My name is Hasan Baalbaki, and my pronouns are he/him. My interests are Video games, and I’m a fan of Marvel and Star Wars, as you can tell by the first picture I posted. My favorite shows include The Mandalorian, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, and Dragon Ball Z. I was born in the US but I have family roots in Beirut, Lebanon. I have been studying in AUB (American University of Beirut) for 4 years before transferring to Stonybrook. During my time at AUB, the country was going through the Lebanese Revolution, and It was LITERALLY happening right outside my house. It was happening downtown, and I live 5 minutes away from downtown. The photo above is a sculpture that was made by the people. There were a lot of these sculptures by the pier and downtown. I think its safe to say that I have a lot of stories to tell my future kids lol.
This is a picture of me back in 2014, when I took a trip to South Africa. My group and I went to a wild cat sanctuary and we got to pet the cheetahs. I’m currently working at a retail job, so I’m gonna have to juggle with both my job and school work. But, since I did a Summer I course with no issue, I’m not really worried. I was searching for classes to do during summer II and I was recommended this course and another. I took this course to help fulfill requirements for my English Lit Major, and I am interested in films and the art of filmmaking. So, when I heard about a class that talks about it and how the mind is represented in those films, I immediately signed up. Hopefully ,by the end of this course, I will have a better understanding of the mind, and how it’s represented in film.
Where will the wind take me
Hi everyone! My name is Elizabeth! She/Her. I currently live in Huntington with my Husband Dave and our chocolate lab mix Bella. Bella is 4 years old, and we adopted her at 4 months. She is our baby before the babies. My husband and I love to travel and have been fortunate enough to visit many places around the world. We have a huge trip planned next year to visit parts of Italy, France, and Spain. Here is just a preview of some cool spots we have been back in 2018! I look forward to exploring the views and trying new foods!
this is a picture of Bella snuggled up on the couch where we spend a lot of our time together. She is such a loveable girl and how can you not love that face! hehe
These pictures were from Italy in 2018 and the sites were beautiful and the food just amazing! yum yum!
aside from traveling and eating, I love spending time with friends either going to concerts or hanging at the beach. Fishing is also a past time I enjoy in the summer months. Sitting back listening to the waves crash on the shore is the most amazing sound to me. Recently we went to the Atlantic city beer festival with friends and got to see a couple bands we enjoy New found Glory and Alkaline trio. Also an emo girl at heart!
My passion was science, but I have always been interested in English. English has always been my favorite subject. Making the switch is new and exciting and I plan on trading in my scrubs for a profession in English. I would love to one day teach at a high school or college level. Maybe even go into higher education! who knows where the wind will take me!
I look forward to meeting all my fellow peers! 🙂
Hi Guys, My Name Is Steph :)
Hi everyone! My name is Stephanie (Steph, Stephanie, or hey you, all works for getting my attention, I work with kids so mostly I just get screamed at until my attention is refocused on them lol). My pronouns are she/her and hun/gry. I love reading and mostly this summer I have been working and trying to read through my extensive book collection and finally part with a few because after I reached the more than a couple hundred range and they began piling on the floor, I thought something has got to change. I decided to take this course not only to fulfill a requirement for my English major but because this class sounded incredibly interesting, and I have never taken a multi-media class before, and watching movies and analyzing them is already something I enjoy doing on a weekly basis. So far this summer I have watched Always Be My Maybe, The Hateful Eight, Hunt For The Wilder People, 18 Presents, Léon: The Professional, Nobody Knows I’m Here, Looper, Malcolm, and Marie, and a couple more but I’ve already listed too many. Needless to say, I am a huge fan of film and find it to be an integral part of influencing our society while also commenting upon pressing issues and bringing these issues to the forefront of our collective consciousness. And as someone who is also majoring in psychology, I find topics about who we are, why we are who we are, and what our consciousness is and where it stems from fundamentally interesting. I wish you all nothing but the best and I am crossing my fingers for all of us to get A’s. 🙂
Introduction AKA Please Let There Be Someone Who Likes The Same Music As Me
Hello everyone.
I’m Guga Khidasheli (he/his/him). I’m a Greek Georgian immigrant who came to the United States around 3 years ago. I’m an English major, also minoring in Journalism and Japanese Studies. I’m writing, albeit very slowly, a fantasy book, not focusing on publishing it since a lot of it comes down to luck. If anyone has the free time to give me feedback on some sample chapters, I’d be grateful and more than willing to do the same for your own projects.
Of course, this also means that I am an avid fantasy reader. Although it’s hard to sit down and read a thousand page epic without feeling guilty about procrastinating on an essay. Right now, I’m reading Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson and Deadhouse Gates by Steven Erikson. Almost finished with the former, around a fifth into the latter.
Outside of books, I’m a big fan of the metal and rock genres in music. I constantly listen to Rammstein (new album is so good), Slipknot, A Perfect Circle, TOOL, System of A Down, Avenged Sevenfold, MUSE, and some other folks I’m probably forgetting. My favorites from each band (skip if not interested) are as follow:
Rammstein: Angst
Slipknot: Sulfur
A Perfect Circle: The Outsider
TOOL: The Grudge
System of A Down: Question!
Avenged Sevenfold: Mad Hatter
MUSE: Showbiz (title track)
Because of so much excellent music in my life, I decided to take up the guitar and bass. The result? I have written 2 songs (albeit they lack drums ;-;) and am working on dozens of work-in-progress projects (again, no drums, I’m sad). If anyone knows a drummer who is into metal, I would appreciate it if you set up a meet and greet :P. Jokes aside, I do plan on forming a band, assuming I meet the right people.
As for why I picked this class, it’s solely for the credit. I wanted something over the summer that would help me graduate faster, and I just basically did what a person does when they don’t know which book to pick from a shelf. I closed my eyes, pointed randomly at the shelf (well, technically, the options at Degree Works), and accepted what I got. Either way, any new information that could give me some insight about anything, really, is useful. And so, this class, especially since it’s about Cogsci, will definitely be a great asset.
Though the class involves a lot of self-learning, I am looking forward to meeting as many people as I can.
Warmly,
Guga
Introductions
Hi everyone!
My name is April (she/her/hers) and I am a senior majoring in English. I expect to graduate in the spring and pursue a career in physical therapy. It’s way different than expected from an English major, but I’ve always been passionate about physical therapy and I’ve always loved English, so I thought why not pursue both. I currently work at two physical therapy offices and have only ever worked medical jobs such as a certified nursing assistant and medical scribe.
Fun facts about me is that I grew up in Connecticut and moved out to New York as a freshmen. I absolutely love New York compared to Connecticut because of the diversity in this state. My hobbies include going to the gym, journaling, reading, makeup, and cozying up to watch my favorite films. I am one of those people that will rewatch their favorite film 100x over. My all time favorite movies are the Harry Potter series, the Marvel series, and Me Before You. My top favorite artists are PartyNextDoor and The Weeknd.
My summer has consisted of working a lot and hanging with my friends whenever we are free. A lot of my friends have graduated this past spring and they have started their real adult lives and jobs, so it’s hard to make time now-a-days. In a few weeks, I am planning on a day trip to Baltimore with my coworkers to eat seafood. I can’t wait because I absolutely love seafood (and food in general). People always say they’re a foodie, but whenever someone asks me my motivation to get up everyday is, it’s food.
I decided to take this course because it is a requirement for the major and I have never taken a film class before. I have taken a course at Stony similar to this one, where we had to blog each week but was based more on academia and articles. It was very fun and I think this class will be the same. It will be interesting to see everyone’s different perspectives on the films we watch in class and seeing what everyone blogs about.
This is a picture of me to put a face to a name. I am the one on the right. This was taken in May with one of my girls that graduated. It’s giving scholar 😉
Meghan Krulder’s Intro
Hello everyone! My name is Meghan Krulder, my pronouns are she/her/hers. I am a senior studying English here at Stony Brook. I went to a few different colleges previously, so I’ll be finishing up my degree in the summer or fall of 2023, since I’m playing “catch-up” now.
You might have guessed that one of my hobbies is reading, but I also run a (mediocre) bookstagram! I also enjoy listening to music, spending time outside, and playing Pokemon Go with my boyfriend. Some of my favorite artists are Harry Styles, Turnover, Taylor Swift, Movements, and Florence + The Machine, to name a few.
I live with my boyfriend Tyler near Patchogue. We have two cats, one named Dewey, the orange one, whose named after a library cat that I read about when I was younger (original Dewey’s name is inspired by the Dewey Decimal System); and Freya, named after the Norse goddess. Tyler chose her name because he’s into all things Norse Mythology. We are crazy obsessed with them and treat them like actual babies (lol).
I decided to take this course to expand my horizons. I am actually not a film or television person! I thought this class would challenge me and educate me on a topic I never had a lot of interest in, mostly because it’s hard for films to hold my attention. When watching movies, I always gravitate towards comedies and romance, sometimes horror, but never scifi! The only film I’ve watched on the list is Inside Out! I plan to make Tyler watch all of the films with me, so it’s a win win.
A. Nunez Introduction
Hello!
My name is Alexandra Nunez, but I go by Alex and my pronouns are she/her/hers. I will be a Senior this upcoming school year and I am a Mathematics major on the education track as well as an English minor. I plan on graduating Spring 2024 instead of Spring 2023 with my Masters in Education and my licensing to teach. My plan is to be a teacher for a couple of years and then eventually become a Principal. I’ve always been super close to my Middle School/High School Principal and she was the one who inspired me to go into the Education field.
I love to go on adventures and spend time with friends and family. I also really like to go on vacation and do exotic things. I have an 11 year old red-eared slider named Skipper and for some reason my parents and teachers allowed me to bring her to Show-and-Tell when I was in the 4th grade! I’m Dominican, but born and raised in NYC and I have enjoyed the different cultures and experiences both locations offer.
I decided to take an English course because it was the last one I needed to complete my English minor. I just didn’t want to take any English course to fulfill my requirement and EGL 309 seemed interesting so I decided to enroll. I took a similar course that was about the human body, thinking, and science a couple of semesters ago and I really enjoyed it, so I’m excited for this course. I usually read a lot of historical fiction books about the Holocaust and World War 2, so a change in what I read and watch is going to be nice. Overall, I’m excited for this course and to explore different realms of literature that I haven’t before!
Introduction Post- Glynis Coito
Hey everyone,
My name is Glynis Coito, my pronouns are (she/her/hers). I am a multidisciplinary studies major with concentration in business and English, I plan to graduate spring of 2023. Interestingly enough I was in the medical field before this. I am an Emt- since the beginning of covid, and was at SB for respiratory therapy. A major work related car accident had me retire from the medical field early. On the bright side, nothing was really badly injured, just cant lift more than a certain amount. My plan is either to go to business when I graduate, or get my masters in Physician assistant (dermatology). Fun fact, fresh out of high school I was an English major here at stony brook but decided that I wanted to be in the medical field. Funny how life works, huh?
I took this class because I am also taking a business class in summer session 2 and I needed an English class that was going to make me want to write every week. This class seemed interesting and who doesn’t love watching movies. I also do enjoy writing but I want to learn how to write better and to improve my language in writings. I am looking to get out of this class of thinking outside of the box. I believe with this class and watching films, seeing everyone responses will help me think differently than my bubble.
I have a tuxedo cat named Archie, he is my entire life. Since my parents live in Portugal, its just him and i. I love traveling around the world. Fun fact- I have my passport since I was a month old. I also speak portugese, so any portugese people in this class – OLA! My friends say, i am the mom in the group, always caring especially when someone gets hurt- I am also an open book who loves to talk and Im very bubbly. So, feel free to email me and maybe we can get drinks. Only 21 and older, of course. LOL. July 31st- August 7th I will be in a cruise with my boyfriend and his business partner to different islands in the Caribbean. Don’t worry, I will be doing all the required assignments before that week/due dates. That basically sums up about me. Nice to meet you guys and I look forward to starting this class with all of you. 🙂
-Glynis Coito
Introduction Post
Hi everybody, my name is Ceili Howland (she/her/hers). I’m a rising senior majoring in English on a pre-law track. I transferred to Stonybrook last fall from James Madison University. I just started LSAT prep so after graduation, I hope to end up at Hofstra or St. Johns law school. My main goal is to end up in mental hygiene and/or family law.
I picked this class because just this past fall I took EGL 303 with Professor Brioni which focused on the genre of sci-fi literature and films. Thus I really grew to appreciate science fiction. I’m excited to delve even further into the subject while it’s still fresh in my mind.
In my free time, I’m an avid runner and reader. My favorite book is The Alchemist. If you’re looking for a book to inspire you I highly recommend it. Right now I’m reading The Lost Boys of Montauk (I’m a big true crime/mystery fan). I am also a marvel fan thru and thru so to say I’m excited for the new Thor movie coming out this week is an understatement. This summer I plan on relaxing as much as I can besides work and summer classes lol. My boyfriend and I are spending a weekend in Montauk so I’m really looking forward to that as well as visiting my roommate from JMU in New Jersey. I look forward to getting to know all of you!
Lastly, here are some pictures of a few of my favorite things 🙂
Sara Giarnieri – Introduction Post
Hey folks! My name is Sara Giarnieri (she/her/hers). I am majoring in English and minoring in Creative Writing. I love writing poetry, short stories, and flash fiction. I am actively attempting to get published in small online journals. My dream is to edit for Penguin Random House, Harper Collins, etc. and write poetry collections on the side. I am currently an Editorial Intern for We Rise 4 Wellness.
It’s a given that my hobbies include reading and writing. My favorite book is The Shining by Stephen King. I also enjoy video games (PC/Xbox), art, and listening to music. Momentarily, I’m loving Slipknot, Deftones, and $uicideboy$. My favorite Slipknot song right now is “Custer” which is on .5: The Grey Chapter. I saw them live in May on my birthday, and it was amazing. The mosh pit bruised me a bit, but it was worth it.
I plan on seeing my online friend of 7 years for the first time this summer. We are thinking of meeting in Florida and going to Universal Studios. I am also going to a concert this summer. Alice in Chains, Breaking Benjamin, and Bush are playing. I am thrilled! 
I chose to take this course because I saw it on the summer 2022 classes flyer, and it seemed like something I’d be interested in. I love discussions that are psychological and get the cogs turning. I am also excited for the films/shows we are investigating, especially Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I’m hoping this course will increase my analytical skills for visual media.