Is Higher Education Worth the Price?

College is a fundamental growing experience for many young people and people looking to advance further in their passions and set their career. However, with the increasing costs of higher education as well as many majors being considered "useless", students are questioning whether college is even worth it.
Many believe that the problem of prices and learning at college can be fixed with a better allocation of funds, so that they are not so focused on research/postgraduate studies at schools primarily for undergrads, because "postgraduate studies have a place", written in "Are
Colleges Worth the Price of Admission?" by Andrew
Hacker and Claudia Dreifus, who also called for the end
of tenure and exploitation of adjuncts, as well as for
professors to be held more accountable for their teaching.

There are many arguments to this, as some believe that college is mainly for high academic and rigorous careers and others should just go to vocational school. However, many believe that the value of a college degree, even a liberal arts degree (which has many times been dismissed as an unemployable degree and silly thing to waster college on), has provided students with great skills and knowledge, that can be applied to a wide array of jobs and markets.

Is Fast Food the New Tobacco?

          

Obesity has been a mounting problem in the United States, with over 40% of adults being obese, causing a multitude of other health problems like heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. This epidemic is partly caused by the prevalence of fast food in our culture. While some may say that people should know better than to eat fast food all the time, many don't really have other options. Poverty plays a big role in food problems. Fast food is much more convenient, lower in price, and more filling, which is especially enjoyable for the children of parents in low-income communities.



Many believe that the best way to combat the
obesity/fast food problem is to not do anything, at least legally. But instead, stop making obesity a public health issue, and encourage a culture of self-responsibility, "freeing insurance companies to reward healthy eating habits, and penalize poor ones", as Radley Balko expressed in his article, "What You Eat is Your Business". However, many find that approach dangerous and demand that fast food companies take responsibility and are more open about their food/calories, and carry warning labels "the way tobacco ads do", written in "Don't Blame the Eater" by
David Zinczen ko, who has struggled with obesity himself.

Literacy History Blog

     My earliest memory of being "literate", or learning to read, was when I was around 4 or 5 and my parents, usually, my mom, would read me kids' books. My mother would trace over the letters with her fingers and help me sound them out, making sure I understood every sound the letters made and the meaning of the words and sentences when they were all put together. I was always encouraged to read at a young age and my parents and teachers would dedicate their time to help me and offer support. I've always associated literacy with power and nurturing. I was fortunate in that sense that I had people around me who were able to aid me and work with me in my literacy journey and genuinely cared about my learning. Once I felt I got the hang of it, I would read all the time, I was in love with it, constantly carrying a book around in my hand, getting lost in the universes and fantasy worlds that these authors would create. I was able to escape and felt my creativity blossom every time I opened a book. The ability to read has always played a huge role in my life in that sense. It helped introduce me to brand new worlds and ideas and ways of thinking. Not only that, but it also helped understand people better, especially through their writing style. The way that people express their ideas shows who they are better than anything.

      As I got older and began to expand my reading comprehension and knowledge, I started looking for more challenging and dynamic literature, expanding my palette to more classic novels, as well as poetry. What excites me the most about these types of readings is that they're not easily understandable. When reading classic novels in old English, as well as poetry, you have to, essentially, translate the words into something you can understand. The challenge makes the reading more fun and interesting for me, adding another layer of mental stimulation. 

      I'm grateful for the support I have received throughout the years and being able to buy and access the many novels and readings that have shaped my tastes and identity.