They Say, Say I

                The article “Serve Or Fail” by Dave Eggers discusses the advantages of making volunteering a requirement in college. It is largely focused on the difference students can make in their community through a requirement like this. Eggers first makes the point that college students have a lot of time to kill- more so than other age groups- therefore, are the perfect demographic to do this kind of work. He calculates that if every college in America makes a 10 hour annual community service requirement, excluding community college students and students with too many other demands in their life, America would gain 60 million volunteer hours to various organizations. He goes on to describe how students themselves benefit from the work- they learn to balance volunteer work with everything else, it teaches them how they can make a difference, and it can even have a profound effect on their lives.

                Eggers is, obviously, very strongly for the implementation of required volunteer hours in college. He makes a good case logically when he calculates the amount of volunteer hours America would gain from such an enactment, and ethically when he discusses the various benefits for students and the community. Humor is also thrown in to the mix (an appeal to pathos) when he mentions his own college days.

The author of “How to Reduce Student Dropout Rates: Link Volunteering to Studies” gives  a brief argument about how service learning implemented early on in a student’s education can prevent dropout rates later on. The author makes the difference between volunteering and service learning early on: service learning is simply volunteering weaved with specific academic instruction. John Cruz’s work as the superintendent of the school district in California’s Central Valley is analyzed. Cruz gives children in his students volunteering opportunities from elementary school until graduation, which has yielded astonishing results. Attendance rates in his schools are high while the dropout rates are incredibly low (this is in comparison to the neighboring county which does not incorporate service learning into the system). The difference is attributed to the fact that service learning, “…bridges schoolwork to the real world…” Their knowledge, it is said, is applied to something relevant instead of just sitting around in their heads- this must benefit their learning a great deal. The article is strait forward and logical in its arguments, but still makes a strong case for service learning.

                StartTribute’s editorial “’Service Learning’ More than a Fad” focuses more on the benefits of service learning for organizations, although it touches on benefits for students as well. The main subject is Minnesota’s college presidents who joined with the organization Minnesota Campus Compact. Service learning activities enacted by schools have come into question of being cut due to a tight budget. The question is over whether or not volunteering is really necessary in higher education. The author argues that, yes, volunteer activities are not only a help to the community, but also to the students- “engagement” is the key word. Engagement in these real world activities deepens learning and gives people a sense of purpose and teaches the students to feel responsibility to their communities. The author also argues that, since baby boomers and their young adult children are the two largest demographics in the country, there is a lot in human capital to be gained from their work, and it may make up for the shortage of monetary capital. The author appeals to logic when discussing the benefits to the budget crisis and pathos when discussing the deep, more emotional benefits to the students.

                All of the authors agree on the benefits volunteering can have to the community and to students. They all also argue for a requirement to be made in schools, although Eggers and the author of the StarTribute editorial only discuss a college requirement, while the author of Christian Science Monitor’s article discusses a service learning requirement throughout primary education.

                After reading the three articles, I would argue for service learning or volunteer requirements in schools. Volunteer work is, after all, always in demand, and always helpful to the organizations that receive it; no one would dispute this. Children and young adults, though, are not likely to seek volunteer experience on their own, so a requirement is a good way to get them into it. Once they actively participate in a volunteer opportunity, it has many benefits to them as well. It’s a real world application of skill and knowledge, no matter how simple the task. It allows them to work with and network with adults that have the potential to stand as teachers, or even mentors. It gives them experience in the real world, it can boost their self-esteem, and it can even build their resumes. All of these things can aid them when they seek jobs in the future.

How To Be More Social In High School

How To Be More Social In High School

High school's a wonderful time for making new friends. You've been put into a new environment than your middle school- this gives you the chance to start anew. Unfortunately, many have a difficult time finding a social group in high school. Below are some tips to help you meet new people and, hopefully, make great friends that you'll keep for the entirety of your high school days and beyond.
1. Join Clubs
   Joining Clubs is a great way to meet new people. It has the added bonus of helping you discover new interests and develop ones you already have. There's usually a list of clubs in your school's assignment book or on your school's website. High school presents a variety of groups and clubs- the pep band for instrument players, the drama club for the theatrical types, National Honors Society for the academic, etc. You can even try joining clubs you normally would not think twice about. You could make friends that you'll have throughout the rest of your high school career- you never know who you'll bump into!
2. Take The Initiative
   No one else will initiate on your behalf; much of the time, you will need to be the one to make it happen. A lot of people want to make new friends, and they most likely won't be offended if you try to connect with them. Start conversations with people you don't know, work with people you normally would not. Be proactive about meeting new people- don't just expect them all to come to you.
3. Be Approachable
   Many times, this factor is half the battle. People are usually put off by a negative or otherwise intimidating demeanor. “Don't judge a book by it's cover” is a wise old adage, but you shouldn't assume people will take on that attitude. You should always feel free to express yourself, but you don't have to be outright pushy about it. If you appear approachable to people, they'll be more likely to want to get to know you. Try smiling more and saying hello to people you've met when passing them in the hall- they'll feel more comfortable towards you.
4. Be Inclusive
   There are likely plenty of others out there that would like to make new friends as badly as you do. Don't just stick to the people you already know- feel free to encourage and reach out to others. This can be as simple as inviting someone who is sitting alone at lunch to join you and your friends. You'd be surprised how much they appreciate the gesture.
5. Have An Open Mind
   Make sure that you are following the wise old adage mentioned earlier- don't be judgmental of people. What you see on the outside may not be the same as what's on the inside. There are plenty of interesting people out there that you simply haven't talked to yet. Try to keep your mind open to new possible friendships at all times. Again, you never know who you might meet.    

"GINGERS DO HAVE SOULS!!"- A Mini Pop-Culture Analysis

 Almost every young adult in America knows where the quote “Charlie bit my finger!” comes from. One need only sing the first verse of the “Bed Intruder Song” before others join in with you. The phrase “keyboard cat” brings to mind the image of the musically inclined feline almost instantly. These are all “viral videos”: videos that gain vast popularity on the internet in a short amount of time. The viral video is a relatively new part of pop culture, the study of which can lead to some interesting insight into our society.

 The aforementioned videos all came from youtube.com, the most widely used video sharing site on the web. Youtube maintains a culture in which the average Joe or Jane has the potential to become a household name overnight. Never before the advent of the internet has instant celebrity of this kind ever been possible.

 Viral videos are considered to be “low culture”; the more pedantic among us will dismiss them as trivial and irrelevant. The audience base for youtube is mostly American teenagers and young adults, which may contribute to this view. While the general subject of viral videos may warrant an entire essay, the interest of this writer is on one viral sensation in particular.

 On January 14^th, 2010, a video entitled “GINGERS DO HAVE SOULS!!” was posted on youtube. It spread like wildfire across the web, as is characteristic of viral videos. The three minute video holds the rank of 24^th most discussed video of all time and it's the second most discussed in the “People & Blogs” category. It's gotten a little over 21 million views so far, and the number grows every day. So what's the subject of the post that has such impressive statistics?

 The vlog-style video(vlog standing for “video log”) stars a high school-aged young man who goes by the username of “CopperCab”. CopperCab identifies as a “ginger”, which is a slang term for individuals with natural red hair and pale, freckled skin. The term has been popularized in American culture by the ever-shocking adult cartoon show South Park, coming from the episode entitled “Ginger Kids”. In it, ginger children are portrayed as soulless miscreants who attempt to overthrow the country.

 While the episode is widely considered to be ironic and unoffensive by the majority of the public, CopperCab has a much different view on the connotations therein. He complains of verbal abuse from people at his school and general disrespect from others due to his pigmentation. While this report seems worthy of sympathy(the boy is being bullied, after all), the comments section has a copious amount of hate messages.

 This is due to CopperCab's style of stating his account- he roars at the camera and swears profusely throughout the entire three minutes. Many of his statements, while serious in nature, come across as hilarious to the casual viewer. Examples from the clip include, “You don't know me, you're not God.”, and the infamous “Ginger and proud of it.”

 A number of musical remixes and video parodies of the vlog have appeared all over youtube and elsewhere, all of which generally poke fun at it. Train wreaks like this are commonly popular on the internet. One other prominent example is the video “LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE!” by Chris Crocker, posted September 10^th, 2007, that's gotten almost 50 million views up to this date. In it he is crying, defending pop star Britney Spears(this was shortly after Britney's flop performance at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards ceremony). Crocker, like CopperCab, became a youtube sensation right away, and similarly experienced a great deal of backlash to his emotional tirade, including nasty comments, musical remixes, and video parodies.

 Though CopperCab's method of delivering his message is not all that eloquent, he does bring up an interesting and relevant issue in our society. That is, the issue of racism and racial subjectivity. Taking a look through the comments section, in between all the insults to his appearance, there are many comments arguing that “ginger” is not a race, therefore, those who make fun of gingers are not racist.

 Race is not an objective thing, though- in biology, it's not even considered to exist(the genetic code of all humans is too similar to break into sub-species of human). The only place that race exists is in society. Definitions and views of race can vary from culture to culture, and even from person to person; it's a more abstract issue than many of the commenters seem willing to believe.

 The national facebook event, “Kick A Ginger Day”, was created a few years before the release of CopperCab's video. So even before the hype stirred up by his video, gingers were being bashed publicly(no pun intended). We circle back to the South Park episode- this event is considered to have been inspired by it(Moore, 2). The group may not sound all that serious about this threat, but there are reports of children actually being physically bullied on the designated date(Moore, 3).

 A hate crime is defined as any sort of crime committed against an individual which is motivated by that individual's belonging to a group. By this definition, these assaults are definitely hate crimes, and the nasty comments that people have left on CopperCab's video that insult his coloring are definitely hate speech. “Ginger”, while it may not be defined as an ethnic race of its own, is still a group by the fact that members are all identified by having shared physical traits(namely, red hair and a fair, freckled complexion).

 What we can take from this cultural artifact, and the(mostly) negative response to it, is the attitude American youths have about race. CopperCab could well be a fair sample of frustrated young people that have to deal with harassment from others for their appearance.

 There are a number of other issues this simple viral video brings up- one can branch off and discuss bullying in public schools, slang language, even religion or spirituality(because of the topic of “souls” in the video). Looking closely at any popular video online can provide a lot of material for reflection. CopperCab's hit is merely one example that tells us a great deal about our own society.

Moore, Matthew. "Facebook 'Kick a Ginger' campaign prompts attacts on redheads."
The Telegraph. 22 November 2010. Web 29 September 2011.

In-Class Writing, 9-14-11

1. I think most of us read printed texts more seriously, in a more formal manner (many times because it is assigned). Digital texts, however, are read in a more casual manner; personally, I'm more likely to skim digital texts than I am to skim printed texts. This can be due to the distraction that is the internet.
2. Being digitally literate, in my opinion, is more than simply participation; it is adding to the digital realm, expressing your own thoughts and responding to those of others in an original, constructive way. Acting simply as a participant is not quite as enlightened (“FIRST!” on youtube, for example)
3. Everyday happenings on facebook do allow me to do these things. I “contribute” when I comment on the status or wall posts of another. I “distribute” when I make posts of my own. I “consume” when I use some of the website's other features, like quizzes and games.
4. Digital literacy and textual literacy both require “...the ability to analyze, evaluate, and then produce some type of communication”, as he puts it.

First Prompt

I am going into Psychology; as of now, I'd like to be a therapist.
Therapists are required to speak clearly and concisely to their clients and understand what they have to say. Developing my writing and language skills will help me in that area- I will be required to explain in plain language complex, abstract ideas like emotion.
Therapists, like the common stereotype suggests, take notes on their clients, and may make case files about them. Writing of this kind can be detail oriented, and one must be able to determine a lot from the notes they take. This is reason enough for me to want to improve a lot on my writing.