Why College?

I would not say that I was surprised by the lecture. Most slides were intuitive or obvious. That's not to say it was a bad presentation, but I do not feel it was particularly necessary either. I chose to go to college primarily because my whole family (with some exceptions) has gone to college and it is becoming increasingly necessary in today's tertiary level economy. I might not have been able to go to college if I felt I would not be able to afford it - I still have some of those concerns honestly.

College is definitely necessary for either career I am on the path for (teacher or doctor). There's so much that goes into both and I've learned a lot about teaching since I've started college. I would still go even if it weren't required. Lives and futures are in ones hands in both of those professions and it would be extremely neglectful to not do one's utmost in helping them. It'd probably be cheaper if it weren't required too.

Service Blog Post

Service can be a two sided sword that can just as easily harm a community as help it. Through volunteering, for example, while a short term service can be supplied, the volunteer removes agency from the community by doing a task for them and possibly making the community dependent on the volunteer's continued assistance. Of course, volunteering is an important aspect of being a part of a community as it supplies manual labor where previously none could be afforded.Volunteers can do the work the community is not willing to pay for yet is important to the well-being of the community. I knew most of this going into the lecture and was unsurprised.

In my high school JROTC unit, we had an annual service learning project where we would gather supplies to donate to a local veterans home. In my last year in the battalion, we were told by the high-ups that we were now meant to do a different project each year as opposed to the same one we'd been doing. However, the home had come to expect our contributions and would be harmed by no longer receiving our donations. In other words, they were now dependent on us and could not function without us. We elected to do two service learning projects so that we could continue to support the home. There is not much that can be done now to help, besides to perhaps wean them off our contributions. The battalion is unlikely to make the same error with future projects.

Information in the Internet Era

I quite liked the speaker, as he was very good at speaking to the audience. He spoke clearly with humor thrown into a rather serious topic, which made it easier to listen. I hadn't previously known about the bracelets Disney would use to track guests or to make purchases in the park. It sounds very convenient for the person, but I think it has a side effect of having people purchase more things. This effect has been thoroughly studied between cash and credit/debit cards, so I am sure it extends to the bracelets. I don't think the speaker really went far into the question "Is google making us stupid?" which was somewhat disappointing but I found the following topic more interesting anyway.

I'm not particularly frightened by the amount of personal information on the internet. It can tick in the back of my mind sometimes, but frankly I have more concern about apps on my phone secretly being able to have access to all the things on my phone. An app having unlimited access to my camera, mic, photo albums, contacts, etc. is unsettling. It creates a sense of unease when I leave my Spanish class and start seeing ads in Spanish on YouTube where I previously only ever saw English ones. 

Companies selling my data to advertising companies on its own isn't too scary. It allows for targeted advertising, like the Target girl, but I'm not particularly bothered by that. However, I don't trust the companies to keep my information safe. Identity theft is a very real threat and can have long term ramifications, whether on one's credit score or even criminal record if someone commits a crime while assuming my identity. Additionally, my parents drilled into me a "stranger danger" perspective on the internet, so I rarely input true information anyway. I was always less scared of companies using my information than people tracking me to my house and trying to harm me in some way. That fear has dissipated for the most part, but it still lingers in my mind.

Global Perspective and Studying Abroad

A global perspective is essentially viewing the world beyond one's local experience and seeing the world as a collection of cultures, values, and motivations. Gaining this perspective is exceptionally important, especially in today's modern society. Through advances in technology, the world is more connected than ever and it becomes increasingly important to understand other cultures, as the global market and advances towards global peace depend on it. 

There are several major benefits to studying abroad. Firstly, it is simply an enriching experience for someone to take; many people never go beyond their state or region - let alone outside of national borders - so it is certainly something that would expand one as a person. Secondly, since few people go abroad, it can make one stand out on one's resume or applications. Only around 1% of college students go abroad, so doing so makes one seem more unique. Thirdly, it can be a way of expanding one's knowledge of a foreign language one is taking. For example, a person learning Italian would be greatly helped by studying where the language is actively spoken and used. 

There are a few downsides though. Studying abroad can be expensive and scholarships are not guaranteed. Furthermore, study abroad programs may not offer certain majors or programs. Additionally, it removes one from their safety net in the States and could make a person feel more vulnerable or homesick. Lastly, some students have jobs that they need for schooling and taking a semester or summer off could negatively impact their work. 

I personally am very keen on studying abroad while I am at FSU. I've looked into a few places, but am most keen on applying for an internship in Valencia when I become fluent in Spanish. They offer medical internships, which directly relates to my field of study and Biology major. I've also considered Florence, as I had a friend go their this past summer and it looks like an amazing place. Unfortunately, they do not offer many courses that would make such travel truly worth it for me personally, so I likely won't be able to go there through Florida State.

Blog 1: Leadership

A leader is a person who provides motivation and guidance to others in order to accomplish a task or goal. Leadership reflexively refers to the qualities a leader has and to the capability of one to lead. A political leader is one who uses leadership skills within the political spectrum to enact change on the behalf of his or her constituents. 

In high school, I was a cadet in the Army JROTC (Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps). It was a leadership education class, dedicated to teaching leadership and citizenship to its members. In my second year, I was promoted to the position of Staff Sergeant and was given the position of leading my own squad. I was in charge of teaching a LET 1 skills that would help them throughout the rest of the program, like marching drills, ranks, and other miscellaneous knowledge. I did well enough that I was given a second LET 1 and was promoted the next year to work with the highest ranked in the program. I won a NCO (Non-commissioned Officer) of the Month award and was in the running for NCO of the year award. On my final year, I was promoted to being a the headquarters company executive officer and was in charge of organizing the files of all the cadets and guiding their work to completion. At the last award ceremony of the year, I was given an award for being the best executive officer in the battalion. The program gave me plenty of leadership experience and I have been able to transfer those skills to other aspects of my life.