Catherine Sorensen
September 7, 2010
Professor Cathcart
Natural Disasters
1) What do you want to do with your life?
German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe once said, “The person born with a
talent they are meant to use will find their greatest happiness in using it”. I really
believe that von Goethe’s statement is valid, and that people find ultimate joy and
happiness from living out their passions. More so however, I believe that in using that
talent, people also make immense contributions to this world. People who work within
their field of passion have a natural, positive energy that drives them to be as
productive and efficient as possible. Such positive energy radiates to surrounding
people and makes them happy as well. All in all, I believe that it is beneficial for people
to use their talents and follow their passions. In my lifetime, I hope to harness my
talents effectively and follow my passions. In doing so, I hope to create beautiful things,
make wonderful memories, help others, and leave my mark on this world (by leaving a
positive contribution to it). I hope to live everyday to its fullest, learn a lot, cultivate
beautiful friendships, and travel the world (and document my travels through journals
and photography).
2) What do you hope to get out of this class?
Throughout my lifetime, I have been through my fair share of natural disasters.
Having grown up in Miami, I have been through several hurricanes including Hurricane
Andrew, Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Wilma. I have also experience earthquakes,
massive snowstorms, and most recently, a rockslide. All have been very memorable
experiences and they each remind me of the fragility of life and the importance of
feeling gratitude for everyday I’m alive. I have tremendous respect for nature, and I am
also fascinated by it. Through this Natural Disasters course I hope to learn the “how”
and the “why” behind the various disasters we encounter on this earth, most especially
hurricanes. I want to uncover the mystery behind natural disasters and learn how they
form, how they grow, and how the impact of disasters affects our world as a whole.
Needless to say, I am super excited for this course!