Yara Murad, an instructor, welcomes twenty-one first-year students to the course "Responding to Art" at their first meeting.
To break the ice, she asks the students to introduce themselves, share their majors, and the last TV show they binge-watched.
Yara shares her own experience with a show, "Mo," that resonated with her Palestinian American background.
She expresses her desire for the students to find value in the humanities and art, despite potential preconceptions about their utility.
Yara faces disengagement from the students, who seem more interested in their phones than the class.
She introduces the topic of color theory and its significance in various creative and professional fields.
Yara emphasizes her intent to explore works by diverse artists, not just the most famous ones.
The class responds passively to her presentation of several artworks exemplifying color theory.
Yara invites the students to free-write about a painting that moves them, sharing her own connection with Munch's "The Scream."
One student, Martha, engages with the exercise and discusses Monet's "Impression, Sunrise," learning about its role in the Impressionist movement.
As the class ends with little apparent impact on the students, Yara reflects on her life and the choices that led her to teaching rather than creating art.
She contrasts her current life with her youthful dreams of traveling and making art, recognizing compromises made along the way.
Yara reflects on her family's background, the desires and hardships expressed by her parents, and her connection to her Palestinian heritage.
Despite her personal turmoil, she posts a picture on Instagram to portray a happy, fulfilling life, revealing an internal struggle between her online image and her true feelings.
Anxious about the perception of her online post, Yara cycles through checking different social media platforms repeatedly.
Struggling with her feelings, Yara eventually deletes the photo, feeling overwhelmed by the weight of expectation and memory.