Monday, June 27, 2011

Finding My Equilibrium

After a weekend of shopping and relaxation, class resumed today. I look forward to class every day because of my interest in the economics. Mr. Coleman taught us the definition of GDP, how it is calculated, and the difference between real and nominal GDP. We also learned about inflation and prices relative to that of a base year. The most interesting topic discussed today was the average life satisfaction of a country. Mr. Coleman showed us a graph comparing different countries’ average life satisfaction to their GDP per capita. The question that arose was: how do people measure life satisfaction or, in other words, happiness? This stirred up some debate over the credibility of this study. From the graph, we could see the positive correlation between satisfaction and GDP. However, I think that happiness varies from one person to the other so this sort of study might not accurately represent an entire country’s perspective.


This week is going to be busier than ever, starting with today. After class, I went to the Rockefeller Library with a study group, including Erin, and we spent time finishing homework and comparing our answers. The workload is not overwhelming but enough to keep me busy. There are always events going on to fill up the free time that we have. I went to a special WaterFire show after seeing a Polyphony Ensemble play at a church tonight. The ensemble, which included two 10-year-olds, was amazingly talented and inspiring. I love classical music so it was refreshing to hear the harmonious blending of the piano, violins, cello, and flute. We are planning on seeing the famous WaterFire in Providence this weekend with Ms. Larson, but today, the city held a smaller event that included a torch procession and fire juggling on the river. What a sight it was to see the torches combine and rows of fire being lit.


The many fun activities that our RAs plan balance out the hard work we have to put into studying and homework. I have learned that college is all about balance, or in economics terms, equilibrium. It is up to us students to find our own equilibrium. Education is the most important aspect of school, but we also need to incorporate social interactions into our lives at school. I look forward to tomorrow as always.

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