I don't know about everyone else, but for the last few classes I've left with a negative feeling. Our conversation last class about whether AU was our first choice or not, really got to me. I personally am thrilled that I got into AU and for me, it was one of my top choices. Several people seemed to have negative views on coming to AU and expressed them very clearly. It seems to me that a lot of people in our class are bitter about not going to the college of their choice, but why waste your time thinking about where you could have gone to school, when you are sitting in classroom at a university that offers so much. Wherever anyone goes to college, it becomes what they make of it. You can be happy in most universities, it's just up to you to use what the university offers and to keep a positive attitude. I felt almost hurt at what some people were saying about AU when AU was one of my top schools and I worked hard to get here.
Today's discussion would have been fine, but I think that people are unable to express their ideas without others shooting them down. Why can't we all just agree to disagree? If someone doesn't agree with what someone else said, then they should just respectfully state their opinion and let it go.
Bottom line, I think people need to relax and stop dwelling on the past.
p.s. HAPPY HALLOWEEN (almost)
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I do not think that it is fair to label people like myself as "bitter" for discussing their high hopes about college. I have accepted that I am here and I plan to make the best of it, but that does not mean that I shouldn't be allowed to express that AU was not my first choice. There is no negativity I just think that other people have different perceptions on what they expect to get from college. Initially, I did not think that AU could give me the things I expected to get out of college, but I did ultimately make the decision to come here, and it happened for a reason. Also, what makes it so wrong with people disagreeing? Of course we are all going to disagree in Explorations, we all have come from different backgrounds, and I think that when others share dissenting views is when learning will actually transpire.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting how some people have felt uncomfortable and others have felt comfortable with the past class discussions. I don't think people were being bitter, maybe frustrated is a more fitting word. Maybe people were a little bit frustrated or disappointed that they didn't get into their first-choice college? Either way, I think we all have to understand that it takes time to adjust and learn to love something. Also, AU is a school, that's it, it's only an institution that gives to its students but the students must also be willing to reach out and craft their own paths.
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing wrong with people disagreeing, i just think Molly is saying that people have been sometimes rude towards others who share a different viewpoint as them and thus some people are scared to speak up because they think that other students will just yell at them.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I completely agree with you, Molly! Your blog post reminds me of a reading I had for World Politics this weekend. My textbook stated that if you attend a university, you are already in the top quartile of education worldwide. If you think about it, that is HUGE! Even though we do live in one the richest countries in the world, we are so privileged to even be able to attend college, so I don't really think we should be complaining about which college we are attending.
Honestly, I think everyone should be allowed to express their first choice in colleges and how they may precieve that college to be better than American. However, once that intial statement has been expressed, I think it is time to move on. I agree with both Molly and Miranda's comments. It may be a bit harsh to label people as bitter, but when the establishment that we are all attending is getting ripped apart it comes off as if people are being "bitter". American has alot to offer and as chips and salsa said above its up to us to create our own paths and use the education that is being provided to us.
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