Commencement Speech

You are giving a speech before the entire IU graduating class at commencement. Your theme is the future of the graduating class after graduation. Write the first paragraph of your speech. Compose a full paragraph that is meant to be spoken (rather than just read). Somewhere in the paragraph, use a periodic sentence, a running sentence, and a sentence using the plain style. Your instructor will look for all three. Start your blog this way: "If I gave the commencement speech at my graduation, this is how I would start:..."

If I gave the commencement speech at my graduation, this is how I would start:

This is the day. The day which we have dressed up, posed for pictures, fastened our robes, pinned our caps, arranged our tassels, lined up alphabetically, waited patiently--all for this moment. We've spent years working hard on our degrees, but I would first like to reflect a little more on academics. I'd like to reflect on our experience as Hoosiers, from football and basketball games to trying new food on Kirkwood and Fourth Street, to experiencing the arts and interesting speakers at the Auditorium to dancing for the kids of Riley Hospital for 36 hours to the Little 500 and more. Today, we leave with a wealth of new experiences and knowledge afforded to us by Indiana University in the wonderful city of Bloomington.

Encomium with Schemas: Fall

Don't stick schemas together in an artless manner just to get through the assignment (because that won't earn full points). Try to create eloquent language (like Kennedy) that will orchestrate an emotion in your audience with the rhythms of your prose. You're composing a speech as a public figure (or her speech writer), and you're going to write one or two paragraphs of soaring rhetoric as part of an encomium, a speech of praise for a living person or thing (instead of a eulogy, which is praise for the dead).
You must use at least two schemas in your speech fragment. You can praise a great social leader, sports figure, anybody doing great things . . . or a great natural park, an endangered species, a beautiful work of art.
The one condition: It has to be something public (not some private friend or object), some person or thing that many people share (e.g., Yellowstone Park).

As winter approaches with each passing day, we ought to take a moment to appreciate the autumnal beauty around us. It is a time of wearing sweaters in the chilled air, a time of wind-swept leaves, a time of orange and red and yellow.  It grants us timely traditions such as hay rides and dress-up frights. It cools us down after the sweltering summer and warms us into the chills of winter. So, let us give thanks to fall, the intermediate season which generates beautiful landscapes of soft warm colors. Let us enjoy it while it is here and look forward to it every year.

Bumper Sticker

This time I want you to explain to them (the general public) a principle you've learned in this course:  People in general are not all that aware of how a single slogan or symbol (an ideonode) can actuate [excite, bring to life, animate] an entire belief system (an ideoplex). Take a bumper sticker slogan, and explain the whole ideology that springs up when someone reads just that single phrase.  Here are some bumper stickers to get you thinking, but hopefully you'll find one yourself: "Burn Fat, Not Oil," "Protect Our Borders," "I make milk. What's your superpower?" "NRA: Stand And Fight." (Stay away from real inflammatory bumper stickers for this assignment:  You only have three paragraphs.)

This bumper sticker is very simple, consisting of just one word ("Adopt"), but the paw print makes it into a symbol that relates to a much larger set of ideas surrounding animal ethics. The paw print brings to mind animals, particularly domestic pets like dogs or cats. Coupled with "adopt," the sticker as a whole calls to mind local human shelters and their humanitarian projects to rescue and give homes to pets.

This extends beyond simply adopting pets from humane shelters, however. Buying dogs from pet stores is usually not ethical according to animal activists, as the Some argue that buying from a breeder is not only expensive but encourages this growth of domestic pet population. As such, adopting from a shelter is the more ethical choice, which this sticker reflects.

The use of the paw print also brings about some pathos, much like those sad ASPCA commercials. Much of the population cares deeply about furry, playful creatures and would like to help them out if they can. This bumper sticker could serve as a call to action or a reminder of an option when considering getting a pet.

Symbol

This will be a great prep exercise before you write your Speech #4 outline. Pick a symbol (Snapchat, Adidas, Selena Gomez, Grand Theft Auto, Uber, Brangelina, etc.)  that you think unconsciously taps into a whole ideoplex of values, and that you think is problematic. Again, since you're writing to publics who don't know our theoretical terminology, use common ordinary language. Do three things in your blog: (1) Describe the symbol you're interested in analyzing. (2) Describe the ideology it supports. (3) Say why you think that ideology is harmful and needs to be challenged.

The symbol I am interested in is analyzing is the Confederate Flag, which represents the Confederate States when they attempted to succeed from America over their right to own slaves, which began the Civil War. As such, there is an association of the flag with racism, white power, and "Southern Pride."

In my opinion, as of many of those with my social views and those from the Northern states, the symbol is problematically entrenched in racism. In the Southern states, however, the symbol is often normalized, even though about 75% of African Americans living in the South find it a symbol of racism. It has even been used by white supremacists groups, after all. This is an ideology that glorifies "protecting" America from those who aren't white and returning to a time where they did not have to confront their racist values. The notion of "The South Will Rise Again" indicates more of a threat to our current system of government and rights than it does instill an arbitrary pride for living in the south.

Meanwhile, insisting just the flag just is a symbol of the south ignores its problematic history. There have even been cases with teenagers who pose with the flag and have a completely warped view of the history behind it. I believe we need to challenge our perceptions of items we view with serious nostalgia because otherwise we will be unable to make progress as a society.

This I Believe

Describe the elements of an ideology that you believe in (i.e., the ideonodes of an ideoplex).  Since the public that reads your blog posts doesn't know the terminology we're learning in this course (ideonodes, etc.), just use ordinary language terms that describe its values and practices. Name at least five or six norms, maxims, icons, or practices you support, and say what kind of ideology they support. This could be the values of the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts you belonged to as a kid, the value system of the sorority or fraternity you now belong to, or the social values you want to adhere to when you leave college and start your own family or join a commune. Title and begin the blog post with the (famous) phrase "This I believe." Make sure that you're not just talking about values, beliefs and opinions, but about the concrete symbols that represent those values, beliefs, and opinions. This is what your instructor will be looking for in assigning points.

One ideology that I suppose describes my major outlook into my career as a writer, teacher, and general person is that of honesty to adolescents and young adults about various issues--basically social liberalism but in terms of issues relevant to their age. For instance, I would acknowledge the existence of LGBT+ individuals, often represented (in some classrooms and offices I've seen) by a sticker of support, likely with the pride rainbow colors (a major symbol).

Another aspect of this includes awareness of diversity and multiculturalism, often represented with a globe and/or different people holding hands. For me, this would mostly include reading, recommending, and writing stories about all different kinds of perspectives, including different races and ethnicities, sexualities, and physical and mental abilities. Furthermore, there's also an emphasis on feminism (represented often with the Rosie the Riveter image). In my case, this would mean writing and recommending stories that challenges gender roles and empowers female characters. All of these aspects would also mean that I treat all of my students equally.

Charity is another example, which is often represented by images of hands. I would probably donate to children's and book-related organizations that help out kids in need.

Lastly, I also try to spread awareness of mental health, which affects more individuals than many people realize. Mental Health Awareness is represented by a green ribbon and it has various maxims like "Stop the Stigma." I want to let my students know that I am there for them and help them find the resources they need, as well as explore some of the ways it has affected me in my own writing.

Analogy: Violence in media and real life

Make an argument assessing the strength of the analogy between violence in
 movies (or video games) and violence in real life. The analogy would be of the form 
A:B::A:C. (Violence in horror movies is closely related and perhaps
 contributes to violence in real life). Say if you think there's a strong 
connection or no connection. Support your argument with careful reasoning 
and/or an example. (Don't cite empirical evidence for this argument. Stick 
with your own logic and good reasons

I do not think the analogy suggesting the correlation between violence in movies (or another type of fiction) and violence in real life is credible. After all, fiction and real life are not analogous in the least. Fiction is carefully constructed to display a particular theme or message, whereas real-life is much more random (though, yes, I admit this depends upon one's religious beliefs). Furthermore, just because a film or novel is displaying violence does not mean it is presenting it as a good solution to one's problems or a positive recreational activity. Where intentional violence occurs in real life, however, the perpetrator intended harm. While he or she may have had reasons for it (racism, protest, etc), her or his main purpose is not artistic. It is harming real people, not fictional representations.

The depiction of violence in media often contributes to a larger theme that may even be a commentary on real-life violence, rather than an influencer of it. The Hunger Games, for instance, is built on the concept of children forced to kill other children. Despite the violent premise, however, the storyline emphasizes government corruption, disregard for life, and protests in opposition. As such, the purpose of the violence is to display its destructiveness--not portray the behavior as acceptable. Another example would be the murders with sexual undertones investigated in the British series Broadchurch allows for the show to explore the devastating impact of such violence--hardly condoning it.

Violence in real life is purported to cause harm. Violence in fiction, meanwhile, can be included for a variety of reasons, many of which include commenting on the devastating effects of violence in real life. This difference between fiction and reality makes the analogy weak.

Sign of the Times

I want you to interpret an indirect sign - a sign of the times.  The popular idiom "sign of the times" is a phrase that points to the fact that there are certain things that are accurate indicators of the cultural moment. (e.g., "Kim Kardashian is a sign of the decadence and superficiality of the times we live in.") Pick some symptom of present day culture that you've noticed, and describe what you think it indicates about general values, feelings, or concerns.  It could be, for instance, a statistical rise in suicides among a certain population, or a movie genre that has suddenly become very popular, or a change in social media technology, or a fashion. Describe the characteristics of the symptom with some specificity and vividness, and then speculate about what you think it indicates culturally.

One major defining and reflective cultural element right now is the Broadway rap musical Hamilton which, after running for over a year and losing most of its original cast, is still almost impossible to get tickets to. I admit I'm not as much of a die-hard fan of it as some of my friends (who have the soundtrack memorized); more so than its actual content, I appreciate its concept and cultural impact. It captures the current cultural mood of the need for minority representation in media, regardless of its subject matter.

Unlike traditional musicals, Hamilton's numbers consist mostly of rap, hip-hop, and R&B--musical styles created by and prominent in the black and Latino communities--and boasts a cast of entirely (well, except for King George) minority actors, even if they are playing the white, mostly slave-owning Founding Fathers. Hamilton and Jefferson's heated debates are captured in rap battles, for instance. Hamilton himself was an immigrant who ascended up society through his own hard work, emphasized through various parts of the musical, such as the song which dramatically reveals he wrote 51 of the Federalist Papers.While political rivals may no longer settle their differences with duels, plenty of topics--from immigration, sex scandals, and dirty political fights--are easily applicable to today's world.

But the political process isn't the only place Hamilton relates to today's culture. In recent years, the subject of race in media has generated a lot of interest. #OscarsSoWhite pointed out the lack of black and other minority-focused films to generate critical buzz or exist at all. We Need Diverse Books campaigns for the need of books reflecting today's children in terms of race as well as sexuality, mental and physical ability, religion, and more. Meanwhile, racial anxieties are fueling many debates in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement and Donald Trump's many controversial comments. As such, Hamilton fits seamlessly into current sociocultural dialogue by displaying a world where minority culture is celebrated and minority actors have opportunities that less creative producers would deny them.

Finding Common Ground

Recall a disappointing moment in your life when you failed to convince someone to agree with you or do something with you or for you. Think back on how you approached them, and now think how you might have done it differently to get a different outcome.  See if you can think of an example in which establishing a common ground with them first would have yielded a different outcome. Tell this personal anecdote in your blog as a story ("Once when I was ...."), and then tell the alternate-reality version ("If instead of doing it that way I had taken a different approach...").  Your story will llustrate the principle of starting from a 'common-place' -- You don't have to use the technical language for your public audience, but illustrate the point.  

After moving into college, I had a plan to watch the movie version of the musical Rent (plus the deleted scenes), which I'd been wanting to sing along to with others all summer and which is quite important to me.. I'd been talking to some on my floor/building before we had moved in, as we had made a group chat, and we had discovered a mutual appreciation for musical theater and this show/movie in particular. So a new friend and I announced we would one Friday night, but then other friends who I had hoped to be there wanted to do something else, and it looked like we weren't going to have much of a turnout, so we called it off. I never made much of a case for inviting the others to come, however. I think all I said was something along the lines of "but it will be fun!"

I think I would have been more successful if I had made a case for moving it to another night and made a more compelling argument. I could offer to work around their plans like dinner or playing games by suggesting we watch the movie in between. I could also have made my intentions clearer to the girl who was also a fan by saying it wasn't so much about watching the movie but sharing our love for it and singing. This would have made it sound more appealing than tiresome, I think. To attract others, I could have also brought up how the show was playing at IU the next week, how it tackled issues still relevant to today (like LGBT representation), and how its diverse casting inspired the currently popular Hamilton. These common issues had the potential to attract new friends to a sing-along movie night.

Op Ed: Comprehensive Sex Education

Ok, here's your chance to write out a speech which makes a criticism you passionately believe, and make a strong case for it. I would like you to blog a three paragraph Op Ed against someone or something ("X is really bad/wrong/etc."), and offer the three strongest pieces of empirical evidence you can find in support of your claim.  Be sure to cite sources so that your readers can check your data. For this exercise I'm not going to require you to make your warrant explicit, just make sure you use strong empirical proofs or starting points that support your conclusion.  Your instructor will assess the strength of your argument on the quality of your premises (starting points) as empirical proofs.

America's Puritanical roots may no longer manifest in Scarlet Letter-like shaming, but it would be foolish to assume the conservative culture around sex is completely eradicated. One of the most irresponsible doings of many American school systems is a lack of comprehensive sex education for students.Abstinence-only programs often distort facts and do not inform students, whether straight or LGBT, enough about the importance of safe sex. As such, remaining willfully ignorant of the desires and behaviors of today's youth can misinform them, increasing the likelihood of health problems and risky behavior.

Abstinence-only or a lack of comprehensive sex education endangers teenagers by purposefully leaving out important information. According to a report released in 2004 by the U.S. House of Representative's Committee on Government Reform, 80% of common federally-funded programs that focused only on abstinence had distorted and misrepresented information. Purposefully shielding teenagers from the realities of the world can leave them without the tools they need to handle the situations they have not learned. Furthermore, it has not been shown that comprehensive sex education leads to more sexual activity among students, as is the common fear. In fact, research done by Douglas Kirby in 2007 showed that after comprehensive sex education, 40% delayed sexual initiation, reduced the number of partners, or increased the use of protection; 30% reduced the frequency of their sexual activity; and 60% reduced unprotected sex. As these findings indicate, teaching students about contraception does not necessarily make them more likely to have sex earlier and more often. Lastly, sex education programs often do not address LGBT sex. This poses a risk for LGBT-identifying students; for instance, about 1 in 5 of new HIV infections occur in gay and bisexual youth aged 13-24, according to the CDC. A lack of education about safe sex in non-heterosexual sexual relationships can lead to such health risks, especially since, as the CDC reports, only 41% of public American schools as of 2014 are required to instruct on HIV prevention.

In today's world, public education is expected to prepare students for their futures and for the real world. Yet, a lack of comprehensive sex education does anything but. With studies displaying that teaching about contraceptives does still lead to a decrease in sexual behaviors, the fear of the contrary is not legitimate. There is no reason why we should expose our children to misinformation at the expense of their sexual health.

Simple Argument: Investing in Ed Tech

I want you to blog out an original argument using the formula starting point + warrant = claim. Use the student debt example as a template, and follow the same procedure. Write a paragraph setting out the context of your argument, then in the next paragraph state the argument so that the three parts are clearly visible (to your instructor). Use some form of evidence from a reliable source as your starting point. Make sure that you cite your evidence carefully, so that your instructor would be able to find that source herself without having the URL link provided. Because your writing this blog for the public, don't refer to the technical terminology you've studied in this lesson: Just make an argument that effectively connects a controversial claim to a premise through a warranted justification. This is what I want you to get in the habit of doing whenever you make a public argument.

According to a Pew Research study published in 2016, about 52% of adult Americans are "relatively hesitant" when it comes to digital readiness, or using technology and rarely are aware of how to use technology for learning. This means that many adults are unaware of opportunities for finding information and advancement in school or career. Some of these "ed tech" programs include Khan Academy, Distance Learning, and digital badges (an online certification for mastery of a skill). They can be used to supplement traditional students or provide non-traditional education paths that adapt to different lifestyles, especially for working adults.

In general, most of the 52% are from lower income households. As such, they have less access to education to start with, and can benefit the most from online learning tools. However, they are unlikely to be aware of these options of they are not exposed to them through traditional public education as students and social outreach as adults. Technology and the Internet is changing rapidly, making it easy to fall behind in understanding it and missing out on opportunities.

Technology is so omnipresent in today's society that it's necessary for advancement in career and education. However, lower-income adults in particular often lack the skills to take advantage of these learning opportunities.We need to invest in digital literacy for our students so they will grow up to continue using technology for their own advancement, and we need to show adults how to do the same.

You Can't Unring That Bell

Use a blogpost title like "A Truly Embarrassing Moment," or "The Words I Wish I Could Take Back," or "You Can't Unring That Bell," and tell a story about a time when you didn't observe the time-tested wisdom, "Think before you speak."  In your blog, reflect a little on why it is that you can't, as they say, "unring the bell," and what it is about speaking into the air that makes that especially true.

 Perhaps this seems like a bit of a cop-out, but some of the biggest conflicts I've had with my family involved me running up to my room to calm down and proclaiming, "I don't want to talk!" I tend to do this without thinking too much about it (despite being a notorious over-thinker, I can blurt out plenty of things without thinking around people I know well), especially without thinking about its track record of hurting my parents, because it sounds like I don't want them around. In reality, I usually need some space to cool off...but sometimes my family gets trapped in silly arguments, and they're only made worse by further causing hurt, usually snowballing into some yelling.

It would have certainly saved a lot of time if I had simply admitted to or agreed with whatever I had done that was "wrong." This has been things like making unnecessary growling noises when my brother isn't listening to my parents, saying I don''t want to play chess, or complaining that my parents are arguing. In general, our temperament and conversation skills are so fantastic that we all end up saying things that we don't mean or more dramatically than is warranted, and a giant argument is sparked.

As much as we forgive each other and apologize, I've come to learn that "unringing the bell" isn't possible. They were still hurt by my words, and I cannot take back those moments of pain. They can only heal over time, the mistakes learned from (which is difficult, because it requires time thinking about speaking rather than reacting on instinct). When words are out, they cannot be taken back; there isn't an ability to edit or delete. I've certainly spent a lot of time compulsively explaining myself in many situations, but after a while it just seems like an excuse an the other party loses patience with me. If not thinking before you speak is a habit you fail to overcome, then others have difficulty believing your apologies and your relationship and trust falters.

I Have to Be Really Careful What I Say About That

Describe a situation that you were or could have been in that had a real exigency, serious constraints, and an audience that was paying close attention to your words, because it mattered to them. This could be a family situation, a social situation, a workplace situation. -- basically a situation in which you were 'walking on egg shells'. Describe the exigence, constraints, and the stakes for your audience.  Then describe what you said to them, and say whether it displayed rightness-of-fit. You should write at least one paragraph for the exigence, audience, constraints portion, and at least one paragraph on your response and its rightness of fit. You can be imaginative here if you can't think of a real incident -- the point is to think carefully about how to match your words to sensitive situations.

One situation where I had to be careful about what I said was when I ran into my ex-boyfriend at this year's Lotus Festival. (Lotus is a bit of a tradition from my high school; the juniors and seniors and some teachers all come to Bloomington for that Friday, and many alums come too, including some that don't go to IU like him.) Clearly, the exigence was that I was in a situation where I was caught between my instinct--run away--and the thing I thought I should have done, which was speak to him in a friendly manner like two grown adults. I felt a sense of urgency because I wanted to look like a mature and better person in the situation, and there was an unlikely chance I would have a possible opportunity to talk to him, nevertheless actually see him.

A major constraint was that I shouldn't bring up the relationship or say anything that could be seen as emotional, because he'd made it pretty clear he didn't know how to have any emotions for friendships and felt awkward when they cropped up, especially for me. I also shouldn't mention how I hadn't seen him much because our friend group didn't extend invitations for me. I should also not fall into my habit of getting defense or feeling the need to justify myself, like saying "oh, I didn't want to join a club like that because of my commitments," because my insecure comments like that had caused rifts in our relationship and friendship 

The stakes were likely our memories of each other, because it was unlikely we would interact much after that. It was especially important that it be positive--or at least, mature--because our last encounter was extremely frustrating and he had the wrong impression of it (I was talking to some friends about other friends, specifically not him because he wasn't the problem, but of course he thought it was about him), and he would not be convinced otherwise. I wanted to make the impression that I was not looking to tear him down but I was happily in a new stage of my life. As he was essentially my only audience (I admit a small part of me did think about how he may relate this encounter to mutual friends and his family, should they ask), I was focused on making sure he would perceive me in a positive way.

Ultimately, I ended up asking him how he was doing and we talked about our experiences at college, trading anecdotes, though I wish I could have been as happy as he was--I was still shaken from seeing him there. At the end I said, "I'm glad you're doing well with college," which seemed like the mature thing to say. (He was not so mature and didn't say something back, and he had spent most of the encounter seemingly suggesting that my new friends weren't playing the best card games and stuff like that.) Nevertheless, I think I came off positively, even if not overly enthusiastic, and it fit the situation because I focused on catching up with our lives, avoided heavy topics, and made the grown-up "I'm glad you're doing well" statement. I think I did come off as the mature person--certainly more comfortable and mature than in previous encounters!--even if I was annoyed by his behavior.

Mindsets

Here's a chance to blog out just what's your honest opinion about the theme of this mini-unit: people's mindsets. What do you think about having fixed or pliant views about the world, values, politics, etc.? Do you have friends who are too dogmatic? ...too 'whatever-floats-your-boat'? Do you think it's worth it trying to change the minds of doctrinnaire types? Do you think we need more testimonials to strong, unchanging values? Just give your opinion, but be sure it back it up with some kind of support -- a good reason, a rich example, etc.

I think the best way to view the world is a mix of fixed and pliant point of view. One should not be so fixed that he or she cannot consider other points of views to develop a nuanced view of the situation. On the other hand, being too pliant is also not helpful because one cannot make a conclusive decision and may be gullible to most arguments that sound convincing. Ultimately, the ideal is to have core beliefs but be open to other evidence and viewpoints to further develop these beliefs.

I knew someone at my high school who was quite dogmatic and prejudiced, particularly as far as colleges were concerned. He came from a privileged family and would talk poorly about local state schools, not able to see how they were affordable for many.I also knew someone who would flip viewpoints quite a lot. Some of this had to do with her shifting and developing religious views, as she decided to attend church and then switched churches. Both of these people could be irritating at times and difficult to have thoughtful conversations with.

I think it is difficult to change those with strong beliefs, and it can often be fruitless to argue with them reasonably if they are so resistant to change. Ultimately, they will not consider other viewpoints until they want to. My brother, for instance, will insist before he tries new foods that he does not like it and, if we convince him to take a bite, he will proclaim the same thing. It's a bias that can only be changed if he is open-minded, but he's only been that way on his own (such as wanting to try a taco several years ago). Our arguments only enforce his desire to be stay in his mindset.

Reflection on Blog Comment

I commented on this blog post from a classmate about standing for the National Anthem in America. Riley's argument was that the pro and con side need to come together and recognize they both are passionate about the country and instead focus on the debates that are being protested when one does not stand for the anthem. These debates are larger topics such as "killing people is wrong" and "equal rights," so Riley invoked some vague common topics to unite the sides (even though the sides do often have varying viewpoints on the specific issues, like police brutality).

My response was asking where the First Amendment fit into this debate, because I know it is a popular defense of not standing during the anthem, and it directly relates to the law. I think my comment can help deepen the illustration of the point of views of both sides and their reasoning behind the protest as American citizens. I mainly disagreed with the stasis; I think the use and limitations of the first amendment are the main points where the two sides specifically disagree, rather than about American values. This is a difference in logic, I think.

We haven't had a back-and-forth conversation.

Narrow path: religion

Dear Diary,

When I go home this weekend, I want to tell my parents that I have chosen to no longer be involved with church services. I may go on special occasions with them for the social aspect, but I currently am seriously questioning my faith and do not think I agree with a lot of the interpretations or feel comfortable to base my life around the Bible. However, I haven't adopted an easy-to-digest label like "athiest" or "agnostic," which makes it a bit harder to explain my feelings, but I know saying I won't go to church will invoke some of the negative stigma surrounding those groups.

My problem is that my parents have different views on this. My mother is a very devout Christian, so I know she won't react to anything radical and will prefer to think I still have more faith than I currently do. My dad attends with us sometimes, but he has never been as involved. He should be more inclined to agree with me, even though he's more apathetic toward a religious life rather than disagreeing with it. So, I need to avoid seeming like I challenge my mother's core beliefs, while also seeming to have the same attitudes as my dad.

The main issue I need to avoid getting too deep into is that of my views on God, the afterlife, and other core Christian beliefs. I think I'm just going to be vague on those details, simply saying, "I believe I can interpret with my own judgement what makes me a good person, and I want to remain open-minded about the creation and purpose behind the universe." Then, I'll point out the good aspects I do agree with, like no stealing and killing and having compassion for others.

I hope this works out well, and that I continue to explore my relationship with Christianity in a thoughtful way.

Book Censorship in Schools

Describe a current events controversy you're interested in, and say where you think the stasis lies. Be sure to describe different aspects of the controversy so that you have to make an argument for stasis. Your blog title can just be the name of the controversy

As someone planning to be an author and an English teacher, I am very interested in the controversy surrounding book censorship in schools. Common examples include books removed from classroom study or suggested reading lists because they are deemed "inappropriate," often for sexual situations or profanity.

Those for removing certain books, often on a book-by-book basis, deem them inappropriate in some way for the targeted population, whether it is a middle or high school library or a particular English class. According to the American Library Association's compilation of the most challenged books, common reasons include "sexually explicit," "offensive language," "unsuited to age group," "violence," and "homosexuality." It should be noted that those who challenge these books are often not advocating for them to be banned entirely, but rather to be unavailable to an age group they deem impressionable.

Those who argue for the instruction and inclusion of these books--which are often modern classics or young adult novels--believe that teenagers are already exposed to these topics in their lives. Books that deal thoughtfully with serious subjects can help them understand and engage with the world around them and develop sympathy for those in tough situations.

Ultimately, the stasis of this disagreement lies with what is "appropriate" for adolescents and teenagers to be required or potentially required to read. Should teens be shielded from tough but real issues? Do they have the capacity to not blindly follow the risky behavior in these novels?

Best Campus Transportation: Bike or Skateboard?

At a large campus like IU can certainly seem overwhelming at first. Admittedly, it can be difficult to get cross-campus to your next class in less than 15 minutes. But in this quandary, two passionate factions have risen to solve this problem: the bikers and the skateboardists.  Which one is right for you? In my opinion, biking is the quickest and most convenient way to get around campus, because it is superior in terms of ease, security in storage, and multipurpose use.

First, it is much easier to ride across campus on a bike than skateboard. You will be carrying a backpack or laptop case with you on your way to campus that may be quite heavy if you are going to multiple classes. Skateboards are naturally unbalanced, and having to also propel them with the added weight of a backpack may take more time than necessary. Bikes, on the other hand, are balanced and much easier to ride with a backpack on to classes. (Skateboards, on the other hand, can still be used for fun or shorter distances around campus where you don't need a backpack.)

Secondly, it is securely store a bike on campus if you are concerned about this topic. The residence halls and buildings have bike racks to store your bike during class. Unlike skateboards, bikes can be locked up securely, so you can be sure your bike will not be stolen.

Lastly, bikes are great for multipurpose use. You can bike just a mile to get to the campus mall to pick up something at Target or visit the pet store. Some classes also require "service learning," where you must you provide or find transportation to a local area such as an elementary school. Bikes may be useful in some of these cases.

Indiana University-Bloomington supports the use of both bicycles and skateboards to get around campus. If you are concerned about ease of use with a heavy class load, security, and multipurpose applications, bikes are the best way to go.

Dear Diary...

A couple of years ago, my dad and I had a fairly big argument about chess. Yes, of all things, it was the strategic game that caused the eruption, and it wasn't even a playful argument about winning or losing the game. Far from it. Instead, the long-winded fight was about whether or not I actually wanted to play it.

Since I was young, my dad has often mentioned (at times when I'm usually in the middle of something like reading) that we should play chess. I was smart, he said. I would be good at it. He liked it. It was fun. And I would usually shy away, especially in more recent years. As I mentioned, he usually would bring it up at inconvenient times for me, and I also think he had generated expectations that I felt put pressure on myself. So this one particular day when it was brought up, I made an off-handed comment about how I had been putting it off because I had never really intended or wanted to play in the first place.

To be honest, I don't remember the specifics of the argument because it was so irrational and became such a big deal without having many rational points. It became less about chess and more about who was right--my dad or I--about the situations when the subject of chess had been brought up and what I should have done about it. We were both stubborn and I was frustrated that the argument was not dropped quickly. Dad wanted me to see his side, but I was mostly intent on explaining why I had never wanted to play chess that I didn't fully see why he was upset.

Unfortunately, I cannot explain how we "came to an understanding" on this subject. I believe we simply became tired of arguing and were obliged to go about our day and eat dinner or something necessary like that. As much as I love my family, we are not the best at communication. However, if we were to come to an understanding, I believe it would involve recognizing that we had different viewpoints and we should try to explain them without getting so defensive next time.

The Power of Speech

Tell an anecdote from your own life about words that you'd wished you'd spoken or not spoken.  Describe the scene, and your feelings about it. Try to use your skill as a storyteller to put your blog readers into your shoes.  By the end of your story your reader should understand why you wish you could go back and have that moment again.  (Should be at least three full paragraphs.)

A little less than a week before I left for college, I attended a ballet that was put on by students from my high school. Based on my work schedule, I could only make the Sunday matinee performance, but I had learned beforehand that two of my friends from my high school would at least be there. I was relieved but a little nervous, as I had not seen most of my friends since early June, when I had made it clear that I needed some time away to move on from the intense academics of high school and the constrained social situations I was in.

The night before, as I was trying to go to sleep, I thought about a conversation I wanted to have with those two friends, explaining how I wish I hadn't been away from them and how I wished I had been invited to the get-togethers they had, even though I hadn't made much of an effort myself. Just imagining and planning the conversation made me emotional, and I knew I would probably cry.

The next morning, one of the friends who would be attending informed me of someone else who would be attending. It was my ex-boyfriend and friend. Moving on from him (and all that he represented in my mind) was the main motivating factor behind my absence from my friends, who were his friends too. I was tired of feeling guilty and trying to gain his approval. However, we had been talking lately about our college plans, so I was fine with the idea of him being at the ballet. At least, I thought I was. When I walked in and saw him with another friend who he had been chauffeuring around in his fancy car, I realized that this was a planned group thing, rather than a coincidence (his family was not there, for instance, even though his brother was in the show).

Once again, I felt there had been plans made without me, or with me as an afterthought. In conversation, he mentioned how the friend we were both waiting for always slept in because she never replied in the morning when they were trying to make plans, and in my frustration I grumbled, "Funny how none of those plans included me!" Then I walked away without elaborating before my words could do more damage.

But the damage was done. I'd said those words, and even though I had the discussion I wanted at intermission and cried as I thought I would, it didn't matter. Once again, he thought it was all about it him, and he wouldn't listen to my explanation after the play. The misinterpretation will forever remain.