What type of education am i getting?

Hello, I know it's been forever but things have been SO chaotic. Time permitting I have two blogs today though! Here's the first -- an editorial I wrote for my news blog for my journalism class. Enjoyyy!!

After attending Ohio State for two years and transferring into the California State University system, I'm a little lost in the shuffle. I thought that the state and country wanted me educated to get a job, but instead they're just holding me back.




Maybe I was naiive my senior year of high school about our education system, I was only a teen after all. I was under the impression that I was actually getting an education that would take me somewhere in life. I thought I was learning something, but apparently that's not really true.

California's school system is not very...effectual. Since the enactment of No Child Left Behind and the subsequent dumbing down of our standards, more children have been left behind. Instead of helping on the individual basis and solving the individual problems, we've lowered our standards.

I have always been an honors student; my curiosity for information is insatiable. This could explain how oblivious I was to the education system's flaws. With that curiosity I embarked to The Ohio State University with enough scholarships to pay in-state tuition.

OSU has an exquisite school system. With the most students attending one university in the nation, they have somehow figured out how to run smoothly.

Picture this scene:

Walking onto campus there is an overwhelming sea of red and a buzz of chatter as students show their school pride. Discussions of the game, the parties, class, organizations and events on campus are everywhere. The oval smells of fresh grass and students rush passed others leisurely enjoying the weather. Classes, scheduled with the help of advisors who somehow know each of their advisees personally, have prestigious teachers who are passionate about their subjects, jobs and students. OSU wants you to succeed.

But sometimes things happen and the students have to leave early, carrying with them a pride in a school that's known worldwide and worshipped throughout the state and its many alumni. Upon returning from OSU with an unfinished degree, I submerged myself into the California state school system.

I have never felt more cheated, under-appreciated or unprepared in my life.

America thrives on underdog stories and California definitely sets the scene for those with passion and drive to overcome all obstacles facing them. Those obstacles are staggering.

I'm convinced this school system only cares about my money, which they spend so frivolously that I never reap the benefits. To begin, the advisors neither know what's going on with student's classes and requirements (they solely know the credits they see in front of you), nor are they particularly interested in helping students graduate. Advisors in the CSU system are teachers who must advise, seemingly against their own will or interest.

After seeing several advisors who had no qualms with bringing me to frustrated tears, I've learned to be my own advisor, listening to the advice of students who have taken the classes that I need. It's more become a race of how soon can I graduate and receive passing grades, instead of my usual ardor for knowledge and drive for high grades.

To be frank, this system has made me resort to the popular DGAF attitude. This attitude can be seen around campus with a lack of school spirit and in the discussions of students hoping for nothing more than a C. Because we've been given information that is so much lower than what we are capable of understanding, we have fed into the system. By being treated like we are unintelligent, we have fulfilled that expectation by caring only enough to get a degree to get a job to make money and fulfill the mindless consumer slot America has opened for us. We are so much better than this. We can understand so much more. We can compete in the world market, if only we were given the opportunity and support.

Rant about Instant Gratification

I know I've probably ranted about this before, but can we please talk about how annoying instant gratification thanks to cell phones and instant messaging is?

So, I'm taking a pop culture class and we did an example on cell phones and I just thought to myself, nah, I'm not one of those people who get's annoyed with cell phone's existence. I love my phone.

Okay but seriously, I hate the way that it makes you addicted.

Yes, I literally mean addicted. Not like, omg I'm addicted to this song. No. Actual addiction.

Ever feel like without your phone you're missing an important body part? Ever find yourself getting angry that someone texted you a minute ago and you replied immediately and they didn't reply again for 2 hours?!

Alright, I know I'm definitely guilty of this but I've been listening to it from friends for a few days and I want to like shoot something.

What'd you do after you texted me? drop your phone and hide from it for 2 hours?

No. Most likely, they were working, playing videogames or otherwise enjoying LIFE that's happening right in front of them.

For the most part I like to think I've gotten less dependent on my cell phone and better than I used to be. Everyone always says I'm attached to my cell phone. Yah, I get it.  But you guys should have seen me when I first got texting and was dating Hunter.
Re. Dic. U. Lous.

But anyway, the instant gratification and communication thing especially bugs me in relationships. Like, "he didn't text me for a few hours so I decided he wasn't interested and deleted his number?!" poor guy, he was probably at work.

Let's face it, girls are the ones depending on their phones for him to text or call back.

Okayyy, We're not Gigi from He's Just Not That Into You.

Go lose your phone or something. That's what I do when I feel like this.

BUT I feel like it's creeping into other aspects of our lives. Like if a girl or a boy goes and talks to someone else at a party that you went to together and you don't see them for the majority of the night. People keep telling me they're ignored. Uh, go start a conversation yourself?

Idk, I'm really independent and I flit around at parties a lot. Or I sit in one place on the couch. Depends on my mood. But I'm not ignoring anyone, I'm just being weird.

Alright, /end rant

I need to go do some homework and get to work.

magazineee

The magazine is in the process of being born. A very very veryyyy rough copy for a school project. Prepare to be amazed :)

Blurry Lines

Ohhh, Friends with benefits...where is that line?

Where is the line where you're dating someone? Just fooling around? Just best friends who kiss and secretly crush on each other? How do you know if it's just a hookup?

Man oh man, I'm pretty sure I'm not the best person to answer this question because the blurry lines of relationships are something that I've seemed to have gotten lost on lately. But Erykka told me I should write about them. So here I am, with my first blog in over a month (I'm sorry my dear blog, I've just been so busy!!)

Remember when we were in high school and you knew you were boyfriend and girlfriend because someone asked if you wanted to go out with them, and by that standard you clearly were dating. Fuck, once I told a boy I didn't want a boyfriend but then I kissed him and that meant we were official (clearly...I still think it was a trick).

But now that I'm in college and much wiser beyond my years (or something cliche like that) I'm getting so lost with these relationship standards! So I decided to make a list of what I think it all means and to list some pros and cons for them?

Single: Well, I've figured this one out. I'm riding solo (riding solo, riding solo). I can run around going on dates and kissing whoever I want and no one can get hurt because of that (unless someone is delusional...but yeah). Pros: I CAN KISS WHOEVER I WANT. haha Cons: I probably shouldn't sleep with anyone, cause that's slut-like.

Friends with Benefits: Now this is nice. You can be single but still have ONE person you hook up with. I think it combined the pros and cons of being merely single. However, someone ALWAYS ends up wanting more ((I can't wait to see the new movie coming out on this))

Seeing someone: Going on dates, no strings, but you like them so you're most likely not making out with every man on the face of the earth (this is an assumption of course). Pros: you have someone Cons: the lines are blurryyy

It's Complicated: Boy, this just encompasses every confusing thing you've ever had in a relationship, including "i'm not dating my ex but I'm still in love with he/she and sleeping with he/she and we act like we're together but we have issues and are ignoring them instead of working through them" and "i like this guy but he has a kid with his ex girlfriend and they still live together and sleep in the same bed"

Exclusively dating: this one's kinda simple too. You're only with one person but you're not officially together and it's a little less pressure. Facebook doesn't know that you're in a relationship either. This is like the scaredy-cat's relationship. You're basically boyfriend and girlfriend without the labels. Usually someone gets annoyed with this. haha. I know I would be. I'd be like "hey loser, if you're not my boyfriend and you don't wanna see other people...wtf does that mean?"

In a relationship -- YAY! the Facebook world can now know. So bitches best not be all up in my man's business...also, who else thinks that this means you should only date one person?! Okay, good.

Marriage: Well if you're seeing other people you're really fucked up. haha. Legal, Social, and Religious implications.

Alright, so where do i fall on the spectrum? On the single, it's complicated end. But I'm it's complicated with myself. hahaha. As in, I confuse the crap out of myself. So, let's just say, I'm chillin. Seein what happens...not making out with every man on the planet...cause...you know...i could get an STD that way...but I'm not devoting my life to anyone other than me.

I'm enjoying this chilling bit though. And i might...maybe...probably have this whole crush deal going on ;)