Genocide

I don't think they could've gotten a better speaker for this topic. Personally, I have been to the Museum of Tolerance twice and have met many Holocaust survivors. Most of them didn't seem....real. They appeared to be resigned to live a life that was ruined by their experiences. That is perfectly understandable, of course. But here was a woman who wasn't pretending to be okay, and she was CERTAINLY not resigned. It was so strange to see a survivor who was so feisty, had such a strong will to live the way she wanted. Her outlook was quite refreshing and I won't soon forget it.
Additionally, the genocide talk really forced me to look at myself and the people around me. I've heard the worst derogatory comments come out of my friends' mouths and I have never felt moved to tell them to stop being idiots. However, I realized that doing nothing is just as bad as laughing along....it's almost like approving of what they're saying, or agreeing with it. Even slurs directed at me have been tolerated because it was just "friendly banter." That's ridiculous.
In the end, the lecture made me more sensitive to the language and the stereotypes we use on other people. That's where it all starts, you know?

Men's and Women's Issues

While this was a rather uncomfortable topic, I believe that Beginnings handled it better than any other class or seminar I had attended. I learned some things (especially about sexual assault) that inspired me to be more careful about the decisions I make and the people I hang out with. For the most part, it was relieving to hear that people dealt with some of the same issues I have come up against in my life. Essentially, everyone could feel that they could relate to this topic in some way because we're all human and we all struggle with certain aspects of ourselves. Many people opened up to me as a result of this week, and I became more open myself. Humanity never ceases to amaze me. ^_^

Addictions

This week has been very informative and interesting regarding addictions. There are some aspects of addiction that I never really considered. I've always been a bit sheltered when it came to drugs and alcohol, but the presentations definitely opened my eyes. To me, a place like APU is like a little world in and of itself; it can't be penetrated by outside influences. Obviously, this is not the case. Additionally, it reminded me that we all have our little addictions, so no one should be so high and mighty that they condemn others for having them. The discussions we had this week really prepared me for what I might encounter at school and just life in general.

I've also come to realize that I probably have an addiction to the internet. I love Youtube. O_o

How to use the strengths and how NOT to use them

Well, at APU the connectedness strength comes into play a lot. Bad things happen, people get hurt. But as Christians, we need to be able to see that maybe the bad times of our lives are part of a bigger picture that leads to more good than harm. College students tend to forget that when everything starts changing for the worse: your roommate gets mad at you, you fail a test, a family member dies, etc. I can be the person that reminds them that everything happens for a reason and that life will get better soon. Don't scoff, that's important! :P
However, if I don't manage this strength, I'll probably start to draw connections where there are none. Ex: "Suzy got a bad test grade? It's probably because she hangs out with that stupid Bob guy." This is basically the only weakness I can think of. I'm sort of grasping at straw here, guys.

Input will be useful at APU because I will easily remember information that I find interesting. I love to read, so studying really isn't a problem for me.
If I don't manage this strength, I'll end up getting distracted easily by unimportant (but interesting!!) things. Without discerning what I need to remember and what's just cool rubbish, I won't have enough room in my brain for the significant stuff.

As a developer, I'll be able to help a lot of people grow in their own strengths here at APU. I don't really see how this could be a weakness...
Random Friend: "Geez, stop helping me become a BETTER PERSON, Chelsea!!"
Me: "I'm so sorry! My developer strength has spiraled out of control!"
Yeeeeah. Maybe focusing on other people too much would cause me to neglect my own personal growth?

My positivity will get me through many an all-nighter. It will also encourage others keep on truckin', even when they really don't feel like doing work or going to that meeting. My cheerfulness will hopefully inspire my classmates and maybe just make the day a little bit brighter. However, this could be a weakness if mismanaged because I could become that person who is so mellow and optimistic that I can't get worked up about anything. I could become so happy that I can't be serious and that's actually a big problem. People don't like when you laugh off their pain. It's not good.

Individualization is a little tricky. While I could use it to make great groups for projects, I could also pay attention to individuals so much that I can't relate to the whole group.