“Today, my PAL and I engaged in painting inspired by touch and memory. We were asked to bring in a personal item to share with our partners and serve as inspiration for our paintings…It was amazing how we both knew exactly what the other brought in just from touching and just as amazing that each object evoked in the other strong and emotional experiences in our lives.”
Huy Ho, first year MSW student
“We all have objects that evoke particular memories from past experiences in our lives…Our background experiences are what shaped the person we are today and oftentimes we get so caught up with our day to day lives that we forget about the little memories in our past that brought us joy. Today’s event allowed us to take some time to reminisce about the small moments in our past and share it with our new friends.”
Janice Chan, first year Dentistry student.
“Sometimes the most random objects can bring back the most special memories.”
Grace Prestiy, a graduate student in Social Work writes about her experience during the “Touch and Feel Painting” workshop.
“Today I met my PAL, Georgie, and her husband Gil. I was excited, but so nervous about meeting my PAL. What if we didn’t have anything to talk about? What if we didn’t click? What were they going to be like? All of these questions were running through my head as I first stepped into the community room at the JCC.”
Zaneera Hassan, a third year graduate student in the VCU School of Pharmacy, writes about her experience on the first day of class for PALETTE.
“Very seldom in life is there little or no stress involved in any activity we participate in, however today was a totally stress free and enjoyable time, spent with new friends from a diverse array of backgrounds. The aging process is not homogeneous, and the PALETTE program provides a perfect opportunity for participants to experience that diversity across all levels of the lifespan from young college students to older adults.”
Jill Lindsay, a graduate student in the VCU Department of Gerontology, reflects on her first day with her PAL.