Jennifer Collao, Cooper Hewitt, Fifth Blog
Hey guys,
I was waiting until I finished my story telling at the New York Public Library to write my last blog post. So, here it goes.
The last week at Design Prep was focused on Product Design. I have to say it was best week of the program. More teens came and wow they were a solid bunch. It was the perfect way to end my internship. This week we learned that everything kind of sucks. For example, doors are the worst. To have a push door with handle is considered a poor design. If it has a handle that usually means you have to pull, but these normative doors ahh well they get you. When I figured out it was not my fault that I kept opening doors the wrong way, well I felt a bit better about myself, and mad that these normative doors were still a thing. The teens were assigned to fix everyday design problems like the normative doors. Some designed new alarm clocks and others cups. Speaking of cups, they are also the worst. Some have thin handles so it makes it kind of impossible to enjoy a nice cup of tea. That was another project the teens were designed to fix, cup handles. That assignment went relatively well when they figured out what they had to do. The big project though was to create a vessel that can hot a liquid. There were a few who stuck with the cup and some went above and beyond and created a tea pot. Their restrictions was that they had to make the cup out of cardboard, which could be difficult if your making a spear pot (as one guy did). That assignment really helped the teens step out of their comfort zone and learn techniques to design. Overall it was a pretty amazing week.
After the last session my co-workers and I went to a restaurant in downtown Manhattan called Fish Cheeks. I've never been there before, but it was honestly the most bougie restaurant I've ever been to. It's a Thai restaurant that declares a free Pad Thai zone, so it was interesting to finally try authentic Thai food. If anyone is ever in New York I highly recommend this cute, bougie place.
Today I did my story telling at the Aguilar Branch - New York Public Library. It's in the very heart of Spanish Harlem and I enjoyed a nice ice coffee at Dear Mama Coffee which was nearby. I had a few bumps during this experience such as I followed the instructions to come in an hour early to set up, however, the library wasn't opened. So, I had to walk around before I could go in. I was very thankful I had an pervious Young Ambassador to help me set-up the materials and just be there for emotional support. Sadly, not a lot of people came to my story telling session, but it is understandable because right now is the time where everyone's usually on vacation.
As I contemplate my last week at the Cooper Hewitt, I feel a sense of sadness. My experience at my first internship was coming to a close and although that meant free days at last, it also meant not being picked up by Mariya every morning because my paperwork for my id never went through. It meant not saying the daily good morning to Halima and trying to make her laugh by calling her my superior. But, most of all it meant not having constant afternoon conversations and laughs with Bree, the other intern who I'm grateful to have met. I loved my job because it made me step out of my comfort zone and socialize more often than usual. The teens who participated in the program were hilarious and I'm going to miss them. I feel really lucky to have been placed in such a welcoming environment like the Cooper Hewitt. The memories I've made there will stay with me forever.
Thank you Young Ambassadors Program.
- Jen
I was waiting until I finished my story telling at the New York Public Library to write my last blog post. So, here it goes.
The last week at Design Prep was focused on Product Design. I have to say it was best week of the program. More teens came and wow they were a solid bunch. It was the perfect way to end my internship. This week we learned that everything kind of sucks. For example, doors are the worst. To have a push door with handle is considered a poor design. If it has a handle that usually means you have to pull, but these normative doors ahh well they get you. When I figured out it was not my fault that I kept opening doors the wrong way, well I felt a bit better about myself, and mad that these normative doors were still a thing. The teens were assigned to fix everyday design problems like the normative doors. Some designed new alarm clocks and others cups. Speaking of cups, they are also the worst. Some have thin handles so it makes it kind of impossible to enjoy a nice cup of tea. That was another project the teens were designed to fix, cup handles. That assignment went relatively well when they figured out what they had to do. The big project though was to create a vessel that can hot a liquid. There were a few who stuck with the cup and some went above and beyond and created a tea pot. Their restrictions was that they had to make the cup out of cardboard, which could be difficult if your making a spear pot (as one guy did). That assignment really helped the teens step out of their comfort zone and learn techniques to design. Overall it was a pretty amazing week.
After the last session my co-workers and I went to a restaurant in downtown Manhattan called Fish Cheeks. I've never been there before, but it was honestly the most bougie restaurant I've ever been to. It's a Thai restaurant that declares a free Pad Thai zone, so it was interesting to finally try authentic Thai food. If anyone is ever in New York I highly recommend this cute, bougie place.
Today I did my story telling at the Aguilar Branch - New York Public Library. It's in the very heart of Spanish Harlem and I enjoyed a nice ice coffee at Dear Mama Coffee which was nearby. I had a few bumps during this experience such as I followed the instructions to come in an hour early to set up, however, the library wasn't opened. So, I had to walk around before I could go in. I was very thankful I had an pervious Young Ambassador to help me set-up the materials and just be there for emotional support. Sadly, not a lot of people came to my story telling session, but it is understandable because right now is the time where everyone's usually on vacation.
Thank you Young Ambassadors Program.
- Jen
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