What drew me into the essay was the way it was written.  The writer uses a sarcastic and humorous tone throughout the piece that keeps readers laughing and wanting to read more.  I liked that Janis did not focus on just one travel experience, but included stories about many different hotels she has stayed at.  All of the different stories were entertaining and made me thankful for not having any travel experiences like that of the writer.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/16/AR2005121600670.html

Eng 251- Persuasive Essay Draft 2

Nicholas

April 12, 2008

            Picture two different public middle schools.  They are both medium sized, two story, brick buildings located in a small town.  The schools contain a diverse student body of children ranging from sixth to eighth grade.  In school number one, the year begins on a hectic note.  The first day back, the hallways are chaotic.  Students are loud and many are misbehaving.  The students look messy, shirts hanging out, baggy pants on boys, too short skirts on girls, and some clothing with inappropriate sayings or pictures.  In school number two, uniforms are worn.  The students appear more calm and relaxed, as there is no excitement to see all the new outfits that people got over the past few months.  Students look much neater and put together.  Which school would you want your child to attend?

            The reason that many public schools refuse to implement a uniform is because the administrators and parents feel that the students’ right of individuality is being taken away.  Some people feel that having that having or not having a school uniform is a student rights issue.  The question that people against school uniforms ask is, do schools have the right to tell a student what to wear?  Jon Swain is a researcher at the Institute of Education in London, which shows that the debate over uniforms is not only occurring in the United States.  He observed a middle school class for nine months in a school that had a very relaxed dress code policy.  According to Swain, “Fashion (including clothing styles) has an important function in classifications, and taste in clothing was one way that the pupils used as a means of uniting, including and differentiating themselves from others” (60).  Students are able to relate to each other and express themselves through the clothes they wear.  By not having a dress code, many feel that the students are able to maintain their sense of identity.  But aren’t there other ways of expressing yourself?

            In schools without uniforms, a students’ clothing becomes a factor of their identity and personality.  Wendell Anderson works for the office of educational research and improvement in Washington, D.C.  He compiled research from school board members, school administrators, parents, teachers, and students to write out his report on the school uniform debate.  Anderson states, “Middle school students can sometimes be cruel.  If a student does not have the ‘right’ kind of clothing, students can make life very difficult for that student” (8).  Students often judge others depending on what type of clothing they are wearing and the brand name that is written across their shirt.  A person should not be judged by the type of clothes they wear, but by the type of person they are.  A school is not a fashion show, it is a center for learning.  Students have enough things to worry about between school work and home life that they should not have the burden of deciding if their clothes are cool enough to wear to school.  In a survey done in a Tennessee school that had recently implemented a uniform, parents commented that the students were more focused on academics and were performing better academically in school (Anderson 7).  With the elimination of the competition involved in what each other wear, students are able to concentrate on what is really important, which is their school work, not what the latest fashion trends are.

            Besides the elimination of competition, uniforms can lessen behavioral problems and keep students focused because they provide a more ordered environment.  Edwin Darden is a writer for the American School Board Journal and wrote an article on the school uniform debate.  He looked into research done by a Youngstown State professor who observed urban Ohio schools with new uniform policies.  The study found that “graduation rates increased by 11 percent, attendance rates went up, and suspension rates went down” (Darden 36).  There is other support of positive reactions to uniforms by students as well.  “In Long Beach, assaults and suspensions have dropped dramatically and attendance and test scores have increased since the mid-1990s, when the policy started” (Darden 37).  These researched cases prove that uniforms do benefit the students, and the school as a whole.  Although having uniforms may not necessarily remove all problems a school faces, they will help lessen them.

            Another point those opposed to uniforms make is that the cost of the uniforms is an issue to many families.  The same Tennessee school, as previously mentioned, was surveyed before the initiation of the school wide uniform.  Many parents expressed concern with the “initial expense of buying the uniform and the cost hurting families who could not afford the uniform” (Anderson 9).  Some families do not have the money to just go out and buy a uniform for their son or daughter, especially if the uniform is a new requirement and the parents do not have a lot of time to go purchase the clothes.  Without a uniform, parents feel that they are saving money because they think that uniforms do tend to be expensive.

            In reality, having a uniform would save parents money rather than have them spend more money than they normally do.  When owning a uniform only one or two sets of the outfit would have to be purchased.  If a parent bought two sets, this would still be cheaper than buying a whole wardrobe of brand name clothing.  “Some comparisons show that the cost of uniforms is significantly less than the cost of the latest fashions” (Anderson 8).  A uniform is a one time purchase, unless of course the student grows out of it and a new one is needed, but this happens with regular clothes as well.  The parents would buy the uniform, and not have to worry about what the student is going to wear everyday.  There would be no need to go “back to school” shopping, or to buy new clothes each time the season changes.  Money and time are saved.  Another thing to be considered with this one time purchase is younger members of the family.  In a normal situation of hand me down clothing, younger children might not like their older sibling’s clothes because they are no longer in style.  If the school they attend has a uniform, it could just be passed down to the other child without having to worry about the child opposing it.

            I wore a uniform throughout my elementary and high school years, and never had a problem with it.  Mornings were stress free because I had no problem deciding what to wear, it was decided for me.  I would wake up at what seemed like the crack of dawn.  I would keep my eyes closed as long as possible, listening to the birds chirping and trying to block out the bright rays of sun shining through my window.  Every morning my mom would yell up the stairs, “You two better be awake!”  I could hear my sister moving around as the floor squeaked and I would hop out of bed because my room is closer to the bathroom.  I had to get in there before her.  After the bathroom I would take my “lovely” plaid, pleated skirt off the hanger.  I put on my clean, white blouse and my “trendy” sweater vest.  Getting read for school took all of five minutes, and I was able to focus on what I had to do in school, not on what everyone was wearing.          

It is reported that individuality is important in the youth years of childhood and adolescence.  Students should be able to express their ideas and opinions, but when does this expression cross the line?  Many students in public elementary, middle, and high schools display their views, likes, and dislikes through the clothes that they wear in school.  Due to the amount of inappropriateness exhibited on students’ clothing in the recent years, many schools have implemented dress codes and have gone as far as to force students to wear a school uniform.  After completing 12 years of Catholic school, I believe that uniforms are not as bad as they are made out to be and do not put a damper on a students’ uniqueness.  Uniforms prevent the problem of deciding what to wear everyday and end the competition between students of what the latest trends are. 

Works Cited

Swain, Jon. “The Right Stuff: Fashioning an Identity Through Clothing in a Junior School.” Gender and Education 14 (2002): 53-69. EBSCO. 1 Apr. 2008 <http://blackboard.strose.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_9_1>.

Anderson, Wendell. “School Dress Codes and Uniform Policies.” Policy Report 4 (2002): 1-22. EBSCO. 1 Apr. 2008.

            <http://blackboard.strose.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_9_1>

Darden, Edwin C. “What Not to Wear.” American School Board Journal 195 (2008): 36-37. EBSCO. 12 Apr. 2008.

            <http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=27763458&site=ehost-live>

I found “The Choice” to be similar to some of Sparks’ other books, in particular “The Notebook”.  “The Notebook” is the first book I read by Sparks, and I decided to read it because I loved the movie and figured it would be a good choice.  This book also includes a love triangle.  Ally falls into summer love with Noah, who Ally’s family does not like because he is not as wealthy as them.  The summer ends, Ally goes away to school in New York, and Noah joins the army as their love is put on hold.  Ally meets someone else and gets engaged.  This book related closely to “The Choice” in the way that both are romance novels involving a love triange.

A friend recommended this book to me and I was not able to put it down.  The characters were very well developed and the reader was able to feel as if they knew the characters.  Sparks uses a good tactic of giving few details and tells certain ideas that make the reader think they know what is going on or what is going to happen, but then something totally different happened and the reader is left in a surprised state.  While reading I was unable to put the book down because I kept wanted to know what was going to happen next.  The story is romantic, shocking, sad, and suspenseful all at the same time.  If you want to read a book that will keep you guessing but also includes all of the classic love story elements, “The Choice” by Nicholas Sparks is a great read.  

            A law is unjust if it is inflicted on a minority that, as a result of being denied the right to vote, had no part in enacting or devising the law. (88)

Agreement:  You express a great deal of anxiety over our willingness to break laws.  This is certainly a legitimate concern. 

                I am grateful to God that, through the influence of the Negro church, the way of nonviolence became an integral part of our struggle. (92)     

Disagreement:  In your statement you assert that our actions, even though peaceful, must be condemned because they precipitate violence.  But is this a logical assertion? (90)

                            Actually, time itself is neutral; it can be used either destuctively or constructively. (90)

Recommendation:  Now is the time to make real the promise of democracy and transform our pending national elegy into a creative psalm of brotherhood. (91)

                                 Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. (90)

                        It is reported that individuality is important in the youth years of childhood and adolescence.  Students should be able to express their ideas and opinions, but when does this expression cross the line?  Many students in public elementary, middle, and high schools display their views, likes, and dislikes through the clothes that they wear in school.  Due to the amount of inappropriateness exhibited on students’ clothing in the recent years, many schools have implemented dress codes and have gone as far as to force students to wear a school uniform.  After completing 12 years of Catholic school, I believe that unifroms are not as bad as they are made out to be and do not damper a students’ uniqueness.  Uniforms prevent the problem of deciding what to wear everyday and end the competition between students of what everyone is wearing. 

“The Choice” is a the story of a love triangle between Gabby, Kevin, and Travis.  As the story unfolds the reader becomes aware of a number of choices that have to be made, as the title hints.  Throughout Part 1 the reader is constantly guessing who Gabby is going to choose to be with.  During part 2 the reader learns of one of the choices that had to be made.  The second choice was not quite made by a person, but was more made for a person.  The book was hard to put down because the reader wants to know what is going to happen next.  The story is romantic, shocking, sad, and suspenseful all at the same time.  If you want to read a book that will keep you guessing but also includes the classic love story elements, “The Choice” by Nicholas Sparks is a great choice. 

My big sister Katy is 23 years old.  People say we look alike but we both agree that we don’t see it.  She has big blue eyes, short brown, wavy hair, and is about 5’7.  When we were growing up I always like giving the girls in my family hair do’s.  I always wanted to do Katy’s hair because it was so pretty and wavy, unlike my hair and my mother’s hair which is pin straight.  I remember my mom saying “Oh Katy just let your sister give you a nice do you can take it right out.” “No she’s not touching my hair!” was always her reply.  Time went by pretty fast.  One day I was trying to give my sister a new hairstyle the next thing I know she was graduating college.  Katy is a graduate of Fairfield University in Connecticut.  She graduated in 2006 with a degree in mathematics.  She was unsure throughout college as to what she wanted to do when she graduated and changed her major a few times over the four years.  One semester she would say “I really like biology so I think I’m going to major in that.”  The next semester it was “Biology is way too hard I think I like math better.”  Katy loved college and definitely did not want to graduate and have to enter the real world.  She has always been a fan of the water.  She was a lifeguard during high school and her freshman year in college she joined the women’s crew team.  I remember going to one of their races out on Long Island when I was in highschool.  It was in the end of March so it was still pretty cold out.  The wind was blowing and just by looking at the water you could tell that it was freezing, but that did not slow the girls down.  We watched the girls as they came into view and rowed as hard as they could, sliding forward and back with each stroke of the oar.  As they crossed the finish line the crowd cheered and tired bodies breathed a sigh of relief.  Katy’s junior year she landed a job at a yacht club driving a launch boat and loved every minute of it.  She made decent pay for a summer job and did not have a problem getting up and going to work every day because she liked what she was doing so much. 

Before:  My sister Katy is a graduate of Fairfield University in Connecticut.  She graduated in 2006 with a degree in mathematics.  She was unsure throughout college as to what she wanted to do when she graduated and changed her major a few times over the four years.  Katy loved college and definitely did not want to graduate and have to enter the real world.  She has always been a fan of the water.  She was a lifeguard during high school and her freshman year in college she joined the women’s crew team.  Katy’s junior year she landed a job at a yacht club driving a launch boat and loved every minute of it.  She made decent pay for a summer job and did not have a problem getting up and going to work every day because she liked what she was doing so much. 

Eng 251- Reflection Essay Draft 1

Nicholas

February 24, 2008

            Two things in American society that seem to be of paramount importance are education and money.  These things are related in the sense that when we are growing up we are told that if we go to college we will get a good job and make a lot of money, but is that what life should be all about?  It is said that money doesn’t buy happiness, so is it worth it to work at a job you hate just so you can have a lot of money?  In the United States 63 % of high school graduates go on to college immediately following graduation.  College graduates on average earn about double the salary of a high school graduate and this is one of the motivating factors as to why more than half of the American population choose to attend college.  But then questions come up about life after college.  You go to college and spend insane amounts of money on your education so you can get a job and support yourself, but a large chunk of your salary is going to be used to pay back all of the loans you took out.  Is it really worth it when all the expenses are factored in?  Will you ever really get to enjoy that large salary you are making?

            My sister Katy is a graduate of Fairfield University in Connecticut.  She graduated in 2006 with a degree in mathematics.  She was unsure throughout college as to what she wanted to do when she graduated and changed her major a few times over the four years.  Katy loved college and definitely did not want to graduate and have to enter the real world.  She has always been a fan of the water.  She was a lifeguard during high school and her freshman year in college she joined the women’s crew team.  Katy’s junior year she landed a job at a yacht club driving a launch boat and loved every minute of it.  She made decent pay for a summer job and did not have a problem getting up and going to work every day because she liked what she was doing so much.  After graduation she continued working at the yacht club for the summer and was going to look for a “real” job when the summer ended even though our parents were pushing her to find one sooner.  The job subject came up a lot and I’m sure it bothered Katy because she was unsure about her future.  She did not know what she wanted to do, but she did know what she did not want to do.  My mom would tell her to look into companies in the city and her reply was always “I can’t do that I don’t want to be stuck in an office at a computer all day.”  “Well you’re not going to drive a boat for the rest of your life,” was what mom would say back.  This conversation was held numerous times throughout the summer until talk about the Coast Guard came up.  Someone at the yacht club said something to her about it and she really started to consider it as a career option.  My mom, dad, and I were very surprised and did not see that coming at all, but it made sense.  She loved the water, liked being out on the boat, and was a very active person so why not join the Coast Guard?  When Katy decided that she was going to join we were all shocked, nervous, and a little scared.  I remember my mom saying “That is my first born daughter they better treat her good.”  It was strange because I would never think that my sister would join the military, and then she did.

            The Coast Guard is the smallest military branch and it originated in 1790. The Coast Guard is America’s oldest maritime agency.  There are approximately 35,000 active duty members of the Coast Guard, which makes it smaller than the New York City Police Department.  I was surprised when my sister told me that the Coast Guard’s boot camp’s level of difficulty is second only to the Marines. 

Katy left for boot camp in Cape May, New Jersey on January 15, 2007 and I can remember the day like it was yesterday.  I felt so bad for my parents because on that day both of their little girls were leaving.  I was coming back up to college and Katy was joining the military.  Her recruiting officer Dave came to the house in the afternoon to pick her up and take her down to Brooklyn where all the recruits would meet.  They would then take a plane to Pennsylvania and a bus down to New Jersey.  The recruiting officer did not stay long and reality quickly hit when he said “well are you ready to go?”  The tears were filling my mother’s eyes as she hugged her daughter goodbye.  Dave reassured her saying “Don’t worry, she’s going to do great.”  I gave my sister a hug and did not want to let go.  I would not see her for three months which is the longest time any of us have been apart from each other.  It was a really weird feeling realizing that I would not be able to pick up my phone and give her a call whenever I felt like it.

I was proud of the decision my sister made to go against the grain and completely change the direction that her life was taking.  The starting salary of an enlisted member of the Coast Guard is not very high, but as with most jobs, as you advance the pay gets better.  Since she has a college education she could have entered as an officer and my parents really tried to get her to do that, but she chose not to because an officer has to do all the work that she was trying to avoid in the first place.  Katy loves the work she is doing right now and I think she chose a very honorable career path.  I always keep her decision in my mind as I think about my future.  I try to remember that money should not motivate me, I should find a job that I enjoy doing and have confidence that everything else will fall into place. 

2. Silence can be deafening.

3. The normal actions of males can often be seen as improper when demonstrated by females.

4. Walk away physically, but still remain mentally.

5. Faith is about believing without seeing and knowing without proof.

6. Forever always seems to be around when it begins.

7. The end is just a new beginning.

8. Out of sight, not necessarily out of mind.

9. Time well wasted is never really wasted.

10. If you don’t really mean it, no sense in apoligizing.

11. Things that are forgiven are usually never forgotten.

12. Friends may come and go, but family is forever.

13. Laughter: a healthy addiction.

14. Smiling is contagious so infect people daily.

15. Tomorrow is not promised and yesterday can’t be changed so remember to just live for the moment.

16. The struggle will always be worth it in the end.

17. Never regret something that you originally wanted.

18. After college summer comes to an end for most, but not for teachers.

19. Money may not buy happiness, but it doesn’t really hurt either.

20. Whoever said that highschool is the best years of your life clearly did not go to college.

21. When help is offered taken, and when it is not offered ask for it.

22. A day is never wasted if it is lived to its full potential.

23. Crying may not be an answer to problems but it sure helps get through them.

24. People may fall into love quickly, but the spark may fade just as fast.

25. Try not to see things as black and white, look for the gray area.