Essay 2 My Favorite Reality

Nicolette Van Duysen

September 25, 2014

English 1100

Essay 2

My Favorite Reality

            I opened the door with a powerful swing hitting the wall echoing my emphasis in the room. I walked around with my cell phone video taping in circles the place I am in the most so far in college. Most people get so caught up in the experience that they spend the least amount of time in their dorm rooms’ as possible; however for me, it is the exact opposite. When I walk in my room I experience a weight being lifted off my shoulders, and I take a deep relaxing breath of relief knowing that all my classes are done for the day and I finally get some free time to myself. I step on my carpet as soon as I walk in feeling the smooth fuzz brush against my feet. I make my way to my bed eager to feel that relaxing “plop” as I let myself fall back into it knowing I have accomplished another day. It instantly makes me feel happy surrounded by all of the pictures from home that I am encompassed with. However, the reality of it is that I would not be able to be in my favorite place if I did not pay an overload of money for the cost of tuition. Furthermore, the cost of tuition is exceedingly overpriced resulting in numerous consequences; therefore, administration needs to see the students’ daily struggle with money and take this predicament into action.

            That is, I love going to my dorm room everyday; especially when I just have came back from a long day of strenuous classes. Nevertheless, it is difficult to fully enjoy my favorite place of my dorm, knowing the disgusting amounts of money I paid for such little benefits like that. This is just the reality of life, everyone has money issues everywhere and unless your Bill Gates, you should watch how you spend it. Not only effecting me, but a majority of the people that attend this school complain that the tuition is ridiculous amounts of money that people cannot afford to just be throwing around. Even though we do get an education out of it, which will help us for the rest of our lives, the prices are too high with the amount of problems that are occurring with it.

            That being said, one of the problems of the tuition cost is the fact that we have less money to spend on everything else. For example, because an abundant amount of our cash that our parents get paid weekly is going into saving in order to pay for the insane amount of tuition, we have to be extremely careful on what we can and cannot spend. Not only in our community money is a problem everywhere. In the passage, “Harlem, Art, and Literacy and Documenting ‘Harlem Is Art’/ ‘Harlem as Art,’” by Valerie Kinloch, the citizens of that community were complaining that if former President Bill Clinton lived there or opened offices in Harlem their rent will go up. In addition, characters in the piece were talking about how new things are being brought into their town that they could not afford; the author states, “ … Phillip pointed out the renovated apartment building on one corner, the new drugstore on another, and the ‘crazy priced’ new dry cleaners.” (Kinloch).  In my opinion, I felt like I was in their shoes reading that because, I was able to afford everything all throughout high school without really having to worry about the struggles of it all, but now everything is a struggle just so my parents could afford this new school. Due to the fact that I am now in this school and new environment it has taking over my life that I cannot go out and buy what I normally do, instead have to save the limited money that I am given.

            One solution to this problem could be, to take matters into my own hands and get a job. In order to obtain more money I could be more responsible and go out and get a job on my own. This way I do not have to depend on my parents for the portions of money they gave me and trying to save it, I could have my own that I am earning myself. This takes care of any extra necessities that I need to buy and take care of but it would feel better coming out of my own pocket of earned money. Even though I would be earning my own, the frustration of the high tuition will always be in the back of my mind not only for the cost, but also for the constant concern of the fact that I do not receive that much for what I pay.

            That being said, we pay numerous amounts of money to attend Fairleigh Dickinson, but we have limited benefits in return. I cannot keep myself from asking the question where does all of this money go? For paying this much, we should receive more from the school than what we are getting. For instance, with the stacks of money and payments the school is receiving from each student you would think they would have the audacity to at least supply us with books. After paying all of this money to get in, on top of that we have to pay hundreds more for books that only last us a semester and pay hundreds more for different books in just a couple of months. In addition, walking into other sports fields in all types of athletics their fields compare to ours is not even a competition. Bigger football stands creating a better and more enjoyable environment; numerous soccer teams have their own turf field, when our soccer team has to struggle sharing it with the football, field hockey, and lacrosse teams. In addition, one of the most significant benefits that we lack is food. I have not met a single person who purely enjoyed the food from the cafeteria. It is a necessity to either have more food choices that do not cost money, or use some costs for food. Evidently, it is just minute benefits that would make our school a happier place to enjoy that we are paying all of this money for.

            Consequently, a solution to this predicament could be the administration hearing people out and considering to help pay for some of these costs. Administration should think more about what would make the school a better environment to be in. It is not fair that we have to pay all of this money to get little back; therefore, they should try to carefully put some extra money in funds to help support these constant problems. Also, we could try to have school fund raisers and try to raise money that way if we are still coming up short. We could find more things to sell or bake, and as a school to come up with the amount of money needed to make these changes. Money is a constant struggle from your whole college experience to even after, which is why it is significant that we be smart about it.

            Another problem about the high tuition costs are the fact that we still have debt to pay out of college. We have to pay off all of the debts from our time being here. It is almost like we struggled with cash throughout college just to struggle as soon as we come out. Compared to most schools, Fairleigh Dickinson’s tuition is significantly more expensive it is a difficult thing to think about that after all of this and graduation we are still going to have to be paying for our time here. We should be spending this money on future jobs, gas to go to these future jobs, and even thinking about living on your own, we should not still have to be worrying about college tuitions.

            Evidently, a solution to this could be that everyone could get second jobs. Including you as a student working, your parents could get seconds jobs as well during whatever it takes to pay off that dealthy tuition cost and all of your debts. Also, you could join the program of work-study, which is basically a job in school that will take one thousand dollars off of your tuition. Even though it does not sound like a lot by looking at how high the cost is, it will make a difference if every chance you get you join work-study and help out your parents.  With multiple jobs, and the student doing work on their own debt could be possible to pay off.

            In conclusion, it is insane to pay the amount of money each student does to go here and attempt to work around spending around limits, not having practically any benefits, and worrying about debt. People should take a stand against administration because if we don’t who will? After all, all of this money is coming out of our pockets we might as well fight to benefit us. Who could it hurt? If we do not take this into action administration will just continue to walk all over us taking every penny we own in our pockets. I will not be around and take this overpriced cost for just an education anymore, will you?

My Favorite Place

Nicolette Van Duysen

September 20, 2014

English 1100

Paper on my Favorite Place

            The luminescent sun shines all different colors over the horizon; pink, orange, yellow, I watched all of them change in complete serene relaxation. Just to embrace the quiet nature of outdoors while completely clearing your mind for hours, it is safe to say that this is by far my favorite spot. I remember the day I first discovered the spot.   The spot almost seemed surreal but I loved it and wanted to go all of the time. Another remarkable thing about this place is, it is peaceful and quiet so you could try to contain and trap your own thoughts take a deep breath and realize everything that you have been stressing over for the past week is not that bad. If a pin dropped it would have got your attention to the point where you would look over your shoulder to see where it have fallen; dead silence. That left nothing but our thoughts and voices, that in those moments we could just talk about anything for hours not realizing the time before I would look at my phone and see eleven angry missed calls from my mom. In addition, if you really wanted to you could bring headphones and have nothing but the site in front of you and your music to calm you down, something I still need to do. You would think that the smoke from the factory has some effect on the smell around the place or the dumpster not far behind, but you can only smell the pine and grass of nature. When I felt a glimpse of sadness that in the winter I would miss this spot, he would tell me that that is when it is the very best. The winter snow glistens over the area and amongst the trees making the view the most breathing taking of all, making me eager to come back to the winter snow and see this site. Especially seeing deer prance their footprints in the snow, since they like to visit the spot quiet often as well. The other times I have been at the spot is with Jomar, and I probably would not go without him. It is only special when we are both there to enjoy it, plus it would be kind of creepy if I just randomly showed up in his backyard to walk to the spot from time to time. It will always be special to me, and I cannot wait to go back.

I was at my best friend Omar’s house and he claimed that he wanted to show me his special spot where he goes to think all of the time. Eagerly I followed and walked down the hill behind his house. There is a rigid concrete step that we sat on, but the view made it all worth it. There was an overwhelming big circle of land of just nature, where you could see the forest both to the left and your right, and a towering factory building puffing out smoke at the top. All together the view was breathtaking with the sun setting all different colors. The thing I love most about the place is it will always be beautiful to me no matter what time of the day you go. As we started going more and more I considered it to be my spot too. I noticed at night that the stars would glisten over the sky at the spot where you could just look up and see what seemed to be thousands of them. One time, I even saw a shooting star.

Hip-Hop Planet Response

Nicolette Van Duysen

September 20, 2014

English 1100

Response to “Hip Hop Planet”

Evidently, in the passage “Hip Hop Planet,” by James McBride, his perspective on the music genre of Hip Hop drastically changes from the beginning throughout the piece. He starts off with a negative perception of that kind of music with the imagery of what a horror it would be for his daughter to walk in with a rapper and claim their marriage, and the mind-boggling thought of any offspring occurring from that relationship. McBride almost makes it seem as if he lives in a world of hip-hop that he cannot escape from. As the imagery switches over to a past experience when he first had heard hip-hop in the kitchen of a party and recalled the battles between the turntables and the vibe of the atmosphere and he thought, “… it was the most ridiculous thing I’d ever heard.” (McBride). After that flashback occurs McBride goes to explain how hip-hop became a significant part of his life shaping his identity. He unfortunately stated in the passage that he had missed the most essential part of his cultural event because, the music brought him everything that he wanted to leave behind. However, facing this he realizes that the history and struggles of these versus and songs shape him into who he is especially relating to his culture. Not only was it a good tune to head bop along to at a party but also he realized the realities of these songs that he was running away from. He comes to understanding that, “To many of my generation, despite all attempts to exploit it, belittle it, numb it, classify it, and analyze it, hip-hop remains an enigma, a clarion call, a cry of ‘ I am’ from the youth of the world. We’d be wise, I suppose to start paying attention.” (McBride).

The author goes on to talk about how hip-hop is a representation of identity. It is an identity for artists themselves and their different styles, “… spread the word ‘I’ because the music was all about identity: I am the best.”(McBride). Every graffiti artist wanted to be known to buy their music because, they could reach out and understand people the best. McBride realized that it applied to young teenagers and how “the music represents an old dream” and gives motivation  to go out and be somebody even if it is a little far fetched. It helps adults like him, to see and understand the problems that kids are going through, and it could relate to themselves as well(such as their job struggles). McBride states, “ But rap music represents a deeper dream: a better life. ‘We want money to help our parents,’ Assane says over dinner. ‘We watch our mothers boil water to cook and have nothing to put in the pot.” (McBride). McBride has grown to love the music because, it is an identity for him and emphasizing on his culture with job struggles, everyday struggles, hopeless dreams, violence, and everything else that became a reality for him; he was just not opened to it at first because he was not ready to accept them.

Final Draft Of Identity Essay Analdua

Nicolette Van Duysen

September 2, 2014

English 1100

Response to “How to Tame a Wild Tongue”

            Did you ever wonder what really makes you who you are? In the passage “How to Tame a Wild Tongue,” by Gloria Anzaldua, she explains how your language is what makes up your identity. In her work she gives the reader insight to her language and how it is significant to her in describing who she is. As a reader to her work I would agree that that your language makes up a piece of who you are. It’s how you speak, read, understand things and shows a little bit of your culture; however, it is only part of who you are. Even though language gives you a form of self, it is just a smaller portion of the list of things that identifies you. However, my town creates my identity because, it taught me everything growing up shaping my personality and who I am today; in my opinion, where you are from ties everything together about your identity and makes up the largest part of what makes you, you.

Evidently, for Azaldua in her piece, “How to Tame a Wild Tongue,” she used language as a form of identity and how to express herself; however, for me it is my town. I grew up there nearly my whole life and know it inside and out. My town is called Freehold and it made me into the person I am today. For instance, I had various memories there that I will have with me for the rest of my life and along with them comes with life lessons. I cherish countless amounts of memories I’ve had in Freehold: the good, which make me show my love and appreciation for what I have, and the bad that has stemmed where my morals lie today and how guarded I am as a person.  Each place, that is similar to certain landmarks in Freehold always makes me have my town in the back of my mind. Whether each person’s experience was good or bad, the town that you grew up in made every individual into the person they are today.

            Furthermore, relating to Azaldua’s multiple languages, in my town we say words that other towns outside of our area may have never heard of before. For example, we say words like “shive”, which means if you say you are going to do something and then do not do it you are a “shive” or “just shived”. There are various words other than this one that if you were to say anywhere else people would just look at you funny; since it has become a part of my personality and everyday language I still say these words. This is similar to when she used the word “Pachuco.” Pachuco is the language that she only spoke with her friends and used slang that most people did not understand. Azaldua was able to understand this slang because she grew up saying these words with her friends, while other people not from her area would not understand her slang. This is the slang that she was talking about that she had only used with her friends. My town says words that you will not be able to find in the dictionary or by searching them on Google, probably cause of the fact that they do not exist in the English language; however, if anyone in Freehold uses these words, we would understand what the other person meant on instinct.

            In addition, as Azaldua continues to use language describing her identity, I believe your town forms your identity as well. In other words, where you grew up shapes you into everything you have become as you get older. For instance, even the language that you speak that Azaldua is so passionate about, comes from where you were raised and how you have been taught by the people around you. Azaldua states in the text, “… I am my language. Until I can take pride in my language, I cannot take pride in myself.” I feel the same way about where you grew up. If you cannot take  pride in that, and realize where you were raised built you in your years, then you need to do a reevaluation on who you think you are. My town is my rock because that is where I grew up, and everything I learned and will continue learning in my years is stemmed off of it. Your town has done the significant job of making you who you are, as life goes on you will always go through changes, but you will never change the person you are inside and have become. That is, where you grew up makes you into the person you are today.

            That being said, my town is one of the most essential things that create my identity. However, going by Azaldua’s perspective she claims that her language is her identity. The town you are from creates your character. On the other hand, language is a big part of your identity, but it is just an example of the things that come with where you grew up (the greater picture). You could speak a different language and be the exact same person at heart, but if I had grew up somewhere else, I would not be the same person that I am today. In my opinion, that statement holds true for everyone as well. All that you have become is from right in that couple mile distance that you knew every square inch of your whole life. The irony of it, is numerous people complain all their years about how they want to leave their town and just grow up already; however, as soon as they grow up they would give anything to go back.