Archive for September, 2025

A Deer in Headlights (Rough Draft)

Sep 28

Posted by keelanh28 in Essay Memior | 1 Comment

The music emanated from my car as I drove through the sparsely settled neighborhood. The only thing that was on my mind was the food I was about to eat when I made it home. I had just returned from the gym, sweaty and tired, and most importantly, hungry. My mind, filled with thoughts of lemon-pepper chicken and rice, was anywhere but in the moment. I glanced to the left of me, and watched as an old man walked his dog, or rather, the dog walked him. But when I looked back to the road, my racing mind stopped, and my eyes widened. All I saw at that moment was a brown blur on the right side of the road, running frantic and panicked towards my vehicle. As I put my head down and braced for impact, I witnessed the creature make a last-ditch effort at jumping over my car, a fruitless venture. In a split second, my car jolted back, and I jolted forward. The impact moved through my body like a wave colliding into me, only there was no cooling relief of water. My car, being small and low to the ground, lifted the poor creature over my windshield and flung it over the top of my head, disappearing from my view. I slammed my brakes as fast as I could, but the damage was already done.

Once I realized what had happened, I turned my head to the left and briefly caught the deer running off into the woods behind me. I could only hope that it survived. I looked around for a second, scoping my surroundings and making sure there weren’t any followers. Then I took my foot off the brakes and turned my car onto the side of the road to avoid any passing cars. I gave my parents a call, and then my boyfriend, as I left to inspect the damage. In the aftermath of the impact, I noticed a small tuft of deer hair caught between the cracks in my hood, the only piece of evidence in my favor that convinced my insurance to cover most of the damage. My car was completely totaled. As I called a tow truck company and decided on the best course of action with my parents, I couldn’t stop looking at the hair caught in the body of my car. When I hung up, I sat in silence, listening to the chorus of nature, the crickets buzzing and chirping to a forest rhythm. I thought about the hair, and the innocent deer who paid mightily to a fast-moving object it didn’t even know the name of, on a strip of asphalt it didn’t even know the use of. I couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty. Not as if the crash was something I could’ve avoided, or something either me or the deer could have predicted, but in a more abstract way.

This is a particular feeling that I’ve been ruminating on for years, one that’s stood in the back of my mind and throughout my many jobs that have come and gone, my public transport trips, and my new car, even smaller than the last. I think back to a world where large speeding obstacles made of solid metal didn’t exist yet, and forest creatures didn’t have to fear a road, cutting through their homes like a sharpened knife cutting paper. The only things they had to fear were from a more natural standpoint, things that have existed for more than centuries and millenniums. Predators and prey, the elements, starvation, high cliffs and deep caves. And now, another danger added to their list of ever-growing fatalities. Man-made horrors beyond their comprehension exist, but for now, one of the most integral of humanity’s inventions that threaten their homes, are the ones that I just unknowingly used against one of the forest’s inhabitants. Was it any of our choices to be born in the positions we’re all in now? What if I had been born a deer, and the deer, a human? Would the deer have any shadow of a doubt or remorse when it inevitably runs over a forest animal, or would the human condition have instructed it to not care? Is the spirit of a living organism confined to its nature and nurture? If so, the odds were not in the deer’s favor. Just being born as a woodland creature bestows you with a life full of hardships and disadvantages, and the opposite for humans.

Maybe It’s just the human condition to think so deeply about a topic like this but having a run-in with a deer that could have injured me, or even possibly be fatal, gave me a lot to think about. And it definitely made me consider the luck I acquired to have been born a human and not a deer. The truth is, this collision was most likely fatal for the deer, and things like this happen all the time to anything that can move, and thus be hit by a moving vehicle. I am not anti-car, and this certainly is not an essay ranting against the modern technology that makes our human lives all the more easier, and places us at the top of the food chain. But humans have been far removed from having to play by the rules of nature for a very long time. We grow our own food in our backyards without having to risk life and limb reaching far and dangerous places to get our nutrients. We hunt without risking a single chance of struggling on our part, besides the possible injury from the recoil of a gun. We have medicine to use when we get sick, and well-built shelters to keep us warm and dry. Our quality of life so far out-paces the vast majority of other organisms on this planet, that it would look like a form of over-indulgence most animals could only dream of.

I hit that deer when I was 16 and first learning how to drive. I am now 23, and have several more years of experience in driving, and yet, I still become weary around long dark corridors of forest on either side of a road, and I definitely slow down to a crawling speed when I see deer. I still think about that poor innocent deer from time to time, especially when I see other deer. All I wish is for both deer and humans alike to live high-quality, fulfilling lives within the constraints of their species. And maybe someday, other organisms on this planet will experience a high quality of life, too, and won’t have to worry about dying to technology they can’t understand, at the unintentional hands of humans.

Analyzing a Great Memoir

Sep 23

Posted by keelanh28 in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Excerpt: Wild

As I read this incredible memoir from 2012, a time capsule into a world before the intricacies and anxieties of the modern day, I was transported into the raw and unfiltered wilderness, where a woman had just recently lost her hiking boot. She crafted a beautiful picture of the setting around her, using details such as the rocky mountain cliff side, and the towering trees all around her. She recalled her life, from youth to present, and all the struggles she had endured up to that point, where she watched as her crucial hiking apparatus disappeared into the woods below. She recalled her childhood when her father left at age 6, and when her mother died at age 22. Her relationship with her stepfather disintegrated, and her siblings all left her to pursue the same goals and inner peace she was in the midst of searching for. She reminisced on the sorrow and fear and loneliness she felt, and the desperate healing she tried to achieve by using a significant other to fill the hole in her heart. However, when she eventually divorced him, she decided to change the path her life was on, by going on a long and potentially dangerous trek through the Pacific Crest Trail, measuring 2,663 miles long and spanning the entire length of the United States from top to bottom. This is where, amid hiking, she lost her boot.

A couple things, in particular, stood out to me. Firstly, her choice of words when explaining her time in college. She described her life after leaving high school and joining college, as turning her into a “left-wing feminist campus radical”. This shift in tone can be perceived in a couple of ways. One, as a changed woman, recalling her young adult life with a sense of embarrassment as she thinks about how her political views have gotten more realistic and mature. Two, a defiant woman, associating her time in college with the most turbulent time in her life, when her mother died and she likely had nobody to turn to, creating an association with the political leaning her college had with her negative personal experiences. Either way, she recalls her previous political views with a sense of shame and discomfort. Secondly, in paragraph 4, she states “In the years before I pitched my boot over the edge of that mountain, I’d been pitching myself over the edge too” this alludes to her mental state in the previous years before we meet her in the present. Maybe, perhaps, these suicidal tendencies influenced her decision on taking this giant risk of a hike, for if she had even a shadow of a doubt in facing the wilderness and the elements all alone before, her horrible personal life situations that happened might have given her new courage. Lastly, and arguably the most powerful sentence of the entire memoir, she says “But a woman who walks alone in the wilderness for eleven hundred miles? I’d never been anything like that before. I had nothing to lose by giving it a whirl”. This sentence alone speaks to the universal meaning of the essay, which I believe is meant to be a beacon of hope, and a reminder that sometimes, change is good. After all the trials and tribulations of her personal life that she had to face, she ultimately came out victorious, she survived. Just like how she survived the trek out of the wilderness after her boot fell off. This is a story about hope, and survival in the most depressing of situations. It speaks to the perseverance of humans, and I believe that is incredibly powerful.

I chose to analyze this particular essay, because I believe the message resonates with me. I’ve dealt with many struggles in my life, some not as difficult as what the author had to go through, but difficult, nonetheless. I understand the will to survive through all of the mental and physical hardships, and I empathize with any who also have had to go through these situations as well. The most powerful things we can tell ourselves, is that we can persevere through it. We can survive.

Link to the Essay: https://www.npr.org/2012/03/15/148681854/excerpt-wild

Is AI Just Another Calculator?

Sep 18

Posted by keelanh28 in Artificial Intelligence | 1 Comment

To answer this question that many have wondered since AI became prevalent in our society, first we must go over what AI really is. “AI” stands for “Artificial Intelligence”, a name that I personally believe fits the program well. Basically, the AI algorithm is fed a series of different information relating to anything the programs want it to be, and the AI system stores that information in it’s server. This information is used to compare and contrast whatever prompt it is given, and then form an answer to it. This is the basic explanation of how AI works. In many ways, a calculator is pretty much designed to do just that as well.¹

With that being said, in many ways, an AI algorithm is like a calculator. However, that is where the similarities end. A simple calculator is designed to manage numbers, while an AI system is designed to handle so much more, including, but not limited to:

creating art and pictures
making decisions
translating languages
managing customer service issues
filing insurance claims
giving recommendations
giving advice and therapy
mass surveillance

The latter of which is the most worrisome, and has already been utilized by a plethora of companies, most notably, Amazon.² A traditional math calculator definitely can’t do that. This is why I believe that AI is so much more than just a calculator used in a mathematics class. Because while AI operates pretty much exactly like a math calculator, the AI system takes it to a whole different level.

But while the use of AI can be an exciting concept as well as a scary concept, we have to remember that at the end of the day, it really is just a very complex calculator. Just like a traditional math calculator, the morality of AI comes down the the morality of it’s human user. It is not AI that we should fear, but human’s use of AI. And any issues we may face in the future as a society, will almost certainly be solved by regulations on the use of AI and it’s power.

How Will We Solve the Political Divide in the United States? Asking ChatGPT what it thinks

Sep 15

Posted by keelanh28 in Artificial Intelligence | 1 Comment

I asked ChatGPT what it thinks will solve the political divide in America. Here’s what it said:

“The political divide in the United States is deep and growing, fueled by partisan media, social media echo chambers, and a lack of trust in institutions. Solving it will require both structural reforms and cultural shifts, starting with how we engage with one another.

First, education is key. Civics education should be strengthened in schools to teach students how democracy works, the value of compromise, and the importance of respectful debate. When citizens better understand the system and each other, they are less likely to fall into extreme polarization.

Second, media literacy must be improved. With misinformation and biased reporting driving division, Americans need tools to critically evaluate news sources and social media content. This can help people break out of ideological bubbles and engage with opposing views in a more informed way.

Third, political reforms—such as ranked-choice voting and open primaries—can reduce extremism by encouraging candidates to appeal to broader coalitions, not just their partisan base. These changes could lead to more moderate, solutions-focused governance.

Finally, healing the divide will require personal responsibility. Citizens must be willing to listen to those they disagree with, seek common ground, and reject the idea that political opponents are enemies. Community-based dialogue programs can help foster empathy and rebuild trust at the local level.

While no single solution exists, a combination of education, reform, and empathy can begin to close the divide. It won’t happen overnight, but with sustained effort, unity is possible.”

After reading ChatGPT’s response to my questions, I believe that it is a pretty solid answer. Easier said than done, but it’s a solid answer with a underlying message of positivity and hope. If I were a teacher grading it in a class, I would definitely give it a pretty high grade. The grammar is on point (as to be expected for an AI algorithm) the points/arguments are also good examples of what we can try to bridge the political gap. But I think the biggest thing it’s missing is a voice. Like a genuine flair or style to the writing that most non-AI human writers have. There’s no added details, or examples that can be added onto the argument ChatGPT is making. It all just feels like its been regurgitated from several unbiased news sources and mixed together to create the perfect, by-the-book answer. Which is essentially what it’s doing. I think if a student handed that to me as an example of an actual essay, I would probably give it a B+, that is, if I don’t end up realizing its completely stolen from an AI chat bot.

Which brings me to my next question, “Would submitting this in a college classroom constitute as plagiarism, why or why not?” and I staunchly believe that, yes, submitting a body of text like that, completely copy-and-pasted from an AI chat bot like ChatGPT, is indeed plagiarism. There’s no actual work going into giving an AI a prompt and copying it’s answer. It’s the same as if you were sitting next to a peer in class and you looked over their shoulder and decided to write down the next 4 sentences they were writing. There’s no thought that goes into it, beyond the usual understanding of what the topic at hand is. And how to write the same thing someone else is.

However, I do believe that using AI sparingly, mostly to summarize large bodies of text and help with the study workflow every once in a while, is alright. As long as you yourself are still thinking about the topic you’re writing about, the writing process itself, and the arguments/evidence/details/tone of your piece of work, then using AI to make studying the topics and evidence needed in order to create your writing piece is fine by me. However, I personally wouldn’t even ask AI to write an essay for me and then revise that body of text, because even in that example, the majority of the effort is just going into fixing the work to more fit your personal voice, instead of actually learning about the topic of discussion, and using the points to better suit your argument.

Theme Proposal

Sep 15

Posted by keelanh28 in Environmental Theme | 1 Comment

Nature and the Environment

The theme I’d like to write about for this semester is “Nature and the Environment”. I’ve always been fascinated with the topic of the human impact on the environment and the various ways we could go about protecting the environment and ensuring that the generations after us can live healthy and safe lives on our planet. For a memoir, I could write about a beach cleanup I volunteered in during high school, or a tree planting event I participated in during middle school. For an annotation, I could place the focus around some of the pictures of human trash in the ocean and on animals and explain why these pictures exist and how to get motivated to help. I could explore how social media can worsen the climate crisis by inducing a sense of powerlessness and doom within the general population by pushing a “there’s nothing we can do, it’s too late” narrative along with the annotated pictures. For an argument, I could discuss who’s really at fault for human pollution, the individual, the government, or the corporation. I could also discuss the different ways to save the planet and the arguments for and against them. The environment is a heavy topic, so I’d like to end all three of these essays on a positive note, highlighting how much progress we’ve already made, and continue to make to this day.

Introduction

Sep 11

Posted by keelanh28 in Introduction | 1 Comment

I’d say that I am a varied writer, especially when it comes down to what exactly I am writing about. If it’s a topic that deeply interests me, like historical conflicts or interpersonal issues between two characters, then you won’t be able to pull me off my computer or piece of paper. But if it’s a topic I find utterly boring, like logistics or economics, I just won’t be able to concentrate, which leaves me to put off the assignment until last minute, a habit of which I succumb to more often than I’d like to admit. It’s about the same when it comes to reading, too. After reading the articles in “Ten Ways to Think About Writing”, a couple points really resonated with me, yet there are a couple I feel like I also still need to work on, to really hone my skills as a writer. I find that I do tend to adjust my voice and tone depending on who my audience is, especially if the essay will be viewed by a stricter, by-the-book teacher, or a more relaxed, go-with-the-flow teacher. The latter of which, I find my writing style becomes a more “stream of consciousness” technique, rather than a planned and well thought out essay of which the stricter teacher would expect of me. I also make certain that I vary my paragraph flow and size as to not bore the reader with too large of a wall of text, or too small of an un-detailed sentence. However, I could work on describing details better, and in more depth. I tend to rush to the next paragraph quickly; to not lose the thoughts and points I have in my head before I formulate their existence on my paper. I am hoping this class will help me refine my writing skills by giving me the skills to become a truly great writer.

When I was younger, I would read books all the time. I loved the Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I also love the Harry Potter series, which is still a source of great nostalgia for me, despite my now adult brain realizing the issues and controversies with the Harry Potter books and JK Rowling herself. But I think these early exposures to literacy helped form my love for reading and writing that I still have today, even within the constraints of time in my busy life. When I find myself writing, it’s usually late at night, when I can’t sleep because my brain just won’t turn off. Then, I turn my lamp on and jump into my journal to document whatever it is that I’m thinking about. I personally prefer writing with a pencil and paper, but I can write on my computer, or even on my phone, if I feel so inclined. When I read, I usually do so during a period of research or a hyper fixation on a random topic that interests me. During this semester, I would like to work on better organizing my thoughts into easily readable paragraphs and trying to prevent my “stream of consciousness” tendencies. I can’t wait to dive into the complexities of writing!