Service Learning Journals

Everett's Service Learning Journals

“When I first arrived at the Stevens Center I was very nervous. I have never done anything like this and I definitely did not want to be that guy that went in a mistakenly offended someone. The conversation was a little awkward in the first few minutes because Danielle and I were trying to feel out the kind of the things that we should talk about. As the time went on I began to feel more and more comfortable.”

“I sat next to a lady named Carol. I was sitting across from a woman named Sandy and a gentleman named Terry. Well, Carol just loved to talk about her music and dates. She may have brought up the dates of relatives of hers or how dates that I was talking to relate to her relatives over a dozen times. She also loved listening to the radio while we were talking and blurting out the person who sang a song and what year it came out and the significance mid sentence. Sandy loved to laugh. Have you ever been so tired late at night that you will laugh at almost anything? If so, then you have something in common with Sandy.”

“Peanut was all over the place during the movie. I am not bothered by people talking during movies since I always do that myself. Sandy got upset with Peanut when she was standing and talking in front of the TV screen. Peanut was not listening and ignored her as she informed me many times how she did not like my movie selection.”

“They were just happy and appreciative that I would take the time to be there.”

“I was glad that I was able to come in during Stephanie’s meeting with the Stevens group. I was able to tell how much she cares about the members of the center. As you get to know the members they all have personalities and traits of a society”

“We were then visited by a man. I still do not know his name. He came in and first let me read a petition he had jokingly written that said that Peanut was no longer allowed at the center. Peanut was not amused. He then returned again with a hateful letter directed towards his psychiatrist. He asked me to read it. I remember the letter being quite humorous as he would combine words to make fake words. I remember one word that I understood that he called him was a flim flam homosexual. I am puzzled as to what this means but I highly doubt that he meant it in a good way.”

“I feel like I have come a long way with the members. I do not want to spout of the cliché “The visits have really changed my whole perspective and I have grown because of it” line but that covers a lot of how it went for me.. My involvement with places like the Stevens Center had been nonexistent up until now. My first visit, I had had no idea what to expect. On my last I just went in and everyone seemed to be just fine because I was accepted.”

“The center is a great place for all of the members. All of their friends and all they have come to know. Outside, they may be considered to be off the norm but in their sanctuary of the center they are the norm and you are just a visitor.”