Argument

April. Argument
Is all reading beneficial? I will argue that all reading is valuable and beneficial. There is no other activity that can enrich your life in so many ways. Think of all the benefits, as well as enjoyment, one derives from curling up with a good book. The first and foremost benefit of reading is, of course, relaxation. When you get your mind into a good book you are transported to another time and place. You forget about all your chores and worries for the time being and immerse yourself in new experiences and adventures. Whether it is a book of fiction, history or prose, it takes you away from your every day existence, enabling your mind and spirit to be calmed and renewed. From reading, readers learn proper language and spelling skills. Remember in elementary school when you learned how to infer the meaning of one word by reading the context of the other words in the sentence? You get the same benefit from book reading. While reading books, especially challenging ones, you will find yourself exposed to many new words you wouldn’t be otherwise. Unlike sitting in front of the idiot box (TV), reading makes you use your brain. While reading you are forced to reason out many things that are unfamiliar to you. In this process you use the grey cells of your brain to think and become smarter.

Claim: All reading is beneficial and valuable, no matter what type.

Reason: People who read leisurely have better vocabulary and are better at handling complex ideas.

Evidence: Reading as a teen leads to success. When teens read more than just their classroom assignments, research clearly shows that they generally do well in school. First of all, the extra reading expands their vocabularies. It also shows them how different writers put down their thoughts leading to better writing skills. And teens who read more serious literary works gain skills in handling complex ideas. The more teens read, the more information they pick up. This leads to a solid core of knowledge that is useful in a wide variety of classes. For example, the teen who reads biographies has a better understanding of prominent people studied in history classes.

Wow, You've Changed

When my parents came to visit me last weekend, they both commented on how much I’ve “changed.” I didn’t really understand this, because I don’t feel like I have changed at all. Yes, I live away from home and have made new friends, but I feel like I am the same person I was in high school. My father said that I have changed into a young lady, rather than a girl, and my mother said that I have become much more independent and sure of myself. They both suggested that it could be because I went to a college where I knew basically no one else.

The majority my friends from high school went to LSU, which is only 1 hour away from home. Everyone still hangs out with the same people and no one has really changed. When I go visit my friends at LSU I feel like I am in high school again. Maybe that’s why I’ve changed, when I’m at SMU I do not feel like I am still in high school. At SMU I have more freedom and more opportunities, and I have to make important decisions myself. If I get into trouble here, I don’t have my parents an hour away to come save me. I have never really thought about how going away to college has changed me, but once it was pointed out to me, I realized that it really has. I no longer go to my parents for every single problem that I have because I know that they can’t really do anything about it because they are far away. There are many differences between high school and college, and even more differences if you decide to go to a college away from home.

My Comment on Kelci's Blog

I commented on Kelci's blog about how the Internet enables this generation to be more connected and how it has also helped the Business world. Check out my comment here

My Comment on Meghan's Blog

I posted a comment on Meghans blog about the allure of facebook and how this generation spends so much of their spare time on facebook. Check it out here

Should Smoking be Allowed in Public Places?

In November 2003, the Center for Disease Control (CDC), reported that "using data from national health surveys, the researchers calculated that 8.6 million people in the United States have a serious illness caused by smoking." That's a little bit MORE than the entire population of New York City. Think of that number for just a moment. Nearly nine million people have an illness somehow related to or caused by smoking.

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in this country, and if we can reduce smoking prevalence we can save a lot of lives. Reducing the smoking rate would also cut the staggering number of Americans living with debilitating diseases caused by tobacco. Secondhand smoke is a mixture of the smoke given off by the burning end of a cigarette, pipe or cigar and the smoke exhaled from the lungs of smokers. It is involuntarily inhaled by nonsmokers, lingers in the air hours after cigarettes have been extinguished and can cause or exacerbate a wide range of adverse health effects, including cancer, respiratory infections, and asthma. Secondhand smoke exposure can cause disease and premature death in children and adults who do not smoke and it contains hundreds of chemicals known to be toxic or carcinogenic. Could you imagine being diagnosed with lung cancer or infasema knowing that you have never smoked a cigarette in your life? This is the case for many people and that is why smoking has been banned in public places.

I really cannot stand the smell of cigarette smoke, especially when I am eating. Yes it may be a hassle for the smokers at a restaurant to have to leave their dinner table for a smoke break, but that’s their own fault. Also, I hate coming home from a bar a reeking of cigarette smoke. Yes, there are designated areas for smoking at bars, but the smell is just too hard to get away from. My mom has smelled my clothes the morning after I have been at a bar and asked me why my clothes smell like an ash tray. I always tell her that it’s just because I went to a bar the night before, and she cringes with disgust upon thinking about how much cigarette smoke was just lingering in the air.

I think it is a great idea to ban smoking in public places. Smoking can harm our bodies in many ways, but it is especially harmful to the lungs of a person with asthma. Tobacco smoke is a powerful trigger of asthma symptoms. I have asthma and I can definitely tell the difference in my breathing in a smokey room. That is why I am extremely agreed that, smoking should be banned in the public places so that the nonsmoker will live in the pink of health.

Comment on KELEVRA's blog

I commented on KELEVRA'S blog about how being devoted to a sport and teach you how to manage your time at a young age. The URL would not work, but here is my comment:

I was also a very devoted swimmer for 14 years. I started swimming when I was 4 and I quit before I came to college when I was 18. Even my parents say it helped shape my lifestyle. I learned how to manage my time between swimming and school at a very young age. It was very tough, but I managed to be a straight a student and a year-round swimmer. I feel that if I did not have to manage my time so much between swimming and school then I would not know where to begin when it came to managing my time in college. Having such a huge commitment at a young age truly helps a person to grow up and realize what is really important. I believe that your past shapes your future and every action, choice, and experience I have made has formed and shaped me to be the person I am today. Swimming made me a strong goal setter and I strive to achieve my goals.

Comment on Littlecoe4's blog

I commented on Littlecoe4's blog about the flu epidemic at SMU but the URL wouldn't work.

This is my comment:
I know exactly how you feel about being SICK of being sick. I feel like I am sick at least every 2 weeks here. I know a lot of my friends feel this way too. I feel like every week someone that I know is sick. I was also shocked when I heard that if 15 more people went to the health center with the flu, school would close. I knew something was really serious after I heard that. The bathrooms in the dorm are cleaned every day, but is that enough during a time when a large percent of our school population is sick? During that time, there were 4 girls on my hall with the flu. Every time I went to the bathroom I made sure to wash my hands upon entering and leaving. My roommate wouldn't even use our bathroom; she went to her grandmother's house to shower. My roommate actually ended up catching the flu and staying at her grandmother’s house until she got well.

So, What is Mardi Gras?

When people find out I am from New Orleans, one of their first question is always “so, do you go to Mardi Gras?” I always answer with “of course” and then we usually start talking about how much fun it is. Most people have the complete wrong idea about what Mardi Gras really is. They think it is just a wild, crazy party in the streets, which it is but they never know about the Mardi Gras balls, parades, floats, or the crews of the parades. Each parade has a different theme and a different crew. There is a king and queen of every crew which are elected by members of the parish that the crew belongs to. It is an honor to be the king or queen of a parade. My family belongs to a crew called Olympia. My sister and I were both maids on the crew in our senior year of high school. Each maid is presented with our father as our escort at the ball. The year following our first year as a maid we have to return to the ball as returning maids so that we can present the new maids. Mardi Gras is not all fun and games; it actually takes a lot of preparation.

When I went home for Mardi Gras last week, I brought 2 friends from school with me. They were so excited to go on Bourbon Street and see all of the crazy people but they had no clue what a parade actually was. Being from New Orleans, I don’t usually go to Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras because it is so crowded and full of tourists. I usually stay uptown and watch the parades because I know so many people on all of the crews. I did not get to see one parade this year. My friends didn’t think the parades would be fun because they didn’t know anyone. This is understandable but I just wish they could have seen the other side of Mardi Gras. Where we were the whole time was not the true experience of Mardi Gras, it was just the fun and games part.

Comment on Meghan's Blog about SMU Greek Life

I commented on Meghan's blog about the SMU Greek Life and how there are so many stereotypes placed on people because the the sorority/fraternity they are in. Check it out here

Comment on Value from Capitalization of Innovation's Blog

I commented on Value from Capitalization of Innovation's blog about Miz Alice's view on education and how high school teachers can use different methods of teaching, check it out here

Miz Alice's View on Poverty

Miz Alice’s response to Heat-Moon’s question about the cause of poverty on her island: “We have no poor except those who choose to be – those that would be poor as a gar broth anywhere, the ones who work only so they can quit. No, the cause is education. Not enough of the proper kind at the right time” also shows how highly she views education, and shows similarity between Smith Island and other places. No matter where you go, there will always be people suffering from poverty. I agree that some people bring poverty upon themselves.

But why do so many people choose to be poor?

I have always wondered this myself. A lot of times, poverty is a choice, so why do so many chose to live in it? With all the government grants, educational opportunities, and other government programs out there, why do so many choose to do so little? I think that unless you are physically or mentally disabled, there is truly no excuse for being poor. There are a lot of people who choose to live very simply because "things" just don't mean that much to them. Many poor people say they do not choose to be poor and that they were born poor. I think that if anyone tries, no matter how many generations of their family have been poor, anyone can work their way out of poverty. I agree that education at a young age helps children realize how they should be living. If children never see anything different than their poor surroundings, they will never know the difference. This can relate to the fact that Miz Alice has never seen anywhere other than Smith Island. If poor people see nothing but poor surroundings, they never know the difference. Just like Miz Alice has seen nothing but her surroundings on Smith Island, and she expects it to never change. If Miz Alice were to travel to a big city, I think she would have a completely different view on modernization.

I Commented on Small Town Girl's Blog

I just made a comment on Small Town Girls blog about how I think Miz Alice will impact Heat-Moon throughout the rest of his journey. Check it out here.

Miz Alice's View On Education

Have you ever sat through a class a felt that your teacher’s opinions were superseding the facts? I have. I have even been given a worse grade than I deserved because my opinions did not match those of my teacher. I think that it is incredibly unprofessional for a teacher to treat a student differently because they have a different opinion. Teachers should present the information and let their students form their own opinions. Miz Alice presents this same idea in Heat-Moon’s story.

A member of my discussion board pointed out a quote from Miz Alice referring to children that says, “there is only one place they can get an education- in the school of thought.” I think she means that young children should need around and understand their surroundings and the beauty of the world. Anyone can tell a child to memorize equations and rules, but this that not truly useful education. She also says, “Once your eyeballs start working, then you can see what’s around, you can see history isn’t a thing of the past” and “education is thinking, and thinking is looking for yourself and seeing what's there, not what you got told was there." I think that education today places too much importance on core subjects and not enough focus on "real-life" subjects. Of course, it is important to learn America's history and algebra, but it is also essential for someone to learn through personal experience. People can only learn so much from textbooks. Heat-Moon benefits himself through his journey because he is diving into real-life experiences you cannot get from sitting in a class room.

Should I Live Alone?

Living by yourself in college would have its advantages and disadvantages. One of its advantages is having your own space. You could decorate the any way you like. You would not have to worry about getting home late because you would know that there is no one waiting for you. And as far as visitors go, you could invite anyone over that you wanted without having to wonder whether or not my roommate liked them, and you could entertain guests for the weekend without having them get in my roommate's way.

I know I’ll look for any excuse not to work, and if someone else is there, I have someone to talk to and a reason to stop my work. Having a single would give me fewer ways to procrastinate. Freshman year, I had to make the long cold trek to the library; with a single, my room is always a cozy study space with all of my creature comforts around me.

Sleep at college is very important. You’ll be working furiously hard most of the time, and when you’re not, you’ll want to sleep. With a single, you can go to bed at 4am without having to work with a flashlight under the sheets because your roommate wants to get to bed at nine, and you don’t have to wake up at 5am to the sound of your early-rising roommate’s alarm.

Living alone could be quite a challenge too. Although you would have an undisturbed sleep, you would not get immediate help when needed. If you were running late, no one would help you prepare your things. It also feels empty not to have someone when you go home. However, this is a matter of choice and circumstances. In order to be happy with what you have, you should learn to appreciate the things that you can do. For some people, the idea of living alone seems boring and uneventful, while others like their privacy.

Comment on Chelsea's Blog

My Comment on Chelsea's Blog

I commented on Chelsea's blog about time management.

Comment on Jessie's Blog

My Comment on Jessie's Blog

I commented on Jessie's blog about teen pregnancy.

Realizing What You Have

When I went home last weekend I participated in a volunteer project to clean up the mess that was left over from hurricane Gustav. I participated in many projects just like this one after hurricane Katrina also. Though the damage done by hurricane Katrina was far more destructive, there were still things that needed to be picked up. I worked in a very poor area in New Orleans where there were people living in about every other house. Most of the houses that we were gutting had been left untouched since hurricane Katrina. I actually remember working on some of the same houses. Both times during this project I can remember thinking how grateful I am for my nice home and that my home had almost no damage to it after each storm.

From this experience I learned that many people need all the help they can get and that the smallest bit of help from someone else can really make a huge difference. When we arrived the people were so glad to see us, most of them had not even begun to clean up their houses because they knew we were coming. One woman in our group brought along her six year old son, who no one thought would be a help to the project. He actually turned out to be a huge help. As the older group members would tear off roof shingles he would take them and put them in the garbage. We probably would have been there at least an hour longer if he wasn’t there.

After participating in this project I learned that I need to stop saying that I have “no clothes.” Compared to those people, I have a department store full of clothes. I also need to stop wanting more and more new things. I have everything I really need to survive, I just want more. After seeing that those people barely had enough to survive, I realized that I really have to appreciate more the things that have been given to me.

My Comment on Britney Spears's Blog

I posted a comment at Britney's blog about her troublesome roommate.


Check it Out

My First Weekend Home

When my parents came to Dallas for family weekend my mom told me that she thought I should come home soon. She said it seemed like I missed my old friends a lot, and I hadn’t even realized it. I talked about my old friends so much. So when my parents were leaving she said “Just let me know whenever you want to come home.” I hadn’t really thought about going home anytime soon, but later in the week I kept getting phone calls from all my friends back home saying how much they missed me and wanted me to come visit.

I came to the conclusion to ask my mom if I could come home this weekend. She did not seem surprised at all by my question, she knew it was coming. She gladly arranged my flight for me and sent me the boarding pass to print out. I am so excited to be going home and I never realized how much I missed my friends until my mom hinted to me that I was always talking about them. My best friend from high school is picking me up at the airport and we are going out to dinner to talk about our college experiences. I can’t wait to hear all about what she’s done, and I know she feels the same way. Yeah, we talk on the phone at least twice a week so I know somewhat of what’s going on with her life, but discussing things in person is much better.

After we go to dinner we are heading to her apartment to get together with all of our old friends and just hang out there for the night. On Saturday I am going to the LSU football game. This is going to be the peak of my weekend. LSU games are always a memorable experience. The fans are so wild and the games are the exact same. It is unheard of the just tailgate for an LSU game. It shocked me when I came here to see how many people don’t go to the football games.

After my long day on Saturday I will most likely go to bed early to get rest for my early flight on Sunday to head back to Dallas. This is going to be my first time home since school began and I am ecstatic about seeing all of my friends. I hope to stay in touch with m best friends from high school throughout my entire life. Everyone needs a long-lasting relationship in their life; it shows you who your real friends are.

I made a comment on Genesis' blog "To Go or Not To Go, That is the Question"

Here is my comment