It was nice to be able to sit down in class last Wednesday to reflect on what we’ve learned already in this semester. I think it’s so important that we come together and share our opinions, what we think is the most important piece of information we’ve learned, and what to do moving forward. A lot of my classmates stated they felt kind of sad to have learned the intricacies of homelessness and how there isn’t one quick fix. Maybe I’m desensitized to social inequality from my sociology major, but I have found myself feeling quite happy about the information we are learning. There are so many injustices in the United States that seem to have no solutions or even quick fixes. With homelessness, it’s nice to see that the main problem seems to be that there is not enough low-income housing to house everyone and that, in the meantime, the social service work is doing its best. Some of us also reflected on how we can continue the conversation around homelessness. I think we’ve learned that there are enough stereotypes out there that can really damage the homeless population. Now that we’ve learned that they’re not all drug addicts and alcoholics with mental health problems, it’s up to us to step up when we hear people make these generalizations. We will always be uncomfortable with things that seem out of place, and it is understandable why certain people don’t want to see homelessness. However, I think humanizing these people is a step in the right direction. I am looking forward to what the rest of the semester holds and what we will learn next.

P.S. Hope everyone is having a nice Spring Break!