Photo Journal by Aaleyah Marcellus

Week 1 (9/2/23)

aaleyahmarcellus10_ — 2023-11-29 23:12:44 UTC

Following the theme of our class, “Keeping Track,” I included a picture of my teammates and me studying in the library. Throughout our time at Roosevelt, we have spent many long hours in the library. The library is a safe space for allowing us to complete our work in a quiet environment. The photo embodies the theme of “Keeping Track” exceptionally well. In this particular photo, on my computer screen is an article I took notes from for our class.

Week 2 (9/6/23)

aaleyahmarcellus10_ — 2023-11-29 23:16:43 UTC

This photo is of my teammate and me from the Roosevelt Women’s Soccer Team. After practice, if we felt able, we would go to the gym for an extra workout. On this particular day, we completed upper-body exercises. Following the theme of “Keeping Track,” my teammate and I went above what was asked. These extra gym workouts helped us feel more powerful on the soccer field.

Week 3 (9/13/23)

aaleyahmarcellus10_ — 2023-11-29 23:24:44 UTC

One of our assignments was to vlog a picture of going to the Field Museum. Jazmine and I decided to go together and vlog our trip. We documented our journey with pictures and TikToks. Both photos capture the theme of “Keeping Track” because they show that Jazmine and I can follow through and keep up with the assignments. They also have significance because of the Field Museum's relation to the historical topics covered in class; the Field Museum is known for its history.

Week 4 (9/23/23)

aaleyahmarcellus10_ — 2023-11-29 23:26:14 UTC

What has always helped me recuperate is taking walks. Fresh air, combined with taking twenty minutes to stretch your legs has numerous mental health benefits regarding stress. This follows the theme of “Keeping Track” because, in this particular photo, I took a mental health break in between completing assignments for other classes. This much-needed break allowed me to return to my homework with much-needed motivation. I ended the day completing all of my assignments due because of this mental health walk.

Week 5 (10/1/23)

aaleyahmarcellus10_ — 2023-11-29 23:27:45 UTC

Regarding my academic capabilities, I know little about chemistry. This year, I have been enrolled in Chemistry 201; it has been an up-and-down struggle to complete assignments and do great on tests. What I have found that helps to keep track of my progress in this class is Khan Academy. Khan Academy provides a learning platform that includes videos and lessons to help struggling students with difficult topics. This photo follows along with the theme of “Keeping Track” because the picture shows my computer open to the Khan Academy website, and the notes that I have taken from a lesson.

Week 6 (10/5/23)

aaleyahmarcellus10_ — 2023-11-29 23:28:19 UTC

On one of my mental health walks, I saw a picture of the Beatles and I found it relevant in terms of our discussion on the history of racism. Many people have thrown protests and even have gone to the extent of burning their albums in response to their clause of not playing to segregated audiences. The Beetles responded with creating the song: "Blackbird." I believe this can relate to our theme of “Keeping Track” because I have taken what I have learned in our class, specifically about historical racism, and applied it to aspects of life. I have noticed that many everyday aspects of life have a historic racist background.

Week 7 (10/14/23)

aaleyahmarcellus10_ — 2023-11-29 23:29:07 UTC

I went to the mall one day and saw this chalkboard that encouraged the expression and sharing of positivity for all the read and write. I saw many moving messages, and I even participated. This experience made me reflect on the theme of “Keeping Track” because, at the end of the day, we need to keep track of others as much as we need to keep track of ourselves. The purpose of this wall is that people will see these positive messages and implement them into their own lives. One positive message has the power to influence thousands.

Week 8 (10/20/23)

aaleyahmarcellus10_ — 2023-11-29 23:31:06 UTC

My chemistry lecture has a rough estimate of around 100 people in attendance; sometimes one has to sit in the back where it is difficult to see the screen. I have had to sit in the back, but I have found it helpful to zoom in on my camera and take pictures, that way I have time to write everything down, and can actually see the content. I feel this is my “Keeping Track” and holding myself accountable to understand the content of my chemistry lectures. I have noticed, by taking pictures, I learn the material in a more effective way. Me, "Keeping Track" of what I learn in the classroom, can be reflected in my grades.

Week 9 (10/26/23)

aaleyahmarcellus10_ — 2023-11-29 23:31:49 UTC

For our group presentation, we were required to meet up outside of class to work on our assignment. We took a five-minute train ride to this coffee shop to sit down and discuss and work on our annotated bibliography. Here, we roughly discussed how the rest of our presentation will go. Playing with the theme of “Keeping Track,” we are accountable for how we keep track of our presentation. We will continue to meet outside of class and work on our presentation.

Week 10 (11/1/23)

aaleyahmarcellus10_ — 2023-11-29 23:32:52 UTC

For the week of Thanksgiving, I went to my home in Michigan to spend the holiday with my family. As a bonding experience, my dad and I ventured to an antique furniture store that holds a lot of historical pieces; the variety of designs and styles consisted of different eras throughout history. This particular grandfather clock, I felt, held a lot of history and character, and reminded me of the concept of symbolism we learned in our class. For me, this clock symbolizes history, specifically the history of old, wooden furniture. This relates to the theme of “Keeping Track” because I learned the concept in our class, and applied it to real-world scenarios I faced.