SeeSaw Club

On May 30th, I participated in an art workshop with the visually impaired, in which we made hand cream and defusers. I got paired with a very extroverted and funny grandmother whose sense of humor seemed to align almost perfectly with mine, making the experience deeply enjoyable and memorable.  The part of this workshop that really stood out to me was when we chose the scents we would use. Her sense of smell seemed incredibly acute as she was able to remember and differentiate which scent was which with accuracy and speed, showing how much people can adapt their different strengths to engage in an activity.   Through our minute conversations and shared laughter, I clocked her personality early on, which made us connect better and gave the activity more meaning overall. It was truly an extraordinary experience. 

 On May 30th, our club gathered to help the visually impaired create hand creams and defusers. They both had something in common; they both required our sense of smell. Despite being visually impaired, participants were very sensitive to the scents and the small differences each had. My partner and I were working as a team to bond in the process of choosing scents and working together to drop them inside the small bottle. This activity not only helped us create defusers and hand creams; it helped us realize the importance of smell. Despite the blind people having difficulty seeing what was done, they were still able to participate with their sense of smell, which was very impressive. Also,  during this activity, I bonded with the woman I partnered with. When she found out that I had trouble with cold hands and feet, she introduced me to different ways of massaging and keeping myself warm. She was able to turn the cold into heat through her massaging skills. Later on, I found o...

During this activity, I worked with visually impaired individuals to make oil hand cream and air freshener. While the activity itself seemed simple, it became a valuable learning experience that helped me better understand the importance of accessibility, communication, and inclusion. Throughout the process, I learned how important it is to provide clear verbal instructions and explanations. Since many participants relied less on visual information, I had to think more carefully about how I communicated each step. This experience made me realize that activities often designed with sight in mind can be adapted so that everyone can participate fully and independently. One of the most memorable parts of the activity was choosing and mixing different scents. As scent was such an important element of both the oil hand cream and air freshener, everyone was able to express their own preferences and creativity. It was enjoyable to see how each person created something unique while sharing thei...

Coming back to my second WILL-SEESAW Showdown Cup, I definitely felt less panic and more presence.  What stunned me the most was what happened during the breaks between rallies and matches. Every time we had a timeout, I would ask my visually impaired partner what I was doing wrong and what skill I should use in the next turn. Each time, he was able to explain exactly what I could fix like the small changes in angle or bat positioning. It astonished me every time that even while playing in complete darkness, he understood the angles and dynamics of the game more acutely than I did. However, something about his mindset stood out even more. Despite understanding the game at such a deep level, he never seemed to obsess over the score or focus on every little mistake. Instead, he consistently encouraged our team to keep playing the way we did and simply enjoy the game. His priority was not the result or perfect; rather, the experience and joy itself.  His attitude ultimately ...

The 9th WILL-SEESAW Showdown Cup was hosted on the 21st of February, 2026. Despite having played the tournament three times, the nerves still came on before each match. Instead of viewing that anxiety as a weakness, I realized it was an indication that the event actually meant something to me.  This year, it seemed there were many more competitors, including my sister, who participated in this event. Most Seesaw members developed their skills with practice, thus making the matches not only quicker but more strategic. All of this required quick reactions, clear thinking after every rally. To top it off, one of the most meaningful portions was playing with visually impaired athletes. It was an environment that fostered communication, patience, and respect. It also reminded me that sports can be a potentially strong connector of people and a bridge to understanding ones with differences.  For me, it was a special experience as it was the third time for me, and that my sister part...

  The past week, the SEESAW Committee was given the wonderful opportunity to partner with the WILL organization, in what would be a friendly round-robin style tournament of the famed sport Showdown. Personally, I am relatively a somewhat experienced member of this sport, which works to captivate those exposed to it not through simple means but rather a variegated lineup of aspects. Underneath the seeming disadvantage of the sight-blocking glasses lies the gift of utilizing one's auditory and physical senses. The game consists of two players, each with a paddle to try and hit the ball into the other's goal; the ball is fitted with seeds in the interior, so that one with sufficiently honed ears could perceptively maneuver the location, orientation, and mobility of their craft. Such a game may seem like a slow listening procedure, but the reality features a far more rapid, physical, and hardcore experience; as certain visually impaired professionals of the game sport special techn...