Short Essay

Currently, I believe that one of, if not, the most prevalent issue on UK’s campus is the abuse and the illegal distribution of “study drugs” such as vyvanse and adderall.  As a stimulant, this may seem ideal for college students who decide to spend the whole night cramming for an exam, but at what cost?

As a Student Wellness Ambassador, one of my jobs this semester will be to educate students on the effects, dangers, and legal repercussions of abusing and distributing prescription medication such as adderall.  A testament to the problem: While studying in the library alone one late evening, a guy set his things down across from me. At first I thought nothing of it, but then I heard him.

“Psssst.” I took out my headphones to ask him what it is he wanted, thinking he was going to ask if I had a spare pencil or something. I was wrong. He pulled out a plastic baggie with two tablets of adderall and asked if I’d buy it from him.  All I could think was “Are you serious?”  Of course, I turned him down, but in that moment I came to a realization.

I realized that there were probably five more guys just like him, one on every floor of the library, and in the larger scope of things, I came to the conclusion that with 30,000 students at UK, there have to be hundreds of drug deals like this that go down every day.  The students that buy these drugs are, of course, unaware of the dangers of what they’re about to take.  If they don’t know who they’re getting it from they could even get harder drugs that the dealer gave to them.

Addiction is a serious problem, and when taking a class II drug like adderall, a large chance presents itself for the user to become addicted, due to the high levels of dopamine and serotonin released.  The user then becomes deficient in these neurotransmitters and can experience depression and anxiety as well as a much larger range of possible side effects.

I believe that the student wellness ambassadors will do a good job of tackling this major issue and I’m honored to be able to warn students about the dangers of  illegal substances before it’s too late for them to make the right decision.

My dual entry journal

In class free writing 1/20

Horsing Around (Final Cut)

Final Reflection Essay

Final Reflection Essay

This semester was a challenge to say the least, but I believe that our final product was worth all the hard work we put into it.  I believe the largest struggle I faced during this project was time management, as I easily could have used much more of my time editing the video. I spent a total of six hours editing film, and the final result is what I am most proud of after all the effort I put into it.  I would have liked to go more into depth about Tiffany, a rider from Honduras, and followed her story leading up to a major event, but the time to do so just wasn’t there. I was personally responsible for the storage and editing, and the recording of film.  I feel like I contributed my fair share of effort towards the completion of this project. I edited in my free time so that we wouldn’t have to stress over it, but I wish I helped communicate more effectively with my group.

I believe I have gained the critical thinking skills necessary during this semester to see the underlying issues and stigmas that are apparent in different arguments and opinionated articles.  I thoroughly enjoyed the way we went through different communication skills, and by doing this, I feel I am able to convey and my thoughts clearly in any way I may have to.  I believe the way class was conducted was a very good way to bring out our individual abilities and I think the public speaking and presentation is the most important part of communicating with others, therefore there is nothing I would do to change this class.  If I could change just one thing about the course, it would be how often we do activities, such as the feet wet speeches we did.

Madeon - The City (MUSIC VIDEO)

The Longest shot in this video starts at 3:43 and lasts about 12 seconds

Rise of the NBA Nerd

In the Article “Rise of the NBA Nerd,” I believe that author Wesley Morris is not just making a statement about a new fashion fad that includes dressing like a nerd, but he is making the argument that these changes which are taking place are affecting all areas of black culture and popularity.  

As an Example, Morris uses actor Sammy Davis Jr., better known as “Carlton” from the T.V. show The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Morris makes the statement that the idea of “a rich black kid” was still quite an unsettling thought to most folks in the 90’s and Carlton was the ideal example of the kind of rich black kid that white people wanted in the 90’s.  His style and demeanor related to, “selling out” or accepting white idealism to many.

Many characters, such as Carlton, and Urkel left a legacy which has even affected today’s culture.  The fact is, many black celebrities, such as basketball players and rappers, have embraced this trending geek sheik, I believe, to convey to the rich black kids out there that wearing nice clothes and acting in a dignified manner is not equivalent to selling out to white idealism, but it is rather an acceptance of self and individuality.  The clothes we wear reflect our personalities, and are used to express ourselves.  

Take for example, the rap group Odd Future or the rapper Childish Gambino. They are a group of rappers who definitely do not fit the rap stereotype, yet they are one of the most distinguished rap groups due to their refusal to conform to the norm.  Due to this refusal, they have become widely known and widely admired by the public, all due to their self representation, and their willingness to act and dress in a manner that does not fit the racial stigma of a “rapper.”

Morris, at least to me, is making the argument that breaking away from the norm has actually helped in expanding developing black culture into something that is not normally thought of, and I strongly agree.  Black culture is more than fighting, rapping, and basketball, it also has a dignified and refined element to it as seen by the statements in fashion and demeanor shown by these individuals.  Black culture will never be the same as long as there are those who are not afraid not to conform.