Life Experiance Over Internships??

 

 

Colleges and universities have evolved over the past few decades. Twenty years ago, campuses used to be filled with students carrying backpacks that were loaded with books and notebooks; these necessities were strolled along, class after class. The library had to have hundreds of shelves to house thousands of books, in order to provide resources, so that students could do research for class. The computer labs were filled with students during midterms and finals trying to type research papers.  Yet now campuses have evolved. Students can attend internet classes from all over the world at the school of their choice. For those students who still go to class, they now only carry one or two books and a laptop computer or tablet. Libraries have docking stations so students can plug in their electronics. Those hundreds and thousands of books have been minimized to just a few base selections. During midterms and finals, students will sit for days on the internet doing research and typing their papers at the same time. As the college campuses advanced, so did the curricula.  

Internships have been a staple of college undergrads for decades. Originally this paid or unpaid short term employment, helped students to “test drive” a job or profession before graduation. This was a good way for the student to gain a "real world" perspective on an occupation and have a leg up on the competition when applying for full time employment.  Employers offered internships as a way to help students develop work ethic, and gain extra employees without paying full wages. For those students who were not medical or law majors, Internships were optional for individuals who wanted to take advantage of them. If the company they wanted to work for had positions, students could ask the school for help with the application or apply by themselves. Yet now, many colleges are making internships a mandatory part of their program of study.  Students are not being allowed to graduate without having accumulated a set number of intern hours.  Although some may be beneficial, I believe students should not be required to participate in an internship to graduate.

Just as the college campus and the curricula have evolved, so has the student. There is a new breed of student-body overtaking campuses today. Twenty years ago college campuses were filled with fresh out of high school young adults who were just discovering the world outside of their parents’ home. The idea of a single mother, or a working adult going to college, years after graduating high school, was seen as taboo. Yet now in 2014 this is normal for college campuses all across the country.  The slowing down of the economy and competition for employment have caused many adults to return to school with the hopes of acquiring better pay for the degree accredited to them.   The older adults that are a part of the student-body have more life experience than a traditional student. There are students who are going to school for the current field in which they work. These individuals do not need an internship because they are already aware of what is required for their employment. They are simply interested in the degree to increase their earning potential. Many students work fulltime and also have children. These individuals may not be able to risk the loss of a fulltime job for a lower paying internship. Online students usually take online classes to be able to work at their own pace because they have a sporadic schedule.  I think internships should be optional for students who are not in medical or law professions. To withhold a degree or credits, this action is not necessary. Schools ought to assist students in locating companies that can give them extra work experience only at the request of the student.

~Lady Tiffany

There is no denying that the dynamics of college universities have changed over the past couple of years. Technology has changed society completely and the structures of universities have changed to accommodate this new population of students. Whereas, students once overfilled the library in search of books, but time has changed, and students now fill libraries with laptops. Many students rarely even see a library due to the technological advances in our society. The ability to conduct research in the privacy of ones home is popular and people even conduct research while walking down the street on their cell phones. Everyone in this new era is conforming to the new age gadgets. Universities were once comprised of thousands of first time freshman fresh out of high school and ready for the “experience.” Now, universities comprise of many non-traditional students. Some of these students are going to school for their first time and others have decided to return. With changing times, the dynamics and curriculum for students have changed.

            Internships have been used to help guide students towards a future in their careers of study. Internships have been mandated on students in order to graduate in most universities. Many people argue that it does not accommodate the new generation of students. A lot of non-traditional students feel that internships do not satisfy their needs as non-traditional students because they are mature and have already had the “experience.” With everything advancing it is important that some things change; however, more importantly, in some cases, it is necessary for things to remain the same. Many non-traditional students feel that some traditional aspects of the college experience should change. Many of them feel as if internships should not be mandated because the university no longer consists of a majority dominated by first time fresh out of high school population. Although the dynamics and population of universities have evolved, internships should remain mandatory. It is a wrong assumption to assume that non-traditional students do not need the experience. In fact, many students including first time freshman, also have experience in the work field. The earliest age for employment is now sixteen. Mandating internships on students will help them to receive the overall college experience. Technological advances have changed society and the structure of universities; however, not all aspects of education have changed. All students have lives outside of school such as work, children, and responsibilities; nevertheless, internships are still used to educate the student. Internships are not only in place to educate the “non-experienced” but to further educate students outside of their main courses.

            Times are always changing, which is undeniable. Many of the things we used to do are no longer necessary. Growing up, children used to be put in time-out for unruly behavior, now adults go to jail for the same unruly behavior. The punishment is the same and the concept is still the same. Internships provided facilities that were feasible as for learning experiences for all students and I do not suggest that there be a change, unless there is a better way of receiving the experience. There are some things that are applicable to all students, even though it may be redundant. It is important to keep some things in place because the university population is so diverse. A little homework never hurts anyone and surely an internship, at least one time, will not permit further complications or harm a students overall college experience.

              ~Lady Cherelle

 

Friendsbook??

 Over 1 billion users have subscribed to Facebook since its birth in 2004. Facebook has made a tremendous impact on the lives of individuals across the globe that may not have been able to communicate otherwise. Mark Zuckerburg, a Facebook founder, says the vision for the giant social network is to “connect the world”. Walter Deresiewicz’s is accurate in his assessment of Facebook altering the meaning of the word friend to its current vague implications. The measurement of friendships has evolved to include how often an individual shows interest in another individual’s Facebook updates, or not. The lines between cyber life and real life have blurred, thus changing the image of what a friend is. Realistically managing 1,344 personal relationships on a singular level would prove to be a difficult task overall. Nevertheless, people find it necessary to welcome anyone into their social space, even if they have encountered the least bit of interaction with the other party.

Social media outlets have giving a new definition on the term ‘friendship.’ The infamous subliminal rant is an example of how Facebook has altered the landscape of friendships.  No longer is it commonplace for a person to call their friend on the telephone to berate them over a disappointing encounter, such is publically dispersed, without any harsh feelings on the doers part. The dawn of social media lends another outlet- Why not inform all 1,344 of your “friends” about the concerns you have with just 1 friend? Special moments, intimate feelings, and personal battles usually reserved for close relationships are shared with mere acquaintances, professional associates, and family through the media outlet known as Facebook. The latter represents the current norm in society and quite fine by the users of social media.

 Social media has become beneficial; wherein, it has connected previously adopted children with biological families and long lost friends. The latter notion reflects the theories referring back to the baby boomers described by Deresiewicz who valued the face to face encounter or the intimacy of a hand written letter. I have accepted and embraced the new age friendships that social media lends. Facebook is a valuable tool and hence viewed as a tool that permits a platform that helps to build relationships as opposed to weakening them.

-Chandra

Social networking does not kill friendships, really? I beg to differ. Friendships have become shaky ever since Facebook and other social media sites have been introduced. Let us however turn our focus specifically on Facebook. It is indeed a commercial and media franchise, which can either brake or make friendships. Friendships, from my assumptions, have become commercialized, sometimes fake, abused and misused, detrimental, and sometimes self-inflicted pain through this specific site called Facebook.

What ever happened to the sincerity, value and realness in a friendship? Some people, we can surmise, have become so drawn in to the notion that if someone inquires to follow them, they are lead to think that these people are automatically their friend; please take in consideration, on the other party’s end, that the person has no idea who you really are, what’s your favorite food, color and the list of characteristics referring to one’s self can go on. Facebook, has become a numbers game; basically implying the notion that I have one million friends following me, but who cares if they really know me—which leads to insecurity and even death, for someone who may not have accumulated so many friends on their Facebook page and might feel inferior to others, and ultimately not so popular.

What ever happened to privacy? Yes, what ever happened to security of secrets? People have no discretion on social media sites; wherein, everything they are doing in their life, has to be announced on Facebook. Sometimes, it is beyond the norm and not even called for. True friendships revolve around honesty, trust, sympathy, face to face interaction and most of all built up over time. It is not just one click of a button and ‘boom’ then you are automatically declared someone’s friend, not at all! Friendship also reflects consistency and love in the good and bad times. Facebook, I can attest to the fact, that it has been the cause of broken relationships, that can never be mended, and the departure of trust and loyalty in marriages which have sometimes led to divorce. The latter reflects social media abuse and rectifies that some people have no self-control as for complying with social media terms. I have seen and heard of people who have gone on a rampage blurting out other so called friends businesses, and even their own; which leads to small and even brutal quarrels. Really! Are these conditions called for?

Ancient ideal values that reflected friendship was clearly one emphasizing on spiritual quality. On another note, the modern conceptions of friendship are slightly different, for it reflects, solidarity, fidelity, and trust for the characteristics of a friendship. But in a commercialized industry and world, who really cares what a friendship consists of anymore, per se—it seems as though friendships, as of now, reflects the notion, what can I get out it and out of the person and then on to the next victim.

The idea of friendship has clearly evolved through time, as the American literary critic William Deresiewicz has outlined in his text called “Faux Friendship.” Deresiewicz believed that friendship represented the highest calling in life. It is here, friends would declare their love for each other without having to even share the same residence. Honor was prolific in a friendship and the demand of such required duty and consistent devotion; but friendships on Facebook, one may perceive as just being identified as a number, inclusive with the other millions of followers.  “Friendship is devolving, in other words, from a relationship to a feeling—from something people share to something we all hug privately to ourselves in the loneliness of our electronic caves,” according to Deresiewicz (152). We are at risk that our new electronic addiction degrades friendship even more, by far. Signing up for social networking can denote the fact that we value a friendship only in terms of connection, which is sad to state.

I am not trying to come off as an old rant complaining about technological change. Yes, we can all agree that social media has its good side as for communicating in the long run, but there are also evidential flaws interfering with friendships and everyday relationships. I understand the many benefits of technological accommodations; whereby such has provided means of allowing friends to stay in touch, for example. If I am stating the rugged side of the new technology’s and its impact, it is due to the social upheaval that takes place at times, therefore, I am insinuating and looking for a change in social media. Hopefully, we are not heading in the direction that leads to the despair for the future of human interaction—let us hope this is not true.

-Kimberly G

African American or Black??

            

Charlize Theron (Actress)











 Rihanna (Singer)

Pele (Soccer Player)

                                                                                     

Who is African American, and Who is Black?

Many people think the terms African American and Black are 

interchangeable. The truth is, not all African Americans are black, and not all American Blacks consider themselves African American.  The key differences depend on the person in question. The term African American was first published in the 1920’s as a way to classify citizens of the United States who have total or partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa. Initially most of the individuals categorized as “African American” were those who were descendants of enslaved blacks from West and Central African.  As the population of immigrants into the United States grew, Americans found it easier to classify the population into four basic groups; white, American Indian, African American/Negro (this included all people of non-European descent with darker skin tones including Latino, Hispanic, etc.), and Asian.  Over time, each ethnicity classified under African American gain their own ethnic distinction and African American became the term used for American blacks, and African immigrants living in America.  The 80’s and 90’s provided one last shift in the definition of an African American. Multiracial individuals (People of mixed race with dark and light skin color, with one parent that is fully or partially black.), Caribbean blacks, European blacks, and other individuals of color, were able to convince the government to make “Black” an ethnic group for those who were not born in Africa.

Which brings us to the answer of our original question. Although her skin color is white, Charlize Theron is African American. She was born and raised in South Africa, and her native language is Afrikaans. Even with Rihanna’s very light skin tone she is a Caribbean Black American. She was born and raised in Barbados. Pele, who is often confused as an African man, is Brazilian Portuguese. He was Born and raised in Brazil and never held African or American Citizenship. Situations such as this have caused many Blacks to stop referring to themselves as African American.  A person does not have to be any specific color to be African; to be “Black” on the other hand, implies that you are a person of color with some African descent, but not necessarily from Africa.  

The Lady Debaters