Dear Future English 11o Students,

At the beginning of winter quarter I was anything but excited for my english 110.01 class. I have always had trouble with writing and I knew that I would be meet with many challenging assignments. Our first assignment which was to write an analytical research paper introduced me to a whole new genre of writing and a whole new set of challenges. Regardless of how difficult and foreign these new assignments may feel to you it is important to tackle them with confidence and hard work. Even if at first you don't understand the prompt it is important to keep working hard. I found that I did well on assignments when I asked lots of questions and I didn't give up. One thing I wish I would have done differently is I wish I would have stayed more organized and written down when all my assignments were due because any class is easier when you stay organized. As long as you stay organized and stay involved in class there is no reason why you won't do well in english. Work hard and good luck!

Kuffiyeh: Terrorist Symbol or Fashion Statment?

The article "Terrorist Chic" by Imaan Ali is about how the American public as a whole views the kuffiyeh scarf. It traditionally was worn in parts of the Arab world as a way of shielding one's face form the harsh climate, sun and sand. The kuffiyeh was also worn as a sign of resistance against the British in the 30s and by activists during the first Palestinian intifada in the 80s. Of course almost none of the American public knows the origin of the kuffiyeh and I don't think they care. Most ignorant Americans view it as a sign of terrorism and hatred and they don't care who wears it. Whether it is worn by Kanye West, Yasser Arafat, Rachel Ray or a young Arab-American to most Americans it still symbolizes the same thing. After reading this article I realized how sad it is that as a country we fear what we don't understand. If more Americans took the time to realize where this fashion statement came from they would understand that for many it is a symbol of the Palestine national struggle, the dream of being free, the right to a country and patriotism. Just because one terrorists decides to wear a kuffiyeh does not mean that ever single person who wears one is a terrorist as well. As a country we need to remember what our country stands for and what we value. As a country we value the freedom of speech and the freedom to wear what ever we wish without having to worry about being judged or targeted.

Facebook!

When I walk into study hall and pass the rows of student athletes, all sitting at their cubicles, I can pretty much bet that almost all of them will be on Facebook. In fact some people will sit there for hours and do nothing but look at everyone's pictures and pages. Even though I would not consider myself to be obsessed with Facebook, I sometimes find myself wasting my time just sitting on Facebook. The article, "Is Facebook Growing Up Too Fast?" from The New York Times suggests that maybe Facebook is having a hard time keeping up with new social networking, such as twitter. However, if you really think about it how much better can Facebook really get? It allows you to turn on your computer and instantly be connected with everyone you know from all over the country. Thinking about how much the average college student spends online I would have to disagree with The New York Times. Hate to say it, but Facebook isn't going anywhere.

There is nothing more comical than the simplicity and bluntness with which a child tells a story. Even though I am clearly to young to have any children of my own I have babysat enough times to know that young children tell some of the funniest stories, by far. The stay at home mom who writes on her blog, "It's Time for the Burkulater" always has a new story to share about her three young children. As a stay at home mom she also writes about all the crazy happenings she experiences in her daily life but the most entertaining posts are those involving her children. These hysterical and one of a kind stories not only update her friends and family on all that is going on in their lives but also to spark a little laughter. Most of the stories that she rewrites about her children are in dialogue form. Her style of writing is very effective because it is short and sweet and straight to the point. It brings instant laughter to anyone who reads it and it reminds us of how dramatic, innocent and honest children are. My personal favorite is "Grilled Cheese and Mary." If you don't believe me then read for yourself at http://burkulater.blogspot.com.

Food Food Food!

By looking at my food that is thrown up on my dorm room self it would be hard to get any sort of picture at all about who I am. Unless the fact that I have a box of cereal on my self says something profound about me then you would be out of luck. In my case its not really what I eat that says a lot about me but more how and when I eat. Between lacrosse practice, classes, homework, keeping up with my family and somehow finding time to sleep I normally am eating on the run. My lunch normally is nothing too exciting and I am normally stuffing my face before I walk into my next class. I try and eat healthy during the day because if I don't then trying to run at practice will be a joke and my lunch will most likely end up on the field. Not a pretty picture! Dinner on the other hand is a totally different story. Once it is dinner I know that my day is officially over and I have made it through another day of class and lacrosse. At dinner I normally eat all I want and whatever I want. Then after dinner I get an instant food coma, fall asleep, wake up and do it all over again. Just get me to summer!

After today's class I found David Brooks column, "The Outsourced Brain" to be extremely interesting. I agree with Brook's opinion that technology is causing us to think less. However, I don't know if I agree with his view point that this is negative change. Society relies more on new technology to help with everyday tasks because without it some individuals would truly be lost. I can not find my way around anywhere even if my life depended on it. As a result I find that I rely on GPS to get to most places. I would much rather rely on my GPS to get me to my final destination safely then spend my time driving up and down wrong streets and giving myself a headache. Maybe that makes me stupider but it always makes my life a lot easier.