Moral Code

It's been nearly a month since my last post (sorry about that one). You've heard all the excuses...writing papers, job search, blah blah blah...so I won't bore you with them. I've recently been thinking about the lengths people are willing to go to get something they want. I want to mention an article that I came across in The Chronicle Review.

So, this article in the Chronicle Review is written by an unnamed writer who has been making a living off of students. He claims to make over 60,000 dollars a year writing the very papers that I slave over weekly. That's right, there are services out there that will write your paper for you, so that you don't even need to be a literate member of society to get a college degree, or post-college degree for that matter. Churning out 70-80 pages a day, this guy has written innumerable undergraduate papers and theses; he's also written 12, that's right--12, dissertations for various fields of study. And these kids get away with it. The Shadow Scholar he calls himself, writing for whomever should be in need, the Robin Hood of students it would seem. But what is this doing for our society? This is not stealing from the rich to give to the poor, it is not giving means to those who would otherwise not have them. No, this is reinforcing what is so wrong now. Helping the rich, the lazy, the less deserving have their chance at graduation and at succeeding where other hard workers have failed. This Shadow Scholar blames the school system for the wrong-doings of students. But who are we to tell others to fix the problem when we are so integrally part of it. Action must be taken on an individual level. So I cry out to you Shadow Scholar, not to write my papers or get me my A's, instead I call for action on your own part; stand against this tyranny you comment on and let students actually earn their way.

The Next Step

Yesterday I turned in my finalized resume and applied for a (nearly) real job. Ok, so it's not exactly a job, but it's a program that would get me a job, which is still pretty exciting. To explain myself, I applied to a program that, if I'm accepted, will seek out applications and open positions at private schools around the nation. So, if I get this one right it cuts out a ton of work on my part, which I am always ready for.

It's a pretty exciting and humbling experience writing a resume. Basically I've learned that all of the "relevant" things I have done in my life can be listed and explained within a single typed page. Now, it's exciting because I can look at something substantial and say, "I've done all of these things, and they are important and valuable to my life and career." It's humbling because, well, "all of these things" ends up being really about five things. Then you begin to wonder how impressive these five things really are, and now I'm beginning to understand why people love college so much. You don't need to lay yourself on the line for your next move. You just say, "hey that class looks interesting. I think I'll take Microeconomics; I'm not an econ. major but who cares." And then when you find out Microeconomics is actually a terrible class you simply say, "Nevermind, I think I'll drop that and it's on to Yoga: Theory and Practice (yes, it's a real class)." Now there's a real chance I won't get selected for what I'm asking, and if not I can't just sign up for the next job.

But, I can't be wholly pessimistic about this next step thing. It's very exciting, I must say, to think that a year from now, even 8 months from now, I could be standing in front of my own class of students teaching them about Fitzgerald or Milton. Or, maybe I will be sitting at a desk in New York City reading manuscripts and making book deals. Either way, I'm finding that the "next step" is quickly becoming "this step," and I can't help but daydream a little about the oncoming year.

Addiction

This bonus post brought to you by Philosophy 112 and Kant's super-boring moral theory. With all of the work I've had this week, I've needed to step away from my severe addiction. No, not coffee, that's moved beyond addiction to, I think, an actual biological component of my blood. If you'll recall, I recently discovered the glories of streaming television on my computer. Only working 8-10 hours a day and not knowing many people where I was living this summer left me ample time to fall into worlds of serial killers and ad-men, among others. This infatuation grew into a serious amount of time a week (especially with new series starting up). But with all the work, practice, writing, reading, and studying I've fallen behind--my entertainment well parched. I do plan on making up significant grounds this weekend, but I've recently been confronted with the fact that such a time commitment in my life doesn't contribute to anything. So, to remedy this, I'm taking the Good Ole' American route an taking addiction and turning it into workaholism, that's fine, right? At least in an attempt to share my addiction, I thought I would include some recommendations and share the entertainment wealth.

1. Friday Night Lights. I've true Southern friends to thank for this find. It's not a show that is "real" or a show of "reality." Instead it is simply a story of life itself, small town relationships, family dynamics, and personal conflicts and goals that make you invested in the characters' lives.

2. Mad Men. The wondrous (and troubling) age of the 1960's advertising world. The plot follows the mysterious Don Draper (who is he, really?) and his mood swinging ups and downs. The viewer is taken through a whirlwind of brilliant ideas, too much drinking, and identity crises that question the line between who we really are and who we are portraying ourselves to be. This is a psychological study of a man trying to hold the radioactive parts of his life together and take control...the only question is, will he succeed?

3. Arrested Development. For some unknown reason, not on the air anymore, but should none the less be watched. Unbelievably cancelled after 3 seasons, Arrested Development has too many jokes to laugh at. It follows a family that is beyond dysfunctional, who bring elevated comedy in direct contact with the absurd. From chicken dances (that look nothing like a chicken mind you), to social satire, to a lawyer named Bob Loblaw this show has something to laugh at for everyone.

4. 30 Rock. Smart comedy at it's best, Tina Fey has the entertainment industry in a satire headlock. Following the SNL-like TGS inner-workings, we watch as Tina Fey orchestrates comedy that A-listers can't get enough of (Matt Damon and Queen Latifah as two of the latest guest appearances). And let's not forget Alec Baldwin, who's forced whisper commands the stage, as an NBC exec. who we've recently discovered attended Harvard Business School where he was voted "Most." I can't help but laugh out loud at this show that should be inducted immediately into the comedic Hall of Fame (with reruns forever).

Just a small gateway into the drug that is television. Perhaps, more to follow.

Burned Out

I've had it. I can't work, I can't move, I can barely even keep my eyes open. This week has ruined y resolve scholastic, athletic and otherwise. It hadn't been so bad up until Wednesday. Just the normal: read a book, write a paper, go swimming, go to work, pass out at the end of the day. But, with break quickly approaching, everything intensified. Professors and coaches must be under the impression that "we need to et a lot of work done now because there are TWO ENTIRE DAYS that these kids will have off with nothing to do." And so, the worst week of the semester, so far, began.

I'll just comment on one of my days to give an idea. Wednesday, already a busy day for me, was the longest day I've had in recent memory. It began at 6:30AM. To put that into perspective for the non-college student, it's like waking up at 4AM for any normal person. So waking up 5 hours after having gone to bed, I head to swim practice, and no, a morning swim is not revitalizing it's exhausting. AFter breakfast, I've attached my coffee IV and have headed off to work at the Writing Center, tutoring for an hour and attempting to complete some homework. Walking, zombie-like, to the cafe, I stop for a quick lunch (hoping it will wake me up, but not succeeding in such hopes) before my 3 hour English senior seminar. This may have been the most painful. Three hours of attempting to follow and contribute to discussion while trying to hide the fact that my head is drooping in sleep and my "eye-blinks" are getting longer and longer. But it finally ended, in time for me to sprint over the the pool for 2 hours of afternoon practice (again not revitalizing). This ending, dinner eaten, I go back to the WRiting Center fro another two hours of tutoring session. Now it's 10:30PM (16 hours into the day) and I can finally go home and...start writing that Philosophy Paper due Thursday. Half delirious and 4 coffees into the day I'm simply hoping I'm making complete sentences. 5 pages of philosophy written, it's time to move on to the reading due the next day. Finally finishing at 2:30AM I fall asleep almost instantly, before I do it all again the next day. "The best days of our life" it's said; after a 20 hour work day I've got an argument to say there is reserved a place for some of the hardest days of your life in these 4 years. Now I stumble to the finish line--fall pause--two days not to catch up on rest, but the work that doesn't fit into the 24 hours we are allotted daily.

Trailblazing

I'm confronted with thoughts of the future as I think back to the past year. It's come to my attention that I have not lived at home for an extended period of time for over a year, and two summers ago may have been the last time I will have ever lived at home for longer than a few weeks at a time. I imagine this is part of the senior year experience, but I'm becoming uncomfortable with the idea of "real life." It may come as a surprise, but I'm not nearly as afraid of not getting a job as I should be. It's not my career that I'm concerned with starting; it's rather what it will be like to leave all that I know. I have a community of friendship and comfort at home. Here at school I can contact this community often, not to mention the friendships and mentors that I've gained while at Dickinson. I'm thrilled to start my own path and to be working with what I love, but I fear abandoning the community who has helped to raise me. I think I must come to terms with the idea that life is difficult in this way. It is about expanding and creating your own path. This is a journey through life; I am a traveler and sometimes I must blaze my own trail. Though I may be caught in the jungle and vines and foliage are thick and frightening, it may be the best way to find the river, to find my source of life and what I live for.

Multi-Tasking

It's been just over two weeks since my last post, but it feels like much longer. It has been a whirlwind, to say the least, of a start to the semester. It's two weeks later and I've written 4 papers, read 5 books, and worked 45 hours outside of school work and athletics. So much for a light senior year. In fact, the only reason I'm writing this post now is because Im doing it during a philosophy lecture in my Ethics class. Yeah, it's even less exciting than it sounds. Somehow that must be impressive, but my boredom has taken away even the impressiveness of that feat. I mean Ferris Bueller's teacher would win an award for Most Animated Teacher compared to this guy. In other news, the swim season starts on Thursday, which means teamwork, hard work, feelings of drowning, and the excitement of competition; oh, and even less time for anything else. But, never fear, there's always another philosophy class to write my next post.

The End is Near

Well, school has once again begun. But this year is a little different than the past 16 school years, because this year is the last year I will be an official student. In a short 9 months I will be standing with my classmates, diploma in hand, saying goodbye to 3 month vacations forever. Of course I could be heading into some time off longer than three months, but unemployment isn't really like vacation. This is a senioritis of a different brand. Three years ago, it was all about graduating and getting through the year quickly. Today, I walk around campus and sense a communal desire to make this last, to stretch these 9 months as far as they will go, to pack enough parties and plans for 10 years into the waning hours of our scholastic lives. Who can blame us? We are living the life; we've got sports to play and friends to see. All we have to do is plan around a few hours of classes. So with one year left, why not fully embrace the college lifestyle and enjoy every last minute I get before they hand me that diploma, my certificate to the real world. The end is near and just in time for my next beginning.