Reflecting.

Sharon Lin

Blog #6

Be Green Challenge Reflections

            After a month of challenging myself not to buy anything I have realized a lot about the consumer society that we live in. I knew the challenge would be difficult but what I didn’t realize was my excessive need for the joy that comes with purchasing new things. While I tried to buy second-hand items, I realized that there is definitely a different type of feeling that comes with the purchase of a new item. With that realization, however, I also came to understand how brainwashed our generation truly is in regards to consumption. Although I failed my challenge on Black Friday, I realized that I had less of a need to purchase things that I had originally thought were necessary for this new winter season. I found myself examining my purchases much more closely and actually trying to make sure I needed my purchases before buying them. I also have learned set a limit on the amount that I want to spend on a piece of clothing and actually sticking to the limit.

             Unfortunately, after a month of not spending, I still went back to my spending ways. (I still cannot thrift…it still makes me too uncomfortable.) I still love my sales and still love to shop. In the future, I would love to try this challenge again…although I’m not sure that without a professor watching over our challenge I will be at all successful. It would definitely be a fun challenge to attempt with friends. Overall I truly enjoyed this challenge. Paired with the readings, I was able to really challenge my spending habits and understand where my clothes come from, and how I can be more aware of how, where and under what conditions things we consume are made. This challenge was a great eye-opener and I am very glad I took this challenge seriously.

            I really enjoyed this class and will definitely miss it. I learned so much more than I had originally expected to learn. I learned so much about the history of fashion and the relevance of fashion to activism. Fashion is so important in defining who we are and how we see ourselves. Social activism and our awareness of how we consume is an important part of fashion. I will take what I learn in this class into the way I interact with consumerism everyday. The discussions we had will continue to challenge me and push me toward making spending better habits. (PROFESSOR VALVERDE SHOULD TEACH  A PART TWO OF THIS CLASS SO WE CAN ALL JOIN TOGETHER AGAIN SOON!) 

Farewell ASA 141! You will be missed.