The semester is over, but I've had a great time blogging so I think I'll keep it up. Have a great finals week and Happy Holidays!!
This is what you call having too much time during finals week:
And since I am obsessed with this dance, I thought I'd post it:
Monday, December 12, 2011
Friday, December 9, 2011
Don't mess with a college student during finals...
First watch this:
Breaking news: Finals are stressful.
Okay, so that's not breaking news...but it is funny how that is not really being taken into consideration by the people who filmed or posted this video.
While some people are making fun of the girl in the video for having somewhat of a freakout in the CSUN library. I can see where she was coming from. During finals I have noticed that many students are somewhat on the edge. We all - or at least most of us - are stressed out. Some finals are worth a significant amount of our grades. The real problem I see here is that people weren't being considerate of another student. I know that breathing loudly isn't something that should be freaked out about, but the girl in the video seemed like she was annoyed about people talking loudly as she was trying to study. When you're in the library to study you expect silence, or else you would've gone to a place like Starbucks. I know I have had my moments when I want to go up to someone in the library to tell them to shut up.
Finals are a time when college students are at risk for breaking down. Just earlier this week Virginia Tech had a shooting. I'm not saying this is connected to finals, but it very well could be. People are more stressed out. Students start pulling all-nighters, loading up on caffeine, and in some cases some partake in illegal activities to help them. I know people who have done drugs and taken medication such as Adderall or Ritalin to help them concentrate or stay awake. This really concerns me. It is a common practice in college now. I think the use of drugs like this and people freaking out should be taken into consideration when planning finals. Finals being worth so much of a student's grade may be easy for the professor but it is harming students in ways that sometimes are not reflected in grades. That honors student you think is the perfect student? Well yeah, they could be on a steady diet of Adderall and Starbucks. This is just one of the problems college students are facing.
Video on Ritalin and Adderall use:
On another note, I also think it is wrong to film someone and post it online without their consent. I'm sure the girl in the CSUN video doesn't appreciate it.
Breaking news: Finals are stressful.
Okay, so that's not breaking news...but it is funny how that is not really being taken into consideration by the people who filmed or posted this video.
While some people are making fun of the girl in the video for having somewhat of a freakout in the CSUN library. I can see where she was coming from. During finals I have noticed that many students are somewhat on the edge. We all - or at least most of us - are stressed out. Some finals are worth a significant amount of our grades. The real problem I see here is that people weren't being considerate of another student. I know that breathing loudly isn't something that should be freaked out about, but the girl in the video seemed like she was annoyed about people talking loudly as she was trying to study. When you're in the library to study you expect silence, or else you would've gone to a place like Starbucks. I know I have had my moments when I want to go up to someone in the library to tell them to shut up.
Finals are a time when college students are at risk for breaking down. Just earlier this week Virginia Tech had a shooting. I'm not saying this is connected to finals, but it very well could be. People are more stressed out. Students start pulling all-nighters, loading up on caffeine, and in some cases some partake in illegal activities to help them. I know people who have done drugs and taken medication such as Adderall or Ritalin to help them concentrate or stay awake. This really concerns me. It is a common practice in college now. I think the use of drugs like this and people freaking out should be taken into consideration when planning finals. Finals being worth so much of a student's grade may be easy for the professor but it is harming students in ways that sometimes are not reflected in grades. That honors student you think is the perfect student? Well yeah, they could be on a steady diet of Adderall and Starbucks. This is just one of the problems college students are facing.
Video on Ritalin and Adderall use:
On another note, I also think it is wrong to film someone and post it online without their consent. I'm sure the girl in the CSUN video doesn't appreciate it.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
The Face of Beauty
Many in our society claim that they appreciate natural beauty, but the truth is that many don't know what it really is. People who look good with makeup on are beautiful, people who look good without makeup are also beautiful....but I admire most those who are willing to admit their insecurities. Earlier I was just online looking to pass some time before class when I came across an article about a video posted by a teen model. The video shows her without makeup, covered in severe acne. She then shows how she applies her foundation to give the look of flawless skin. This girl is a model. It says a lot about her character that she is brave enough to be in the field she is in with her skin like that and posting videos exposing it. Most models now are airbrushed and shown at the peak of perfection, but she is brave and is showing how she really looks.
We need positive role models in our society. She is a young person with a good attitude...and that is something we need more of. People tend to lose focus on what is good in the world...and not to be overly critical, but I do think that is because of the news people are exposed to. Most of everything is negative. People focus on what disaster has happened, court cases, and drama. People focus on getting degrees, higher education, more pay, and more benefits from our government. But we need to stop and think about the simple things in life. We need to really try to be positive and not all gloom and doom. This might just be a makeup tutorial, but the bigger picture is what it says about her (Cassandra Bankson) personality and character. We need more positive people. We need more good news. Especially at a time where people are so bombarded with news from all angles...it is a good thing to have just a dash of something else in there.
Her makeup tutorial:
Good Morning America clip:
We need positive role models in our society. She is a young person with a good attitude...and that is something we need more of. People tend to lose focus on what is good in the world...and not to be overly critical, but I do think that is because of the news people are exposed to. Most of everything is negative. People focus on what disaster has happened, court cases, and drama. People focus on getting degrees, higher education, more pay, and more benefits from our government. But we need to stop and think about the simple things in life. We need to really try to be positive and not all gloom and doom. This might just be a makeup tutorial, but the bigger picture is what it says about her (Cassandra Bankson) personality and character. We need more positive people. We need more good news. Especially at a time where people are so bombarded with news from all angles...it is a good thing to have just a dash of something else in there.
Her makeup tutorial:
Good Morning America clip:
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Review of Happy Feet 2
I took my brother to watch Happy Feet 2 today. I thought it was going to be a painful experience, but it was actually a really good movie. While I don't want to give any spoilers away...there are themes in this movie that are somewhat adult. When I say adult I do not mean explicit in any way. But they will make you reflect on things that children probably don't think about. One is global warming. I went to the movie hoping to cheer my brother up, it's been a rough week for my family....but I ended up coming out a bit sad. A movie can be really happy and cute (with amazing visuals) but when you reflect on the bigger picture....it can mean something entirely different. There are scenes with ice crashing down, harsh snow, and the emergence of green land in places that were once covered in ice. There are images of oil spills, ships, melting ice, and polar bears.
When I look to learn something I usually look for a book, a class, a news article, something that seems adult....but in most cases messages stick to a person more when they come in a lighter format. Movies usually have messages that are either obvious or barely there...but this movie's message was omnipresent without it being directly mentioned a single time. I think media is something that could be very important in classrooms. If used more, and more properly...it could lead to students really grasping ideas a lot more easily.
When I look to learn something I usually look for a book, a class, a news article, something that seems adult....but in most cases messages stick to a person more when they come in a lighter format. Movies usually have messages that are either obvious or barely there...but this movie's message was omnipresent without it being directly mentioned a single time. I think media is something that could be very important in classrooms. If used more, and more properly...it could lead to students really grasping ideas a lot more easily.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Finding entertainment on the web
There are trends in what people think is fun to look at online. I remember when Fmylife could flood my facebook newsfeed. Everybody was reading it and most people thought it was funny. Then came Texts from Last Night. Now, I see things people find on reddit. My point is, the internet is no stranger to fads. With technology there is always something new out there. But, why do some websites become significantly more popular than others?
My theory is that we all want to feel better about ourselves. So reading FML and Texts from Last Night gives us that feeling that we are not the only one out there with our moments. Also, I think it's one of the reasons people watch reality shows. If you think about it, the reason it is so entertaining is because people act so ridiculously that anyone would be happy they weren't in that position. Aside from that, they are plain funny. Websites that cater to that part of everyone's personality...the part of us that likes to poke fun at people (and probably won't directly to a person) usually are successful. This is why people like comedy, satire, and commentators. This is why shows like Chelsea Lately, The Daily Show, and The Colbert Report are successful.
It may be sad that people like stupid....but it's what many people (at least my age) flock to.
My theory is that we all want to feel better about ourselves. So reading FML and Texts from Last Night gives us that feeling that we are not the only one out there with our moments. Also, I think it's one of the reasons people watch reality shows. If you think about it, the reason it is so entertaining is because people act so ridiculously that anyone would be happy they weren't in that position. Aside from that, they are plain funny. Websites that cater to that part of everyone's personality...the part of us that likes to poke fun at people (and probably won't directly to a person) usually are successful. This is why people like comedy, satire, and commentators. This is why shows like Chelsea Lately, The Daily Show, and The Colbert Report are successful.
It may be sad that people like stupid....but it's what many people (at least my age) flock to.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Bennett....please stop texting
A blog on tumblr went viral recently....yes, it was Texts from Bennett. This blog claims to be 100% real. The blog consists of screen shots of text conversations the blogger has with his 17-year-old cousin. The blogger describes his cousin Bennett as a "white boy that thinks he's a crip." While the texts are funny because of how stupid they are....it's hard to believe that they are actually true. Interestingly enough, the blogger was recently outed. It is "Mac Lethal" (David Sheldon) the rapping pancake guy.
He was outed by none other than his dad! His dad said that the Bennett blog is true, it's inspired by a friend of the blogger....but the texts are not real. The blogger constructs the jokes and puts them into text format. So, this guy is creative. I don't understand why people are mad that they are not real text messages. They are funny nonetheless...and it doesn't take a genius to realize that they are fake. It's cool that this guy's video went viral on its own...and so did the blog. The connection wasn't made until after both were popular.
So...don't believe everything you see on the internet. While many things are there for entertainment, some people do get confused with what is real and what is not. In the age of photoshop and other ways to manipulate things with technology it is best to proceed with caution....but you can laugh at things like this:
He was outed by none other than his dad! His dad said that the Bennett blog is true, it's inspired by a friend of the blogger....but the texts are not real. The blogger constructs the jokes and puts them into text format. So, this guy is creative. I don't understand why people are mad that they are not real text messages. They are funny nonetheless...and it doesn't take a genius to realize that they are fake. It's cool that this guy's video went viral on its own...and so did the blog. The connection wasn't made until after both were popular.
So...don't believe everything you see on the internet. While many things are there for entertainment, some people do get confused with what is real and what is not. In the age of photoshop and other ways to manipulate things with technology it is best to proceed with caution....but you can laugh at things like this:
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Passion for the Arts
While this may not exactly be journalism related, I think it is really important that people realize how important the arts are to our culture and society. Art comes in many forms, but these programs are at risk of being lost in schools. Also, as a tutor and a former coach, I noticed that more parents are focusing on the academic success of their children and on having them participate in sports, but many forget that in order to be a well-rounded individual it is essential to have experience with an art.
Many might not know this about me, but I was a dancer from the age of 3 until the end of my senior year of high school when I had an accident and hurt my knee. After refusing surgery, I was left with an acceptance to a university as a dance major....and an injury that would prevent me from doing so. So...I don't think it's okay for someone to be only interested in an art. People need to have a variety of things they are interested in....I was planning on being a double major, so I still had political science there for me.
My point is that people should really try to find a way to be well-rounded individuals. Be interested in a subject in school, play sports, take up an art, do something that makes you happy. I believe that that leads to success...it makes for someone who has experience in a variety of things and often is a social person. Journalism is an art. While the writing may not be considered creative writing because it is not fiction, it is a craft. It takes skill to put together an article in a way that will capture the reader, imagination to think of a good feature, and an artistic eye to balance the pages. I see many individuals in my journalism class and on the school paper that truly can be considered artists.
While the most of us had arts programs in school when we were younger, kids one day might not. Budget cuts don't only impact college students, but students of all ages. Check out the Department of Education's website for more information on this tragic massacre of American culture.
My inspiration for this blog post was this song below. I used it in my last dance audition almost 2 years ago and I just found it on my old iPod. I hope you enjoy it :)
Many might not know this about me, but I was a dancer from the age of 3 until the end of my senior year of high school when I had an accident and hurt my knee. After refusing surgery, I was left with an acceptance to a university as a dance major....and an injury that would prevent me from doing so. So...I don't think it's okay for someone to be only interested in an art. People need to have a variety of things they are interested in....I was planning on being a double major, so I still had political science there for me.
My point is that people should really try to find a way to be well-rounded individuals. Be interested in a subject in school, play sports, take up an art, do something that makes you happy. I believe that that leads to success...it makes for someone who has experience in a variety of things and often is a social person. Journalism is an art. While the writing may not be considered creative writing because it is not fiction, it is a craft. It takes skill to put together an article in a way that will capture the reader, imagination to think of a good feature, and an artistic eye to balance the pages. I see many individuals in my journalism class and on the school paper that truly can be considered artists.
While the most of us had arts programs in school when we were younger, kids one day might not. Budget cuts don't only impact college students, but students of all ages. Check out the Department of Education's website for more information on this tragic massacre of American culture.
My inspiration for this blog post was this song below. I used it in my last dance audition almost 2 years ago and I just found it on my old iPod. I hope you enjoy it :)
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