Higher Education

Besem Etta-Ashu
Contemporary Literacy
Is Higher Education Worth the Price?
February 24, 2020


There are several decisions in which college students, as well as seniors in high school, have to decide on. One of the most important decisions in which they all have to face is deciding which college/university to attend for the next four years of their lives. I can remember when I was a senior in high school, one of the most important decisions I was constantly facing was deciding on which college to attend and if I would be able to pay for the tuition. Most importantly, I wanted the education I will be receiving to be worth every penny I was paying for. I applied to several schools and thankfully I got accepted to all my schools but then the problem of choosing the perfect school for me to attend which was not too expensive and also had good education became the main focus.

        



I do think that people should pay for higher education but not at drastic unbelievable prices. Schools expect us to pay for education at extremely high prices but students are not receiving the full education in which they are paying to receive. The deal is not equal on both sides of the spectrum because when people enroll in school, they agreeing to pay for a certain amount of education. Back in the days, it was more about education and less about the money but now it is more about money and less about education which is not right. We all know that education is the key to success, but with these drastic prices for education, people are not able to succeed in life. Most people are faced with the decision of having to drop out of school, not because they want to but because they just can not afford to stay in school.


    


Schools such as Drew University, Stevens Institute of Technology, Rider University, Rowan University are one of the most expensive schools in New Jersey where students are paying almost $60,000 a year. In order to continue attending schools, students are encouraged to take out loans and receive just the bare minimum of education. If students are paying and taking out loans of thousands and thousands of dollars then they should receive the maximum amount of education, not the bare minimum because they are not paying the bare minimum to attend college. Teachers should be paid more so they will be inspired or at least interested in devoting knowledge into their students' lives. Another problem is too many benefactors donate to institutes that are already well provided for such as Ivy leagues and technological schools. That is absolutely not fair because small schools such as NJCU and Kean University are left with no choice but to fund for themselves.


   

 

 

My final opinion is higher education is not worth these unbelievable prices because people are not even getting the education they are paying to receive. The prices for colleges needs to be reduced and the quality of education needs to be increased, not the opposite way. The amount of college loans that students have in total is greater than the amount of credit card debt in America.

Obsety: Personal Responsibilty

Besem Etta-Ashu
Contemporary Literacy
Is Fast Food The New Tobacco?
February 16,2020

OBESITY: PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

Obesity is a disorder that leads to excessive weight gain and increases the rate at which the body stores fat leading to various severe health issues. Obesity is a severe health disorder that can lead to serious health problems such as stroke, depression, kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, and several other health issues. If obesity is not treated once notified, it could lead to very risky surgeries and in other cases, death. Although many people are blaming the government for providing us with unhealthy meals, we need to understand that the government is not forcing us to purchase that unhealthy food. We deliberately purchase unhealthy meals out of our own will. If people begin to take into consideration the types of food they are eating on a regular basis, they will not face excessive health problems that arise from obesity.

There are various reasons why people are obese. One of those reasons could be genetic obesity. There are families who have been battling obesity for several generations now. The rare-single gene defects is a disorder that leads to obesity. People with these genes are more likely to have higher hunger levels and can not control their intake of calories and lastly, their bodies can absorb fat twice as fast as the average person. Another reason is that some people do not know how to cook, so they are constantly relying on fast foods or restaurants in order to get a meal for that day. Some people are not educated on the importance of eating healthy vs. unhealthy meals, so they are not aware of the various dangers that unhealthy food may cause in their health.

There are several ways in which someone who is obese can prevent obesity from developing into more serious health problems. Getting into a fitness plan, consistent treatment plan, dieting, educating oneself on the effects of unhealthy meals, and finding more ways to cook at home rather than eat out.

The government is also to blame for the triggering of severe health issues through the promotion of unhealthy meals. Consumers need to know exactly what they are eating and how that can affect them. But at the same time, people need to more responsible for their actions and be more careful with the various products they invest their money into.
 

Pop Culture

Besem Etta-Ashu
Contemporary Literacy
Is Pop Culture Good For You?
February 9, 2020

The Importance of Pop Culture

There is a lot of importance when it comes to Pop Culture. When I read the article Small Changes: Why the Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted by Malcolm Gladwell, I was shocked by how the Civil-Rights movement began. I did not know that one of the biggest movements of all times started from just four college students protesting for their rights to sit at the Woolworth's lunch counter. This one incident that occurred several years ago has shaped history for several blacks around the world for many generations now. This is what pop culture does, pop cultures create history.

Pop Culture brings forth the most powerful people who are not afraid to voice out their opinions and stand against political powers. It also encourages people to fight for their rights, believes, cultures, and those of others as well. Pop Culture is not meant to be posted on Twitter, Facebook, televised, emailed, texted, or on any social media platform, it has to be withness in person. 

I chose the word protest because it is a very strong powerful word that stood out to me in the reading. Activists and revolutionary leaders all used protest as a means of action to reach out to people and impact the lives of others who are willing to join their cause. People today are also using protests to go against political powers in attempts of making social changes, such as the Me Too Movement which fought against sexual harassment and students walking out to protest against gun violence. 

                                                                             

As we discussed in class, not every aspect of Pop Culture is good because not everything is meant to be kept or preserved as pop culture. As time passes, new cultures are developed every day which becomes considered as pop culture. I do not think we are necessarily losing our pop culture, I think we are just redefining pop culture so that it fits our modern day because if we are constantly doing the same things from the past to preserve pop culture, then we get stuck in time.

As time evolves, so does Pop Culture.