What’s the Correct Path?

Celeste Rodela

Haven Abedin

English 1301-21013

December 10, 2016

      Art has always been my passion and even though my family is supportive about my love for art, they haven’t always been fans of doing it as a career because everyone has heard of the “Broke Artist” stereotype. Luckily, they were supportive enough to let me attend Booker T Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts for all four years of high school. Even though I excelled in my skills in my art classes, I wasn’t and still am not about what I want to do as a career, not only does that worry me but of course, my family too. I know I want to do something with design (art) but my family doesn’t think it’s a financially stable choice and bring up options like being a registered nurse, a job that pays well and will always be in demand. For now I’m attending Brookhaven Community College to do my basics and some art classes so I can hopefully figure out what I want to do in life without spending a ridiculous amount of money at a University or prestigious Art school. With only some support coming from my family I can definitely relate to the advice seeking student.

      The student doesn’t know what career path to take so he or she wants to start off in a community college but his or her family wants him or her to go to a University and the lifestyle they live, the parents choose his or her career to be financially stable. She or he doesn’t know what path to choose because she or he doesn’t want to be abandoned by his or her family. Breman starts off with apologizing for how the student feels but ensures him or her that he or she is not alone. She brings up how many students also feel that way. Breman decides to explore different options with the student. First, she suggests having a trusted teacher or guidance counselor to help consult the student the student about his or her feelings. She tells the student to really communicate with their family, particularly about the benefits of attending a community college and especially if she or he isn’t sure about what they want to major in. she then discusses how the student should visit a community college to discuss honors classes, financial aid and scholarships to talk about the benefits of each. This will also help with the students time worries because if she or he does his or her core classes at the community college his or her time and money won’t be wasted. Breman then brings up if the students’ parents are still disagreeing and what his or her last option could then be. She tells the student to look into his or her family’s options and “visit a university or two.’ She feels that the student should try to have more communication but also explore his or her options and actually speak to both type of school advisers.

      I think what I found the most helpful about Breman’s response was that she made sure the student had options like what he or she should do if they visit a community college and what he or she should discuss with the adviser or what they should do if they decided to visit a University, focusing in on the fact if they haven’t declared a major. I believe that’s a great option because that’s that situation I was going through in high school, I wish I would have read this article earlier because I decided to choose the community college course rout, which I’m glad I chose because its saved me a lot of money, it just would have been a great benefit to know I had other options.

       Breman did a good job of thoroughly explain what options to consider and what actions to take. I fell the student should now have an idea of what path to take and consider reading her feedback to his or her family and they might even look into both options themselves. I will definitely have to read this to my family and see if they think I chose the right path and maybe they’ll have more of an understanding of why I chose this path. 

Shoud You Really Ask for Extra Credit?

        Anxiety has been my unwanted shadow for a few years now. It has prohibited me to do the things that I want and need to do. In class, because of my fear of being wrong and making a fool of myself, I would never ask questions. Talking to a teacher was not a choice for me. Although I am in college now and my anxiety is now somewhat non-existent, talking to professors can be somewhat intimidating depending on who it is. Ellen Bremen, in her blog Before You Demand What You Believe You Deserve, Ask Yourself These Questions, talks about the how-to’s and the what-not-to-do’s when talking to a professor about extra credit at the end of the year.

In her blog, Ellen Bremen discusses the “awakening” of college students at the end of the semester regarding their grades. They visit their professor’s offices or email them in masses in demand for better grades or extra credit (Bremen). Although Bremen comes across as discouraging to students to talk to their professors at the end of the semester, she still recommends that they should talk to them. However, Bremen advices college students to reflect on their true work ethic before talking to a professor, especially if you’re asking at the end of the semester, and provides a list of questions to think about. This “isn’t about blame” though, this is about reflecting on your performance and behavior in class. If you didn’t fill-in-the-blank during the semester, then you need an explanation. Bremen finishes the blog by reminding the reader to “see the bigger picture.” Grades are not all that is important in life. Breath. If the grade you got was that bad but you know you did not work your best, reflect on it and change your habits. Make it a learning experience rather than something to freak out about.

It seems like one of the most important things about talking to a professor is honesty. It may sound like Bremen wants you to blame yourself for your grade but that’s not the case. Being honest with your professor and maybe talking to them at the beginning of the semester might help. She references to the scenario when the student demand a higher grade because they need a 4.0 GPA for a scholarship. She responds with “Why am I just now hearing about this?” For future reference, if I know that I struggle in a particular subject, maybe I can go to my professor and ask how to succeed in their class. If on the syllabus and the calendar, I see extra credit, highlight it and make it a priority to turn it in. Things like this put one in a better position if by the end of the year you truly need extra credit.

Regardless of your academic standing, it is always good to know how to talk and ask questions to your professor. Bremen advices to ponder on your performance. Did you go to tutoring if you didn’t understand? Did you take advantage of earlier extra credit opportunities? Did you skip class or come to class late? These are questions a professor might consider when you ask for extra credit right before the semester ends. Knowing what to respond to a professor takes away a lot of the anxiety. Something that I worry about is coming out too arrogant and defensive. If you really think about your performance during the semester and then ask, the chances of sounding defensive are lowered. That is something that this blog cleared up for me, making me feel a bit more comfortable talking to (scary or stern) professors in the future.

Defining “Unbroken”

            Making life choices, becoming an adult, and life in general isn’t easy, which is something I wish they taught us from the start. Four years ago, my parents started their first divorce, and if I am honest that hurt me. With my freshman year ruined by a nasty divorce, that year I learned that money can’t buy you happiness and that greed and spite really do exist. I had made the basketball team that year, and as my first basketball game started neither of my parents showed up because they “didn’t want to run into each other”. In that moment, I knew I wanted to leave the small town of Portland and never come back.  My parents less than six months later got back together and divorced a second time my senior year of high school. I am currently going to school at Brookhaven Community College to become a nuclear medicine tech. I am still in my freshman year of college and can’t wait to apply for my program in the spring of 2017. One of my challenges as a college student is being away from home, my friends, the salty air, and sandy shores. My biggest challenge would have to be that my parents don’t think I have what it takes to make it, therefore my biggest goal is to prove them wrong.

Ellen Breman’s “Will You Become ‘Unbroken’ With Me?” is about how Breman is overcoming the challenge of feeling “physically broken” due to her health conditions and that our personal lives can sometimes affect our education. Breman quotes Rabbi Harold S. Kushner’s book “When Bad Things Happen to Good People” and about how we shouldn’t question “Why did this happen to me?” but that we should questions ourselves with “What will I do now that it has?” Her first step is “Support”, that counselors on campus can help you and are here for you. Breman notes “I don’t want to repeat my mistakes.”, so she advises to find someone going through the same problems to support you with your change. The second step is “[s]maller, achievable goals” to ensure that you keep on the track of the larger goal you are trying to achieve, that sometimes it’s easier to break down the larger goals into smaller ones to be able to achieve them. The third step is “Unhiding from the broken” getting out and getting away from your normal can really help heal where you feel is broken. Breman also notes simply saying to friends about invitations “Please keep asking. Getting out really helps.” is a big step forward in the right direction.

            Moving to Dallas has been the biggest step forward I have ever taken for myself to becoming “unbroken”. Life definitely throws you curve balls and is very unforgiving. With that alone it is very hard to balance everyday life, a part time job, a somewhat social life, and school. Yet somehow, I have managed to surrounded myself with some amazing people, who lift me up on the daily. Personally, after reading this article her steps to “What will I do now that it has?” has helped me with even the smallest struggles I am going through. Realizing that I am not the only person going through something difficult and that others are struggling with their larger goals is the most important thing she has helped me with. I am not alone and I refuse to fail.

 Her step about smaller goals has helped me continue towards my larger goal of who I want to be and where I want to be in life. Even when something pulls me away from believing I can, I break down what I feel like I can’t do and realize nothing is impossible. Being in a new place with absolutely no friends has taken a toll on me, I haven’t been the best at making friends especially with what all has happened in my life. I have slowly made friends and continue to step out of my comfort zone to become a better me.  The past and the current situations don’t define you as a person they simply make you the better, stronger person you are today.  Therefore, I keep moving forward, because you can’t let the key to your happiness sit in someone else’s pocket even if that person is yourself.

What Is The Real Problem Here?

            Hello readers! My name is Alexus Lopez and I am in my first year of college which has been very exciting and eye opening. It has been 13 long years of school for me, and through these years I have played many sports but my favorite has always been soccer. I actually play for the college I am currently attending and we recently just went to Nationals and received third place. Also, I have noticed my strength in college is that I know everything is up to me and you can go at the pace the professor would want you to go or you could go ahead and do assignments prior to when they are due. I prefer going ahead so I do not have to be worried about falling behind. One challenge I faced is trying to find time to do homework while a college athlete because you’re either on the road, having practice, playing a game, or simply planning to go to Nationals. I obviously had to find time, but it was definitely a struggle to find a good schedule to balance everything out.

            Ellen Bremen wrote a very intriguing blog called “I’m Failing by One Point-and I May be the Target of Discrimination.” This is a very touchy subject but she deals with it quite well. For example, a student wrote to her stating they simply think they are a target of discrimination, and he explains how there is another student in the class which is of the same race but dresses different and he gets treated better. Bremen then begins by putting herself in the instructor’s shoes stating different reasons for passing or failing by one point. The student also stated that he had learned so much and still had a poor grade to show for it. Bremen agrees with the student stating that she has no doubt that the student learned a lot, but the content and depth may not all be there since the student is failing. For this reason, the student seems to think because he is failing by one point and the instructor treats him different, that he is being discriminated against. Bremen also states that it may be the student who is at fault. She also says that if the student truly does think it is discrimination that they are going to need some very good evidence to back it up when talking to the department chair (Bremen Ellen).

Furthermore, it interests me when Bremen was giving advice to the student. She stated that it is always very easy to blame the professor for failing grades even by one point, rather than taking a step back to see if the quality of your content is done correctly. This is true. Many students would rather blame the professor for their failure rather than taking full responsibility for their work. This does take people by surprise, because they may think every assignment they submit is an A, but let’s be adults about this and own up to what you have done. If you have an issue like this one, do not always be so quick to blame your professor. Instead of just blaming the professor or thinking you’re a victim of discrimination you could ask to talk to the professor about any last minute extra credit opportunities available if any. As a matter of fact, you could have always gone to tutoring to help you understand the topic more, and it would help give you better quality work.  There are always ways to fix things ahead of time and I completely understand that there is still discrimination in this world, but it is harder to prove that point than asking for help when you know you are on the verge of failing.

            On the other hand, Bremen gives great advice, which is extremely helpful in this student’s predicament. For example, she put herself in different perspectives, because she begins talking about her experience with discrimination and how it is almost impossible to prove this with only your work as evidence. She also said that many students will blame their teachers, which gives the student something to think about. The main point she discusses is that discrimination should not be ignored and if you feel discriminated against you could talk to a counselor (Bremen). This is all great advice. Sit back for a minute and really consume everything Bremen said, because she put herself in different situations and gave an example of obstacles she has encountered. She explains why certain things would be difficult to prove like discrimination. While also stating that if you do feel discriminated against there is always someone there to listen when you need advice or help, which in this case, is a counselor. Bremen gives considerable feedback to this student to show she has compassion and some sternness with the issue, and hopefully the student takes her advice.

           

Alexus Lopez