Proposal.

Every university campus has its flaws. One of UNCW's biggest flaws is the lack of guidance provided to students. Sure, we have advisors that are supposed to help us through our decision-making and ensure that we stay on track and graduate on time. The problem is that our advisors sometimes do not know exactly what they are talking about when it comes to our individual needs, and on many occasions I have heard of people not graduating on time due to false guidance. Some students were encouraged to take classes that they later determined were unnecessary and a waste of time. Others were told that one class could take the place of another requirement, and one semester and lots of hard work later, came to find out this was not actually the case. I am not saying that ALL advisors are incompetent, but many have made a mistake here and there that have led to big consequences.

How, you may wonder, do I propose we fix this problem? I think the best way to avoid these stressful mistakes is to have an advising conference for all student advisors. The conference can provide an overview of basic studies requirements and what is expected of them and their students, and then may break the advisors into groups based upon majors and concentrations. Each advisor will be provided with specific guidelines and requirements that are crucial for their advisees. Any questions they may have will be answered. After the conference, everyone will be on the same page and will be much more informed on their concentrations and what is expected of them. With the advisors being more knowledgeable and aware of changes and happenings within their departments, they will be able to better assist their students and make for a less stressful academic career. Students will ultimately stay on track throughout their four years of college, and will not have to be concerned with taking extra, unnecessary courses that could set them back.

Its all about connections.

Networking is crucial. We are often told this, but do not actually understand how important it really is. Connections are everything. Its all about who you know. You can be over qualified for a job, but if you don't know somebody within the company or institution, chances are you won't get the position. My dad is a college professor in Pennsylvania. He teaches health and physical education classes, with a concentration in networking. He probably speaks more about networking than he does about the actual course topics. He realizes how important it is--after all, it has gotten him to where he is today. He seems to know everybody. If I ever need tickets to an event, someone's opinion on an occupation, help with a school assignment, or an interview with a professional, he knows exactly who to call. It blows my mind.

I realize that I haven't exactly gotten involved in as many extracurricular activities in college as I did in high school. Sure, I've been participating in intramurals for the past two years, but where is that going to get me in life? I've decided it is time to start making some changes. I need to start building my resume. I recently began an internship at a physical therapy clinic. Through that experience, I've also landed a babysitting job. This past weekend, I babysat the owner's three children. A physical therapist married to a family physician--I'd say that's a good connection to have! Not only is this going to help me make a little extra cash while I'm in school, but later down the road I will be able to use them as references. Who knows, maybe I'll even get a job at their clinic! I am also planning on joining a community service club on campus, and hopefully a club in my major as well. One of my professors is also encouraging me to join a national organization in the health and physical education field. I will have the opportunity to attend and present at a conference with him in November. All of these things are good resume builders and great ways to meet people. I am on the right track!

Dirty Dancing

Patrick Swayze, age 57, died on Monday, September 14 of pancreatic cancer. In his LA Times obituary, he is regarded as the charismatic star of one of the best date movies of all times. The article goes on to describe Swayze's roll in Dirty Dancing, the praise he received from critics, and the scene that put the movie at the top of the list. "Swayze delivers a line with swaggaring perfection. 'Nobody puts Baby in a corner,' he says as he defies her father and pulls her up for a final uplifting dance sequence." His dance moves were applauded, and continued to help him win hearts throughout his career. The author then goes on to say that Swayze turned down an offer for a sequel because he looked for curveballs in his life. She shared a personal statement made by Swayze, and then went on to examining the roles he took in the years following Dirty Dancing. The continuous theme throughout the obituary is Swayze's urge for adventure and his "wild-man edge". The author frequently relates back to this idea and uses specific examples of the roles he played and direct quotes as evidence for her claims.

Obituary writer Valerie J. Nelson uses the history of Swayze's acting career, critic reviews, quotes by Swayze, and personal opinions to form her evaluative argument. The majority of the evidence she used came from direct quotes--mostly from Patrick Swayze himself.

Man Think.

As a class assignment, we read the article Pink Think by Lynn Peril. The article discusses the definition of femininity--as defined in the 1940's-1960's, and as defined by the author today. I thought I would visit the other end of the spectrum and discuss the stereotypes of men...

How does a man's mind work? Though I will never truly know the answer to this question, there are many aspects that I have figured out. A man's mind works in double standards. It is "cool" and boast-worthy to sleep around with multiple girls. However, if the girls he is sleeping with sleep around with other guys, they are considered to be easy, slutty whores.

Men are also confused about the woman's role in the household. If both parents work full-time jobs during the day and get home from work at the same time, the man believes it is still the woman's job to cook dinner for him and the children, clean the house, do the dishes, give the kids a bath, read bedtime stories, and tuck them in to bed--all while he is lounging back in his Lazy Boy watching Sports Center! Last time I checked, it took two to make a baby..and two to raise one right!

debate.

Controversy. Its everywhere. Its also the main reason why everything's an argument. An article we read in class this past week discussed a major ongoing issue of controversy in our society--the legality of abortion. The article, titled Abortion Distortions: Senators from both sides make false claims about Roe v. Wade, discusses Senators Barbara Boxer and Rick Santorum's false statements on the issue of abortion. Boxer lists the negative effects that overturning Roe v. Wade would have on society, while Santorum lists the negative effects that he believes the decision in Roe v. Wade has had on society. The point of the article is to present facts proving some of the senators' claims to be false.

The argument is worth discussing because abortion is still such a controversial subject to this day. Its a controversy that may never be solved. Personally, I do not support abortion at all. Unless there is a life-threatening health issue for the mother, there is no excuse to kill an unborn child. A woman must live with her decisions, and deal with the possible consequences. Even if she can not afford to raise and support a child, adoption is always an option. No matter how horrible and unbearable the situation may seem at the time, abortion would undoubtedly lead to a lifetime of regret. I can't imagine living with the thought of ending a life that never had a chance to begin.

Pet Peeves

During the first day of my PED249 class (Exercise Physiology), we were assigned an icebreaker activity. We had to draw pictures to answer three questions presented by the professor. The questions included: "What was your worst job ever?" "Where do you see yourself in 15 years?" and "What is your biggest pet peeve?" I found myself having the hardest time answering the question about pet peeves. Surely, I have plenty of pet peeves; but when asked what they actually are--I drew a blank. When I really got to thinking, most of my pet peeves revolve around things that happen to me at work. I am a waitress at The Oceanic Restaurant on Wrightsville Beach. The things people do and say drive me crazy. One thing I can't stand is when I walk up to a table and feel awkward because they won't pause their conversation for 30 seconds while I take their order. They glance up at me as if I am being rude, and then go right back into their conversation. I am there to feed them and keep their drinks full--just let me do my job and then continue talking! My absolute biggest pet peeve, however, is the way people talk sometimes. The word "calimari", for instance, is once in a while pronounced "calimary". Really? Are these people serious? Some people stick their hands up, almost in my face, and proceed to use some sarcastic, rude, red neck comment. Its not accents that bother me, its the people who can't talk in a respectful, grown-up context. I sometimes wonder how they have jobs and make it through everyday situations--how they are taken seriously. It is beyond me.

Multiple Englishes.

We all do it. Without even realizing it, we change the context of our language according to whom we are conversing with. The English I use with my family is different from what I use with my friends. The way I speak at an interview is different from how I speak during class. When I am with my family, I find myself saying "wooder" instead of "water" because that is how my parents (being from Jersey and Philly) have said it all of my life. As soon as I am around friends however, I switch to drinking "water". When I am with close friends, we often speak in a way that could confuse an outsider. We often bring up inside jokes and refer back to them frequently. If someone else hears our conversation, they have no idea what we are talking about. In exercise science classes, we speak with a lot of jargon pertaining to our field of study. This English may also seem foreign to an outsider. Another "English" I often use is text messaging and instant messaging. Not only are there universal abbreviations that are commonly used in texting, but my family, friends and I also come up with our own abbreviations. When my mom first learned how to text, she sent me one that said "LUB!" at the end to represent how we always end our phone calls--"Love you, bye!" Another important part of my text messaging lingo just involves using symbols to create all sorts of expression faces--smiley faces, angry faces, sad faces, confused faces, etc. Creating our own text messaging language is a really fun and unique way of communicating. The use of multiple Englishes isn't something I typically think about, so I like that it was brought to my attention. It is interesting to think about all of the ways we communicate with different people.

And so it begins...

The most difficult part about the first essay assignment is chosing an argument to analyze. Being titled Everything's an Argument, the book obviously leaves you with a lot of options. After browsing through the table of contents, looking over all of the essay titles, and reading a few that caught my eye, I settled for one in Chapter 21: Who's the Fairest of them All? The essay is titled Those Unnerving Ads Using "Real" Women. The author, Meghan Daum, gives her opinion of ads such as those used in Dove's "Real Women for Beauty" campaign. She shed light on a new perspective for me, and made me change my opinion on such ads. I used to think nothing of the ads. I thought it was great that normal, "real" women were finally portrayed in advertisement. In reality though, "real" women don't want to waste their time on such shallow practices. Everyone knows that the women in magazines and on billboards are airbrushed and as fake as can be. It's better to laugh at them than be jealous of them. Do you really think they're happy starving themselves and striving for a flawless body? Before the airbrushing, I am sure they look at the proofs and are filled with disappointment over some part of their bodies. No one is perfect. Women must strive to be comfortable and happy in their own skin, not to look like the fake bimbos we see in everyday advertisement.

PT By the Sea

So that's what it's like. I've been saying for years that I want to be a physical therapist, though oddly enough I've never actually been to one. What made me want to go into this occupation then? Good question. In high school I took two years of anatomy and absolutely loved it. The human body and all of the dissections intrigued me. I love working with people, seeing them make improvements, and would love to help them make differences in their lives. I want to raise a family one day, and need a job that will allow me to be part of my children's lives. PT allows you to make your own flexible schedule. These interests together made me think--hey, why not--I might as well go into physical therapy.

I just finished my first week of my internship with PT by the Sea. I spent seven hours following around a couple different therapists, observing their sessions and watching them work with each patient's needs in a unique manner. It was really great to be able to see what they do on a daily basis, and how they have to bend around each individual's needs. This experience also made me realize how much I have to learn! Not only do I have three years of PT school ahead of me, but I also need to brush up on the anatomy that I have already been introduced to. One of the therapists was quizzing me during the sessions on different muscles and bones, and I was struggling. It is so easy to forget things when you spend just few weeks memorizing them and then don't use the terminology again.

I've already had the opportunity to talk to multiple patients about their injuries and disabilities. Their stories of recovery are inspiring, and I am really looking forward to continuing my volunteer/job shadowing hours through the rest of the semester. I love the private practice atmosphere at PT by the Sea, but also know that I will need to experience the hospital and at-home settings in the following semesters.