Sunday, 27 September 2015

Education Is The Key?




In the spoken-word video Why I Hate School But Love Education by Suli Breaks (Darryll Amoako) an anti-school theme is presented. Breaks expresses his views on the education system and how damaging it can be to a young mind. His poem encompasses examples from his own experience in post-secondary education. He uses 'zombie' imagery to describe how draining and challenging university is, and then he poses the question that the majority of us wonder; what's the point of it all? We see so many people after university struggling to find work. It's such a competitive world and we all are starting to feel the pressure of graduation and our futures. I believe that education and our school system is something that we have to do in order to be considered valid in our society. Suli Breaks mentions people like Bill Gates and Oprah Winfrey to strengthen his point: an individual can succeed in this world without a degree. The problem with this is that these people are merely exceptions, we can't all become the next Bill Gates. Most of us have to follow the system, get the degree, and make a name for ourselves because, unfortunately that is how our world operates. If you want to live a comfortable life, you're going to have to make an impression - getting a degree is an extremely crucial step in our Western world. To culminate, I don't agree with our system, I believe it's restrictive and limiting. It's unfortunate that our self-worth and intelligence is summed up in one final set of examinations, but I do think we have to follow the system and make the most out of it. The key thing to remember is that a degree is not your ticket to happiness or to money, it's a stepping stone, a leverage point. When I am struggling and working hard to achieve my post-secondary goals I'm definitely going to try my very hardest to not simply "fill my head" with information, but to learn and grow as an individual. Education is great, but we have to use the system of school to get us there. 

Sunday, 13 September 2015

Writing Frontiers




I'm very eager to begin an exploration on creativity and individualism during this course. I believe that this class will give me excellent opportunities to re-examine my previously established writing habits, as well as improve them greatly. I hope to learn more about writer's block and how to avoid it. I often find myself second guessing my writing, and then giving up if it isn't up to par. That's part of why I chose this particular quote. Perfection isn't everything, especially not in a creative writing class. I'm excited to be more loose and trusting with my writing in order to enjoy the artistic process more. Writing skills are crucial in every aspect of life. I value words and books and self-expression very much, and if I can learn new things as well as refine what I already practice - I could practically take on the world. Being able to communicate your thoughts and imagination with grace, clarity and confidence is a powerful and grand skill. This is a journey worth taking.