Fighting with the Webloging "A-Listers"

Webloging is the newest and most talked about thing since the internet started. Being inexperienced in blogs you don’t feel like you can be open like the experienced bloggers are. Experienced bloggers use a great deal of details; and they don’t care what people think about their blogs. Inexperienced bloggers hold back in their blogs, because they think the experienced bloggers will judge them. Experienced bloggers are on the “A List”; and if anyone touches on their domain they fight back. The blogging world is like high school the inexperienced bloggers are the freshman, and the experienced bloggers are the seniors. I’ve found three other opinions that I feel ties into mine. The three blogs I’ve found close to mine are. Heather Armstrong, Elizabeth, and Neale Talbot.
To me blogging is a way for people to express themselves. My post is what I feel college is about. Experienced bloggers who read blogs in my opinion are people who are looking for trouble. People use blogs to spread news around, for their jobs, and just to check up on people’s daily lives. People who read each others blogs are the best way to see what has been happening in people’s lives. Elizabeth showed the best way of how she spread her news around about her pregnancy.
Every week after I post my new entry I get a message from a woman named Elizabeth. She often just tells me my blogs are good, but sometimes she brings out what I need to change. I asked Elizabeth why she started her blog, and she said that when she was pregnant she has a dangerous situation called preeclapsia. She began blogging to keep her family informed with her situation. Now that she is better her posts are mainly about her daughter. She also feels that newcomers are welcome. (http://www.contracheck.com/nika/)
Heather Armstrong’s blog Jon’s wife shows her opinion flat out in her blog. She starts off by what the telemarketer asked, and then went into her hiss-fit. She’s not afraid to tell off the telemarketer, and then write about it on her blog. She is clearly comfortable with giving her personal like in her blog. To me her opinion about blogging is she doesn’t care what people think about what she writes and she wants to give people a laugh every time they read it. (Burton)
Imagine reading a post where the author is dissing everyone who writes journal entries as their posts. Neale Talbot wrote a post called “Put the keyboard down and back away from the weblog.” In Talbot’s post he is making a statement for people who write long journals as their post, and not short posts. He says that you can write a short post, and get the point across. To me he is telling anyone who reads his blogs that he enjoys the short and simple posts. I don’t feel that he should have done that because if people want to write long posts about their day then they should. (Perseus)
Since “A-Listers” are the seniors in the blogging world they think they rule the school. They should welcome newcomers to the webloging world, because they could help the newcomers with their problems. The “A-Listers” should not judge the newcomers until they read what they have to say, the newcomers could be the best journalist. Defective Yeti is a good example of “A-Listers” as seniors. When my five other class mates including me commented on defective yeti as an assignment, the “A-Listers” revolted. They began disagreeing and stating we need more experience. To me they didn’t feel like we as newcomers knew what we were doing. It is just the internet it’s not like they are going to take your job away from you. So all the “A-Listers” get over it, the internet is free; the newcomers are welcome.
People use blogging for many different things. As we see in Talbot’s blog he uses his blog to state how he feels how they should be used. Armstrong uses hers to write about her everyday life. She uses blogging to vent. Elizabeth uses her blog just for everyday life. She writes about her life and keeps her family and friends involved with her daughter’s life. I believe they do this, because they want to get their daily feelings and lives out in the world.
Blogging in my opinion just helps people get what is on their mind off their chest. Blogging is also treated like high school; we have the freshman and seniors again. People use blogging for many different things. My three resources use their blog for different things; but it’s what people want to read. People need to step back, and see how blogging is affecting their life. The “A- Listers” needs to welcome the new bloggers instead of telling them their blog needs work. It’s just an online journal; they don’t own the whole blogging atmosphere.

Counting Down the Days till Summer

Not only are there important things to know about college, but there are things we also look forward to. Summer is something we have looked forward to since we were in grade school.

As of June 6th, 2007 I will no longer be a freshman at Ohio State University at Newark. The past year has gone by so fast, that I can’t believe it’s over. I’ve learned a lot this year like that I need to have better study habits, and that I need to spend more time with friends. Even though I know that summer is here I still have the most important things to do for school. I have two Geography, one exam for Art History, and a portfolio due for English. Summer will not be here until all those things are done.

When all of those things are done, I have a list of things I have to do this summer. The list of things is:
Going to Florida
Hanging out with friends
Hanging out with family
Working
Enjoying the nice weather
Attending a Wedding
Going to the Ohio State Fair
Going to the Rascal Flatts Concert


With a lot to do this summer, I will also be getting ready for school in the fall. If I were to give advice to any new freshman it would be to be open and meet new people, study hard, and enjoy your college experience.

Questions about Blogging

Why did you chose to write about college?

I chose to write about college because it is the biggest thing in my life right now. I picked my blog also because it was the first thing that came to my mind when we were told to pick a topic. My parents always told me to go to school, but I never knew why till now. My parents also never told me what to be, they told me I could chose what I wanted to do by myself. They said they would always support me where ever I went to school. College is rewarding, and sometimes stressful. Writing about college helps get what I'm feeling off my chest, and it also helps people who are getting ready to leave for school. I know there is a lot to write about, and it is helpful for me, and for other college students. College is something that everyone is scared about, and I picked my topics carefully, and that I could relate to. Being a college freshman every time I write a new blog I learn something more about college. Hopefully at the end of my four years I will look back on my blog and know that I made it through one of the stressful times in my life.

What do you hope people will learn about you from your writing?

I hope they learn that i take my writing seriously even though it is for a class. Writing is what I do when I can't talk to anyone. I like to hear positive feed back, but I want to hear the truth too.

They should also know that I enjoy watching myself grow from week to week.

College Students and Depression

Depression is a serious thing. College students are the ones that depression hits most. If you are feeling alone here are some symptoms of being depressed.

• Feeling of sadness
• Loss in interest
• Thoughts of death or suicide

There are many more symptoms, but here are some reasons why college students get depressed.

• Stress from classes, work, friends, and expectations from parents
• Homesickness from leaving your family for the first time
• Eating disorders
• Alcohol and Drug abuse

There are more reasons why students get depressed. If you ever feel depressed or know some one who is depressed here are some things you should do.

• Tell someone if you feel depressed. It will make you feel better.
• If you know someone depressed tell someone, you could save their life.
• If you think you are going to kill yourself get help immediaty. It is your life control it.
• If your friend tells you not to tell anyone, tell someone. They will be mad at you, but they will get over it.

I helped my friend through her depression; and she thanks me every time it comes up. Helping her was the best thing I have ever done in my life.

College Students and Jobs

When I was 15 and a half I had a job. I worked at a local sandwich shop in Reynoldsburg. I started working there just because I wanted to make some extra money, and my best friend worked there. When most kids turn 16, there parents tell them that it is time to find a job, and start paying for things. I know when I was 16 I just wanted money so I could go shopping with friends.

A website from Missouri State University, had their students take a survey. The survey was about college students who had jobs. It said that college students who has jobs have more stress in their life then college students without jobs. In 2000, 25% of the universities freshman held a full time job as well as being a full time student. 77% of all students have to work to pay for their own school. Students who work are also short on study time.

When I turned 18, I started saving up the money I made. I knew that I would have to pay back money after my college career. Now that I am 19, I'm working two jobs. I work 3 or 4 days at Kroger's and 1 day at a local pizza shop. Working and going to school is hard, but I've learned to balance my work and school. School is the top thing on my list, and work is the second thing.

I do agree with the survey the university took, because now days more and more students are starting to pay for their own school. There is a lot of stress that comes with working and going to school. I have to make time to study, and I have to cut into the time I would be sleeping. I don't spend as much time as I would like to with my friends, family, and my boyfriend. On my days off I do my homework all day. Spring quarter is harder because it's close to summer and everyone just wants to be out of school. I know i can achieve my goal to be a teacher if I stay on the track I am on now. The stress I'm dealing with now between work and school is worth it 100%.

Surviving College

Surviving College

Surviving your first year at college is very hard. You miss your high school friends, your significant other, and your family. In college the first quarter is going to be stressful because you have to balance everything in one day. I found an article that has many good suggestions about surviving the first year at college, but there are more to it then what is in the article.
Matthew Schieltz wrote a short, but some what down-to-the-point article on how to survive your first year at college. This article was published on a website called associated content, and the name of the article is surviving your first year at college. In the first paragraph of the article, he writes about how it will be hard to leave your high school friends and family. In the second paragraph he starts to get into how shy you are when you first arrive to the campus and when you meet everyone. His third paragraph is called “Making Allies.” He says to make friends with your roommate first. The friends you make in school are the ones who help you when you are really homesick. His fourth paragraph is called “Attending Classes.” Schieltz says to attend every class even though some of your friends might not. Attending all your classes will help you on the tests and will help you understand the material better. In the concluding paragraph he states to enjoy the college experience, relax, realize why you are at college, and that life after high school has begun.
In the article, I think it is well organized. He starts off at the end of high school and then goes into what to expect freshman year. I don’t think the article flows very well, because it goes from making friends to going to all your classes. I think he could have added more to the article about surviving the first year. The article is not hard to read at all. It reads like a high school student would have written it. Schieltz is speaking to the reader as if it is a lecture. He makes it seem that I am sitting in a classroom listening to him, to me he is talking down to the reader because he has already gone to college.
Schieltz has some good advice and some bad advice in his article. His good advice is that it is important to make friends with your roommate and other people on your floor. I agree with this because these are the people that will help you through your ups and downs. You have to live with your roommate so it is good to make friends with them. Going to all your classes is more good advice, because it you miss a class you miss out on a lot of information. I also agree with this, because if you miss a class you will not get the information you need when the exam comes around. Schieltz bad advice is leaving your high school friends and your high school sweetheart. I don’t agree with this because if you make the time you will be able to see your high school sweetheart. Your friends are going through the same thing as you are, and they will miss you to.
Being in the last quarter of freshman year, I feel really relieved because I know I achieved a goal that my parents always knew I could achieve. I do miss all my high school friends but I’ve meet so many more friends in college. You don’t have to live on campus to have to meet friends and experience college life. Living close to campus you have the opportunity to drive to campus and hang out with friends or party. Since being in school for three quarters I’ve learned that I need to change my study habits, spend more time on homework, and open up to meet more friends. After I read Schieltz article, I am doing most of what his article states.
Without college in today’s society is a big deal. You can’t get a good job without a college degree. Everyone is going to have to experience their first year in college, but they will do it in their own way. They may agree with Matthew’s article or mine. College is nothing to be scared about but it has a great outcome. Like Matthew stated your life after high school has officially begun.

College Students and Drinking

Drinking is on every college campus mostly in underage students. Underage teens put their lives at risk just to look cool. Most teens don't know how much their body can hold until they get sick. Most people just drink to be like everyone else.
A website called College Drinking gives many statistics on the consequences of college drinking. It says 696,000 students between 18 and 24 are assaulted by a student who has been drinking. 97,000 students have been sexual assaulted or even date raped. Some other consequences are drunk driving, property damage, academic problems, and unsafe sex.
Seeing the statistics above could open any ones eyes, unless they are to stubborn to believe them. Drinking brings out the worse in people, they act stupid, and they do things they will regret in the future. I know if i drank heavily and I read the statistics I would slow down on the drinking. I would be afraid to know what could happen when i was intoxicated.
Coming from an all Italian family there is wine around at every holiday or get together. Both my grandfather and uncle make their own white and red wine. When we get together my step sister, my cousin, and I get a half of glass of wine, and then the children under 16 get only 1/4 of a glass. That is all the drinking we do for the whole night. To me this is how my mom, aunt, and uncle where raised allowing their children to drink around other family members and knowing that they will not be judged.
Drinking a glass of wine with my family is different then drinking till you black out. Alcohol is one of the top killers of teens. There is a reason why the drinking age is 21. I think college campuses should be more aware of what their underage students are doing.