Foundations of Liberal Arts, or "The State of America"

At Transy, all first-year students are required to take a class that we lovingly call FLA: Foundations of Liberal Arts. Most people are afraid of FLA because it involves reading, writing, and discussion. Generally, they're afraid of the writing part. But it's not so bad. Just between you and me, I really kind of enjoy FLA.

Most of the papers you'll write will be "informals" - two page stream-of-consciousness ramblings about a particular topic, article, or person you've been discussing. Often, informal writings can serve as good brainstorm-ers for longer "formals."

For example, most of the works that my FLA class has read have involved feminism and education themes. Our most recent informal paper asked us to express something specific we'd like to see changed about America, in light of these topics. Here's the essay that resulted:

The State of America

Although Caroline Bird doesn’t think college is worthwhile, I do. If I could enact any dream, I would give everyone the ability to think. This kind of thinking goes beyond simple stimulus and response. It is true analysis followed by intellectual discourse in the style of Plato. If college can inspire a little mental discomfort for students, then it can help to stretch their brains.

In order to turn our whole populace into thinkers – or at least to maximize the potential of any given individual – we must first change the public education system. But let’s cut the Miss America crap, so that I can get down to my points. The sad fact of it is that not every child in the kindergarten class is a thinker, but we mustn’t lead them to think that they’re not valued. Likewise, we can’t delude the children into thinking that they can be whatever they want when they grow up. I realize that this is harsh, but maybe it’s what Bird was trying to get at. It would be ideal if all of us could be deep philosophers, but that’s not the case.

At the risk of sounding communist, maybe China isn’t so wrong in prematurely segregating 6^th grade children into vocational and pre-college programs. In studies ranking nations by public education quality, those “inhumane” Chinese educators score higher than our own teachers… in every subject area. Even America’s medical schools and engineering programs love to admit the products of China’s public education system. Our job market is globalized, too. If America’s youth want to be able to keep pace with their foreign classmates, they need to be able to see the big picture.

America’s young people should dare to dream the dream, so long as that dream is specific, attainable, and realistic. The problem with this admittedly elitist ideology is that it would never be accepted in America: the land of economic opportunity. Telling someone, especially a child, that their dream is invalid would be sacrificing their individual freedom. Such a vision of the world is entirely too Horatio Alger-esque (“rags to riches”) to be worth anything more than Disney’s fantasized depictions of love. In a way, the fact that America deludes and will always continue to delude its children is as naïve as my wishing that everyone become a great thinker.

Thus, children in Western Civilization will forever be born into Plato’s allegorical cave, their eyes forever shielded from reality’s light. When they enter the proverbial “real world” to find their dreams shattered, it will already be too late. They’ll have wasted an entire lifetime on a useless public education.

Perhaps by attending college, I am fulfilling the stereotype that I so despise. Maybe I am meant to be a homemaker, not a scholar. Tannen and Gorelick would beg to differ, but often I feel housework to be my true calling. Such is my internal conflict.

Fall Break

I’ve successfully made it back to campus after a luxurious fall break at home. The family nearly detained me, but I narrowly escaped. Nana just HAD to make me one last dinner before I left…

Although spending some time with my family was relaxing compared to the loud bustle of the dorms, being at home was certainly a culture shock. Dad had complied an epic list of chores for me to perform. I was under the impression that once you moved away from home, obligations to housework were severed. I was mistaken. It also seems that when you return home, high school curfews are suddenly reinstated. If you want to go out with friends, you have to ask permission. Even though there are practically no rules at college.

In light of these surprises, fall break definitely gave my brain a chance to coast. Even though Dr. Goren gave a suggested reading from the chemistry textbook for our break, I spent my downtime reading silly romance novels. I also watched some television, which I found overwhelming for the most part. I’ve probably turned on the tiny, 13 inch TV a total of five times since moving it into my dorm room. At school there’s no time for TV, there’s always something to DO!

I was so excited for break as a chance to swear off my laptop for four whole days! I should explain that your laptop is your best friend at college – especially on a paperless campus like Transy’s. I lug my lovely Mac book around to all of the best study spots like the campus center and the library’s quiet section. I had requested a laptop case for Christmas, but after the first week of school it became apparent that I needed to ask Mom for advance access.

I also neglected my homework over the break. This sets a bad example of time management. I’m still adjusting to creating regular study habits that work for me, and although I intended to be productive over our precious days off, I focused on sleep instead.

If napping was a major at Transylvania, then I would no longer be “undecided.” Much to my roommate’s dismay, I am a professional napper. College students are often in stress mode or recovery mode. In either case, the best course of action is often sleeping. Going to bed early is a great practice, weekend slumber binges are quite beneficial, and even thirty minute power naps can recharge you enough to get the job done. One perk of dorm life is that your bed is right next to your desk. Why not take advantage of that?

So if I have been lazy with my blog updates lately, naps are likely to blame.