Mariela Hernandez Honors Portfolio
University of Washington
Fall Quarter '23
Learning to crocheting beanies
Making things has always been satisfying for me. I learned how to crochet beanies this quarter. I expanded my creative abilities and improved my manual dexterity through this hobby of mine. I also thought that since it is so cold, it would be the perfect time to make beanies and gift them to organizations that will get them to those who need an extra warm embrace. I learned to create something I usually would purchase at a store. I took pictures of my first beanie, which I made in about 3 hours at the Dabble Lab near Terry Hall. The second set of pictures are of my most recent beanie creation. I learned which yarns to use, the measurements to take for the beanies, and to incorporate different elements like pom poms, charms, and uniform stitches. Through this learning experience, I practiced intentional learning because although I was learning to crochet beanies, I was also learning to make correct and problem solve when I encountered errors in my crochet pattern. I also practiced personal growth because I took the opportunity to learn something that was a personal interest of mine.
Learning to make remixes
This quarter, I created a remix for an honors class (Honors 210: Library Mashup: Reframing and Remixing Archives) about remixes and archives. We have been learning about copyright, monetization, and how the ideal of originality continue to challenge and exploit the creations of minority communities. For this project, I wanted to create an art piece from free-to-use materials. I thought it would be eye-opening to make a visual remix that had no sound. This would give the viewer an barrier that people without the ability learn to overcome. The reason behind my choice of birds as my subject was because I enjoy learning about animal behavior and migrational patterns. It is also metaphoric to the migration and perseverance which I see in my parents and the Hispanic community. This class overall and this project in specific helped me practice my interdisciplarity and intentional learning. I learned about the overlap between archives, copyright law, and how to create remixes. Click the button to the right to watch my remix on YouTube!
Learning to rock climb
For the first time ever, I went rock climbing. It was a blast! I was hoping I would not fall and break a leg, and thankfully I did not.
I remember I got nervous and my muscles started to tense up. I was really happy as I made it all the way up and conquered my fear of heights. I went with my older brother and his girlfriend. My brother was bel to give me some guidance since he had rock climbed before. I know I will apply what I learned in this experience to all parts of my life. The major lesson I learned through this intentional learning experience is that I can try new experiences and once I am there, it is just about learning and practicing. I felt like I understood the process of picking myself up when I fell and making a new attempt with a different approach. Through this experience of pushing myself out of my comfort zone, I made personal growth and learned a new skill. I reflect on this lesson because it is applicable to my academics.
