We all know the sterotype of college professors and most of campus in general being extreamly liberal. And I would say for the most part, I have seen that to be true in my first semester at Ole Miss. As a person who leans more towards the side of Republican on the political party spectrum, and almost more importantly, as someone who identifies as Christian, peers and even some professors treat me differently. I feel sort of judged at times when I proclaim my unopopular opinions on political issues. I find this problematic because college is about learning, learning who you are, learning what you believe, but some professors only want you to learn what they believe and shoot down any other possibilities.
Author: amschmi1
Equal? Greater Than.
I don’t really like gender issues. I don’t like talking about them or reading about them or sharing my opinion on them. And I think a lot of people are just like me and that’s the problem. I am most interested in one topic though: Has the Women’s Movement Left Men Behind?
Since gender issues are my least preferred from all of the myths, I probably won’t write about that. However, the above title hit me during class on Monday and got me thinking I could probably write a kick ass paper on it. In a society of Women’s Marches and fighting for Women’s Equality and trying to change the way the world sees women, are we doing men wrong by expecting them to keep the same role they have had since the beginning of time? Has the fight for equality gone too far the other direction? Are we fighting for equality, or are we fighting for women to have it better than men? And if it is the latter, are we just trying to get even for the hundreds of years we were treated unfairly? And if so, when does the cycle of abuse end? Or will we just go back and forth between who has power until the end of time?
Bridge Project Review
The project I read felt surface level. It seemed almost as an outside was writing this on America because everything in the project was wonderful things about America. While I believe there is no where else I would rather be, America has serious problems. This semester is about “Rereading America” and thinking more critically about the current state of our country and I’m not sure this project really did that. That being said, maybe her America is really just that different than mine. And if it is, I hope she knows how lucky she is.
Six Closed Doors
America is the greatest country on earth. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. But the very thing the States are praised for contain the secrets we hide behind closed doors.
America: the land of possibilities. You are able to be anything or anybody you want to be. Which is what everyone wants, right? No labels, no expectations. We celebrate holidays that encourage dressing up and changing everything about yourself, from your hair, to your height, to becoming some fruit. But what if I told you that it wasn’t all it cracked up to be? What if I said we would all be better off if we were just ourselves? Because behind closed doors, the masks are only used as an escape route. Instead of expressing our individuality, we are only conforming to fit in. You see, behind closed doors, the only reason we idolize being able to be anything, is because we are told to just be ourselves isn’t good enough.
America: the Melting Pot. We were founded on immigration. People flocked from all over the world to be a part of this great nation. We “welcome” everyone with open arms. We all blend together in a perfect harmony that makes the best fondue you’ve ever tasted. Or is it? Because behind closed doors, racism is still alive. In America a white girl can date a black guy and people will cheer from the sidelines screaming “hip, hip, hooray for equality.” But behind closed doors, that white girl’s dad is saying she isn’t allowed to be with him while his mom is telling him you can’t trust a white girl.
America: Home of the American Dream. My dad was born in Ithaca, New York. He grew up on a lake with next to no money. His parents got divorced when he was 15 and his father invested every cent that had to a fool-proof business plan. It failed. My dad then went to college, became a successful business man, paid back his student loans, and now my sister and I and our kids will all be set for life. Admirable, right? Not so fast. Because behind closed doors, citizens have lost faith in being successful in America. Behind the door, they see a white man and assume he’s always had it easy. People worry about the disappearance of the Dream, but it is very much alive, but what they don’t want you to know, what’s going on behind closed doors, is it’s not the dream that is dead, but the people who should be dreaming it.
America: the Land of Rewards. We encourage all of our people, but especially our kids and praise them for a job well done. A pat on the back is no longer good enough, we must shower children with affection, approval, recognition, and gifts so they know just how good they are. But picking our kids up, is actually tearing the country down. Because behind closed doors, there is so little to celebrate in our corrupt, sub par school systems, we actually reward kids for just showing up. Behind closed doors, our kids have become more narcissistic from unnecessary praise and more likely to only look out for themselves and thus less and less leaders are being raised.
America: a Place Where No One is Alone. Every man has a best friend and every best friend has a man. We all rescue each other. None of God’s creations go unnoticed. But actually they do. My mom and I rescued Twix and she is one of the best things that ever happened to me. But it isn’t as humane as it sounds. Because behind closed doors, I needed to be rescued too. We can all see when a furry friend is in need our help, but as for our own kind? No one cares enough to see the depression and struggles our own people are facing. Instead, their scars go unnoticed and we simply hide them behind the closed doors.
America: the Land of Expression. Art can found anywhere and everywhere. People are constantly expressing theirselves and no one stops them. But ever think why graffiti is only done at night? Because behind closed doors, no one wants you to express your own opinion that differs from the masses. Behind closed doors, you don’t want anyone to know you have feelings and emotions that may not line up perfectly with everyone else’s. So we wait until the night and anonymously tag the spots that mean the most with pictures that say 1,000 words because in the daylight, it would just be too risky.
New Semester, New Me ??
Goals:
* all A’s
* adventure more!
* stay organized
* money management
*healthier
but most importantly, live here. Home is a wonderful place and I am so thankful for it and my family and my friends back in Atlanta, but I live here now. I don’t need to constantly worry about what is going on back there or try to prove myself to any of them. I am working on putting myself first and not feeling bad for it. This is my new life and I love it, and I’m not going to let anyone take that away from me.
First Semester Gone Right
I was scared to death when my parents and I drove up to Burns Hall on August 14th. I knew there was no way I could handle this whole “college” thing. I had left my friends, boyfriend, family, my home, everything six hours away back in Atlanta. I’m from Atlanta, a huge city with something going on every night, and now I am being dumped in Oxford, Mississippi, where if you’ve seen Jackson Avenue, you’ve seen it all. I was so scared of failure, but could feel it coming. Would I have to move back home? Would my parents hate me? I remember just praying that God could get me through fall semester.
I remember walking into my dorm room, Burns 102, and meeting my new roommate. But now she is no longer just my roommate, she is my best friend. I remember meeting the kids in my FASTrack cohort. But now they are no longer just classmates, they are the people who get me through the day. I remember seeing my writing professor for the first time, but now she is no longer just my professor, she is someone I can always count on to have my back. I loved it here. I had found my new home and suddenly Atlanta became a memory, a memory that I loved and cherished, but did not yearn for. Everything seemed to be falling into place. It only took a few weeks for me to decide that God had answered my prayers and not only was I going to get through the semester, I was going to enjoy doing it.
But then I got a call. A call that will forever be imprinted into my memory. A call that changed my life. A call from my dad. A call saying my grandmother was in the hospital. A call saying my grandmother probably would never wake up. I threw everything I had in a bag and took off, driving at least 90mph down the highway to get to the Baptist Medical Center in Birmingham. The next day, upon seeing and hearing the heartbeat machine that was hooked up to my best friend flat line, a sound and image I will never forget, my heart was broken. All my doubts about college and making it out on top reappeared. Suddenly all my praises about Oxford vanished as quickly as they appeared. There was nothing else to do, but keep praying.
I came back to school lost and confused. I couldn’t eat or sleep, much less focus on my classes. I thought there was no way I was going to make it to December. And then my roommate brought me to Chi Alpha. A Christian ministry on campus to whom I now owe everything to. A Christian ministry on campus that changed my life. A Christian ministry on campus that I couldn’t live without. Chi Alpha helped me in ways I could have never imagined. I got back on track with school. I became able to cope with the hole in my family. I was going to be able to pass fall semester with flying colors. God had answered my prayers yet again.
We now approach the end of the semester. Finals week is upon us and I am ready. I will end this semester with a 4.0 and I know my grandmother would be so proud. I have a new home, and new friends, an amazing support system in Atlanta, and nothing but joy in my heart. So what’s the key to college? Just keep praying.
**EDHE final paper**
It’s Not the Journey, It’s What You Learn Along the Way
Upon entering college I didn’t know what kind of academic I would become. Would I be the “C’s get degrees” type, or the “Nothing less than a 4.0 will do” type? But honestly I felt it was going to be the former. But I learned so much. I gained knowledge about rhetoric, ethos, pathos, logos, synthesizing pieces, and argument papers. I gained knowledge on racial issues in America, what it means to protest, and the dangers the Syrian people are in. Most importantly though, I gained knowledge about myself. Who I am, what I wish to accomplish, and what I am capable of. The quest of conquering my first semester, like any great quest, ultimately led to self-knowledge.
This class challenged me in ways I have never been challenged before. I was pushed to break boundaries and write styles that I have never even heard of. When we got the first assignment my thought was “you’ve got to be kidding me,” I had never done a synthesis piece before. And oh, how I hated doing those kernel essays. But after reflecting on the unit, I wrote “when it came time to write the final paper, it became so clear why we did all the kernel essays.” This taught me that just like in basketball where you have to practice all summer even though your season doesn’t start until November, as an academic striving for excellence, you have to do the preseason conditioning so that during the first game (paper) you aren’t gasping for breath.
This class opened my mind in ways it had never been opened before. As a moderate republican, reading articles from the New York Times is not something I would consider my cup of tea. 
And when we looked at the students of Ole Miss protesting against a comment on Facebook I wrote ”America needs to grow up…why don’t we look up racist comments on social media and hold a protest against every single person, black or white, who has ever said anything racist?” And to a certain extent, I still believe in what I wrote, but Mrs. Buckley left a comment on this post, she said “do you think bringing attention to it has taught university students a lesson they wouldn’t have learned without this event?” Well I never looked at it that way. Students became more aware of the fact that the stuff they say on social media has an effect on the world. The stuff we say can’t and won’t disappear. They stuff we say can and will be seen by anyone who wants to see it. And if a protest is what kids needs to realize that, so be it.
But most importantly, this class, along with the others taken during the semester, gave me the self knowledge that I am the “Nothing less than a 4.0 will do” type. I learned that as a student I don’t want to accept anything less than perfection, but as a realist I also learned that having some shitty first drafts is okay. This semester included stupid classes (**cough** EDHE **cough**), even stupider teachers (**cough EDHE teacher **cough**), and the loss of one of my best friends who happened to be related to me, and I would say those are all pretty shitty first drafts of college, but I can see the potential the next four years have, or maybe even five because “there are worse places [I] could be than the University of Mississippi for [an extra] year. Like jail. Or worse- Starkville.”
Thoughts with Ambs
The HARDEST part about this project with the word maximum. Taking out all of the fluff and just getting to the point isn’t something we are told to do often. However, it was refreshing; just being able to type exactly what I mean and feel about the subject without having to politically correct or set up too much background information was really kind of fun. I also really enjoyed having to make a website. I think I will continue to write and post on it throughout my college career.
Brainstorming Op-Ed Topics
Unit One- Common Read Synthesis:
- college
- social vs. academic life
- out of state troubles
- quest
- race
- hate crimes
- election
- Black Lives Matter
- Native Americans
- pipeline protests
Unit Two- Rhetorical Analysis of Op-Ed:
- global warming
- importance of endangered species
- make less of a footprint
- walking
- palm oil
Unit There- Argument:
- parenting style
- is everyone a winner?
- spoiled generation
“Well this sucks …” -Penguins in Madagascar
When I read what I have of my paper so far, these are my thoughts:
My paper is tragic and late and I don’t turn things in late and what is even happening.
My paper would be on time and fine and not sucky if I didn’t have to do research. Because really my opinions are better than research anyways. Jk. Not really. But seriously I am just having trouble finding legit sources that I could use in an academic paper. Partcipation trophies seems to be a war of parenting style and most of “sources” are blogs and opinion columns about the issue.
But the sources isn’t even the real problem. I have some good sources from two different credible newspapers so I can make something out of that. But I have simply lost all motivation to do anything. This entire unit I have felt swamped and school is slowly beating me like a pinata.
Also, the “peer review” did not help. I felt my intro was fairly strong, but I wrote the rest of my paper in about two hours the night before our rough drafts were due and only one person gave me feedback, instead of the four people I should of had, and he told me to change Edison to Thomas Edison because some people might not know who I am talking about. Although I may be a strong writer, what I gave him to evaluate was the epitome of a shitty first draft.
Hopefully I will turn the paper in on Monday and hopefully I will feel confident in it and hopefully I won’t drop out of school. But we can never be too sure. So until then, enjoy this accurate representation of me and this paper … I bet you can guess which one I am