As a person I am personable, happy, funny(in hopefully more than looks) and last, but not least a total nerd. As a writer I like to think I am logical, analytical, and able to seperate myself from my work. I think I come across as maybe a bit disjointed in my arguments, and too involved. As a student I am laid back, active in class, and a smidgen too lazy. All of these are problems I work every day to make better. In society I am a leader to my friends and in my work, a hard worker, a son, a grandson, an uncle, a boyfriend, and I hope someone reliable to those in my life who need it.

How to Cut College Dropout Rates by: David L. Kirp https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/28/opinion/how-to-cut-college-dropout-rates.html

A Fact: Here’s a hair-on-fire statistic: In 2017, just a third of undergraduates at the nation’s public universities graduated in four years — the amount of time a bachelor’s degree is supposed to take — and even with two additional years, only 58 percent earned a diploma. The community college figures are even more dispiriting: 22 percent of students at public two-year colleges received an associate degree within three years and 28 percent within four years.

Opinion: Dropouts may actually wind up worse off than if they hadn’t started college. While they earn a little more, they are likely to leave school with a pile of debt, but without the chance to pay it off by securing the high-paying jobs that a degree is supposed to open up.

Claim: All too often, a promising scheme that works at one institution cannot be replicated, but these initiatives travel well.

This article talks about the advantages of programs designed to help students graduate college. It implements a system of tutors, textbook vouchers, and even free bus rides to the school. The program also emphasizes one on one time with advisers for the students, and according to their data, has dramatically increased the graduation rate. While it seems nice it didn’t really convince me. They used too many anecdotal evidence for me to really support or agree with the articles claims. Overall I do like some of the ideas brought forward, but it failed to convince me. I am more curious about the success of ivy league schools it brought up, and even ridiculed, and their methods of success. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/28/opinion/how-to-cut-college-dropout-rates.html

According to the four types of  personalities and the type of motivation needed, I am more of a rebel than any of the other types. I find being able to complete tasks my own way, and having independence as both a necessity and a preference. If i have to do something 100% by the book I find it maddening and infuriating. On that same note I need some restrictions like a timeline, or date to be completed or I may not do it at all. How I best thrive in class is by focusing on step by step process for my assignments, starting off with the easiest task and going to the next easiest and so on.

In the article “Andrew Luck retires: Colts Quarterback stuns the NFL with shocking retirement decision at age 29” by Jared Dubin, Jared talks about the early and unexpected retirement of Andrew Luck. An incredibly talented Quarterback, and former number one draft pick by the Indianapolis Colts back in 2012. Jared goes on to talk about Lucks extensive injury history, and how Luck admitted this was the primary reason for him losing his “Love for the game” and reason he retires. Ultimately the article laments his incredible talent and wasted potential. The other part of this article talks about how upon hearing the news Colts fans booed Luck as he walked off the field for the last time.

This is a post dedicated to a response of Alex Reid and his work ” Why Blog? Searching for Writing on the Web. He argues about the pros of blogging and their application in not only a writing class environment but for students at the college level in general. He says that blogging helps in a number of ways. This includes helping motivate students to write more, and therefore become better writers not only for their blog, but for academic purposes. He also argues that blogging by its nature creates a community, people and ideas you can read off of, and write about, generally things that interest you the student. Alex also argues that because of this connection, people who blog will write more because they find more ideas to write about, adding to the total number of blogs and ideas out there. Alex also says that the greatest advantage comes from the fact that blogging creates posts that last forever, and unlike traditional classes which can have students work for weeks on a single assignment that they never think of again, the blog creates a permanent record for students to go back and reflect on. This he says is the biggest advantage blogs have over traditional writing courses.

I personally have never been a big “internet guy” I mean I like video games, and Youtube maybe more than the next guy. The idea of my words and ideas being permanent and public scare me slightly. I personally don’t even have a twitter. It is exciting to be able to read everyone else’s works and get input, and for those people to read my work as well. I have always been a staunch supporter of constructive criticism, but overall the idea scares me.

Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.

— Oscar Wilde.

This is the first post on my new blog. I’m just getting this new blog going, so stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.