge to

become an active and engaged member of this learning community, the TAMUCC university,

and society. I am fortunate enough to go to a campus that puts on small events with social

distancing and truly keeps the students as their top priority. Because of this I was able to find an

organization called Islander Cultural Alliance which educates the campus and community about

many cultures. This organization allowed me to be a contributing member of my society as well

introduce me to other possibilities on the campus. For instance, because of ICA I was able to join

3 other organizations on campus.

Critical thinking is independent, self-restrained reasoning that seeks to reason in an objective

manner at the most significant level of meaning. A few ways I demonstrate my development as a

critical thinker and communicator this semester is that I have learned to form my own opinions
on topics and become a self-critic. By becoming a self-critic, I was able to acknowledge my

strengths, weaknesses, personal preferences and biases. Such skills are not only benefiting for

school but also for our democracy as well. For instance, good communication, information

literacy, and critical thinking skills is crucial to our democracy. In order to become more

educated voters, community representatives, and consumers, it is more important than ever to

know how to study the quality and authenticity of the facts. For the future of our democracy and

the wellbeing of our societies, such strategic thinking and digital resourcefulness are vital skills

that are imperative.

The year 2020 has for sure been a year that many will not forget. Since the beginning of

this year I have seen a shift in how people are reacting to situations in the world. I first noticed

the shift during May after the tragic death of George Floyd. I saw how not only Americans took

to the streets but also how people in other countries used their voices to fight for what they

believed in. Another shift I noticed this year was how active people were in the 2020 election. I

am extremely proud of the younger generation and how we took the election seriously and

fought for what we believed in. It really showed a lot of people how the saying “every vote

matter” actually means something in America. With all of the shifts going on in the country it’s

given me hope but has also raised a few concerns because with change comes challenges. I fear

that as we will be entering a new year the same challenges that we had in 2020 will follow us

into the new year. I only hope Biden can step up to the plate and truly fulfill his promises to the

people of America. Also, I hope that the modern capabilities we have in America right now are

not compromised. I hope, for instance, that unemployment rates continue to decrease and that

more opportunities are being created for the people of the United States.