Adios, amigos!

Hey, just wanted to let everyone know that I am officially closing this blog. I will be starting a new one with a different theme. My last post on here will be a link to the new blog. Thanks so much for your patience!

M

Long time no see.

Hey, so I realize that people have been waiting for me post something since September, but.. well I don’t really have an excuse. So, I shall be adding a new post this weekend.. hopefully.

To drink, or not to drink…

I’m taking Intro to Communications (Comm 1010) this semester, and it has proven to be one of the most interesting classes I’ve ever taken. This is because aside from the super intriguing coursework (not), we usually have a discussion during every class. The instructor is really laid back, and always asking us to give our opinions. These discussions range from political issues, to social, and even campus issues, and each time I leave with a new perspective on things.

Today we discussed the minimum drinking age in America. The instructor presented this question: Should the minimum legal age for drinking be lowered from 21 to 18? He then asked us to raise our hands if we agree/disagree. The majority of the class agreed, and at first I was among them. One student argued that many European citizens begin drinking at a very young age, and so the American government should at least be willing to lower the drinking age three years.

Then the instructor made his argument.* He pointed out that since Europeans drink at such a young age, their bodies have developed the ability to metabolize alcohol faster, so that by the age of eighteen, they don’t become drunk as easily, and they’re less likely to die from alcohol poisoning. They also may develop a more mature mentality concerning alcohol, which would make them less likely to drink irrationally.  One other point the instructor made was that in Europe, drinking is more of a public activity and isn’t prohibited in public places. That, paired with the fact that most bars and pubs are within walking distance from residential areas, makes Europe a safer place to drink because drunken people are less likely to drive to a vehicle after drinking.

My argument would have been that if drinking was legal at a younger age, it would be less appealing to minors, and therefore the number of teens killed in drunk driving accidents would decrease. But after hearing the instructor’s argument I’m starting to think he may be right.

This is why I like this class. I like being exposed to new ideas. I mean that’s what college is for, right?

* I’m probably gonna refer to teachers and other people as “the instructor” or “that person” unless I  know that they’re ok with me using their real name in the post.

This is a good topic to discuss, so please post comments and/or take the poll. Do you agree or disagree? I want to hear what you think!

Is it really all it’s cracked up to be?

I remember being a freshman in high school and thinking, “I can’t wait ‘til I graduate. College is going to be awesome!” I had created this mental image of fun all the time, meeting new people, and just being free to do whatever you want. Then fast-forward to senior year. By that time, I had decided on a major: broadcast journalism. I applied to SMU and UNT; the first because of its state-of-the-art broadcasting facility and its proximity to my home, and the latter because of its diversity and nationally accredited journalism program. I got extremely anxious waiting for the letters to show up, and when they finally did, I settled on North Texas.

So now I’m here, and into the fourth week of classes. Now you ask, does college measure up to the hype? Well, I’ve definitely met a lot of new people (the majority of whom are members of the softball team…), and there is certainly an increased amount of freedom. But I guess the main thing I didn’t account for was the amount of time that is swallowed up by classes and studying. I mean, I knew that element existed, but I didn’t realize that my leisure time would be so limited. My friends and I no longer refer to meals as breakfast, lunch and dinner, but as Social Times 1,2,and 3 because those are the only times we see each other. I’m not saying that I never do anything else; I’ve actually already had my first college party experience (which I will discuss another time). But geez, I didn’t expect to be so consumed with work.

As I said before, this is only the fourth week, so I’m sure I’ll get used to managing my time. I guess just wanted the image I had in my head to be true. I was so excited to be independent and become my own person, I didn’t factor in the actual education that I came here for. In reality, that may be the reason that so many students don’t make it past the first year of college. They’re so focused on taking advantage of their independence, they don’t remember the classes until the last minute.

The concept that I’ve derived from my first few weeks of college is this: Yes, you do have the freedom to do you what you want. Whether it be studying and going to class, or partying all night and skipping that 8 a.m. class the next morning, it’s up to you. Awesome.