Journal #6: "The Birds and The Bees 101"

Journal #6: Read Joy Davis’ article about sex on campus, entitled Carnal Knowledge, found here: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1608/is_n9_v14/ai_21099910/
After reading the entire article, think about her conclusions. Do you agree with her 10 points that college students know? Do you think that the average college student is aware of these facts? Do you agree with her list of 10 facts that they should know? Are there any facts that you would remove or add to this list?

"Let's talk about sex." The one line that just seems to perk up the ears of all college students. "Let's talk about fractions", "Let talk about Hemingway", and "Let's talk about the spinal cord"... just doesn't have the same hold on college students as anything with the word about "sex." When you take young adults, who are all thinking of one thing, and one thing only- and throw them into co-ed dormitory's.

Joy Davis' article was very interesting. However, i think it's hard for me to decide what all college students know about sex. For example, I'm a virgin. I've made a life decision to save sex for marriage. So many would say, I know less about sex than the average college student. Others would argue, that I know more. I also would like to point out, that the article was written about 12 years ago. A lot has changed in the past 12 years...Everythings gotten just a bit worse.

Some points that stuck out to me:

10 things a college student ALREADY know
-# 10 "One-night stands can have major repercussions. " I've never lived on a college campus, but I have many close friends that do. I often visit them, and spend the night. And i see an immense amount of one night stands. Boys and Girls, who are okay with going into the opposites sex room for "company." Sure, they may know their are consequences to one-night stands. However, at the point of intoxication, lust and loneliness...the facts just don't weigh very heavy. Having "heard" one-night stands are risky and "knowing" is entirely two different things. Knowing is believing. And an immense amount of students do not believe, that the risk of one-night stands will effect them. So therefore, I don't think they actually "know" one-night stands can have major repercussions to THEM.

10 things a college student SHOULD know
- This part of the article is pretty basic. It's a nice overview of STDs knowledge, safe sex, pregnancy prevention and so on..Therefore, it 's pretty easy to agree with all the points made.

However, # 3 on the list states college students should know that alcohol and sex do not make a good match, especially in choosing a "bedfellow." I have yet, to met a college student who does not know this.

Overall, I enjoyed the article. I didn't learn a lot of new information, and I am a college student. I would also like to think, that if my friends were to reread this essay, they would feel the same way. I think most college students already know the facts. It just comes down to if they are willing to take the dangerous chances or listen.

Journal #5: "Playable/Pauseable/Replayable/Stoppable" Emotions

Journal #5: Create a list of songs, with one song that represents each of the FLASH emotions. In addition to the list of songs (with title and artist), be sure to explain why this song represents this emotion (i.e. what was wanted, not gotten, not given up, etc.). Bonus points are given if the student does background research on the song/artist and can provide additional relevant information that would be relevant to understanding the emotion behind the song.
This journal will be presented in class: Select one of your five songs to present in class and obtain it in an .mp3 format or on CD. Bring the song along with your journal content (no personal information is necessary) and be ready to present it in class on the noted day in the course schedule.

This was one of my favorite entries. I had a lot of fun rummaging through my ipod, and finding the perfect fit! I hope you enjoy the music I picked out! Every song is a different genre.

The FLASH Playlist:

*Click on the songs below (Next to the "O" symbol). Each link is a video that provides lyrics in addition to the audio of the song. When you are done playing the video, simply click "back" on your browser and this will bring you back to the blog! OR right click on the link and choose "open in a new tab".

• Emotion: O Artist- Song

1. Fear- ORihanna - Russian roulette
2. Happy- OMichael Buble- Feeling good
3. Sad- OA Fine Frenzy- Almost Lover
4. Anger- OAll-American Rejects- Gives you hell
5. Love- OColbie Caillat- Bubbly

FLASH Explanation:

1. Fear- when you anticipate a loss or a negative outcome
2. Happy- when you want something and you get it
3. Sad- when you want something, you are unable to get it, and you give up
4. Anger- when you want something, you are unable to get it, and you won't give up
5. Love- when you give unconditionally, enjoying the moment without expectations or wants

Song Explanation:

1. Fear- This song is filled with nothing but the anticipation of a negative outcome. The song uses the metaphor of playing "Russian Roulette", a game all about risking a very serious negative outcome. Players place a bullen in a the gun cylnder and spin it, then take turns pointing the bullet at their head. If the lose? They die. Rihanna sings the song with such a great fear in her voice, describing her beating heart and the slow pulling of the trigger. If you have been keeping up with pop culture and even if you haven't, you've probably heard about Rhianna's devastating story. She was beat mercilessly by her boyfriend and fellow singer, Chris Brown. This is the first single of her new album since the incident. The music on her new album are mostly filled with darkness and gloom, quite a change from Rhianna's previous music. "And you can see my heart beating- You can see it through my chest-And I’m terrified but I’m not leaving- Know that I must must pass this test- So just pull the trigger."
2. Happy- Buble is "feeling good". His song is filled with uplifting verses and positive images of freedom. He obviously wanted freedom and new change, and he has obtained it and he loves it! These few verses prove my conclusion: "River running free- You know how I feel...It's a new dawn- It's a new day- It's a new life - For me- And I'm feeling good". This a song that can surely turn a frown upside down, the perfect song to sing-a-long with once you've achieved a goal or collected something you've been wanting for a long time!
3. Sad- A Fine Frenzy creates the perfect break up song. When you want a relationship to work and it doesn't, sometimes you just have to give up. Put on some sweats, a baggy t-shirt, grab the tub of ice cream and sulk. "Goodbye, my almost lover- Goodbye, my hopeless dream- I'm trying not to think about you- Can't you just let me be? So long, my luckless romance- My back is turned on you- Should've known you'd bring me heartache-Almost lovers always do".
4. Anger- This Rocker Ex- boyfriend lost his girl friend because she wanted that "picket-fence future". Well, know he is famous and successful and he is rubbing it in her face. He admits he still misses her, but he just can't help sticking it to her with a little "I told you so". This guy just wont give up! He was unable to get her and he still can't move on. This is the perfect, "you'll never do better than me" song. "When you see my face- Hope it gives you hell- Hope it gives you hell- When you walk my way Hope it gives you hell-Hope it gives you hell".
5. Love- This is my favorite "butterflies in your stomach" song. The song itself could be titled love, the artist sings about simplicity and contentment. She does not have any expectations or wants, she is just enjoying the moment. It describes that "bubly" feeling you get when you're in love! "I've been awake for a while now-you've got me feelin like a child now- cause every time I see your bubbly face- I get the tinglies in a silly place- It starts in my toes and I crinkle my nose- where ever it goes I always know- that you make me smile".

Journal #4: Cheers to the brightest!

In a recent report, entitled “Wasting the Best and the Brightest: Substance Abuse at America’s Colleges,” researchers outlined a rise in the amount of frequent binge drinking and prescription drug use among college students. Researchers found that nearly 23 percent of college students fit the medical classification for substance abuse or dependence. This is triple the amount of the normal population. Other findings show that the number of students who binge drink frequently increased by 16 percent between 1993 and 2001. Binge drinking is defined as having five or more drinks on any one drinking occasion, three or more times over a two-week period. There was also a substantial increase in the amount of students who drink 10 or more times a month and also the number who get drunk three or more times per month. The number of students using marijuana daily has more than doubled since the 1993 study and hundreds of thousands more are abusing prescription drugs like Ritalin, Adderall and OxyContin. The report also implied that many college campuses have created a culture where such behavior is acceptable. They even include a 10-point plan of action with the report that administrators can implement to prevent and reduce student substance abuse, including such actions as stopping the broadcasting of alcohol advertisements during high-profile college events like the NCAA basketball tournament. Researchers also hope that alcohol-free and drug-free campuses will become the rule and not the exception among colleges. On top of banning smoking and drinking at college sporting events, the report suggests that administrators implement stringent substance abuse policies with more severe consequences for offenders. It also suggests gaining the support and involvement of parents and communities. While I am not requiring you to read this 231-page report, I would like you to think about why college and university students are often the target population of binge drinking/drug use. If these are our best and brightest, why are they the most likely to engage in this behavior? What drives our college students to this type of behavior at a MUCH higher rate than the general population? What could be done to reduce not drinking or drug use overall but maybe the excessive use and binge usage of it?

I remember when my older friend "Sally", went off to her first year of college. I got a call and an update after every step she took. I got the first call, right after she got her acceptance letter from her dream college. I received a call after she moved in to her tiny dorm and met her new roommate. I got the call after her first class. Then came the day I got the call about her first college party. Then the next party. Then the next. The one after that. And the ten more after that. Then the calls about partying stopped, because it was all normal now, no longer something new and exciting. It was now, a way of life. She partied every night, rain shine, weekend or weekday.

It wasn't very long until, I got the call of distress. It went something along the lines of "I'm failing", "What am I going to do?", and the most frightening "I'm going to loose my scholarship!".

What finally woke the girl up? Ironically...sleep! She slept in and completely missed her first college exam. What was she doing the night before? You guessed it! Partying.

So what started this outrageous party streak? How can the madness be put to a stop? Should every student just be left a lone until they finally crash, like Sally?

My theory on Sally's case, as well as many others I have watched go off to college, is they are experiencing a responsibility shock. For their entire lives, they have been told how to act and when to act. Before college, Sally had a curfew, a set of rules, a list of chores, and parental figures managing every step. Now? She is a free bird. She set loose, flew from the nest, had a great flight, and then crashed into the ground. She had no idea, how to handle all the new found freedom. She forget everything she had been taught about restrictions, because she felt in this new world, she had none.

Sally was thrown into an atmosphere, where all of her underage classmates and dorm mates were drinking and partying, without any consequences. During a visit to the college, I met Sally's resident advisor. I was shocked to find Sally's RA cursing and talking about drinking and partying in a positive manor, just like the young residents she was suppose to be "advising." She was perfectly fine, with a young girl babbling about how drunk she had gotten the night before and the crazy things she ended up doing.

How is Sally suppose to be responsible, when the closest thing to an adult example, accepted underage drinking and excessive partying? Her parent's were hours away, and now Sally's new "mama" figure, was all about the "good times".

How can we put an end to the crazy partying, before the crash landing? I believe, taking alcohol, drugs, and partying completely off a university campus is close to impossible. Young adults will always be lead to "fight the man", no matter what generation they fall under. I believe simpler steps need to be taken. If universities end the selling of alcoholic beverages at sporting events, students will just try harder to sneak them in.

Instead of trying to force "no alcohol" restrictions on the whole campus, they should focus on underage drinking first. During my visit at Sally's school, it shocked me how easily students could sneak alcohol into a school building! The security at the front desk, didn't do very much to prevent it, in fact they did nothing at all. As a stranger to the school, they didn't even ask for my ID or questioned who I was. So of course, they would never think of even checking a bag or two. I think universities should have random bag checks, while students walk into their housing building. This would only take a few seconds, and it would scare students enough to keep the alcohol out!

Random checks could also be done in student's room. It would only take a few checks to show that the RA was serious and in charge. The RA should also be someone who is going to be a postive role model for their residents. The RA could also do their best to encurage fun without substance use. RA's should go through intense interviewing and training, that shows they are worthy role models. An RA should be creative and outgoing, so they can be attractive and fun to the students they supervise. They should also be stern and compassoionate about their job, so they are respected and looked up to by the young students. An RA takes the role of "parent" for many brillant minds, that are about to be molded. Shouldn't the RA insure that their minds, be molded towards growth and fueld with determination?

It is too big of a goal, to termintate drinking and drug use overall, however it is possible to reduce the amount used and composed. Campus should set small goals, and start out with simple changes. But they need to stay stern and strong on even the smallest of goals.

Journal #3: One ticket, please!

Journal #3: We discussed in class how perception is our ticket of admission to the world outside. There are numerous experiences in which we would not be able to engage without our senses, but one of the industries that has really been capitalizing on our senses over the last few decades has been the movie industry. Everything from detailed sound effects to the dizzying array of visual effects (CGI, animated, models, bluescreening, and so on) can be used to accent a brilliantly written script. For anyone who loves the cinema, there is nothing better than sitting in the theatre and hearing the surround-sound screams or the stars surrounding you on the screen as the space ship takes off into hyperspace or your favorite song being played softly in the background as the hero goes in for the first kiss. Do you have a favorite cinematic moment? Have you ever been to an IMAX or 3-D movie? Do you find the sensory experiences at the movies an enhancement or distraction from the experience? Do you enjoy going to the movies with other people or do you prefer to watch movies at home alone?

The aroma of buttery popcorn fills the air. Nestled into a soft cushy chair, you take a sip of ice cold cola. The opening credits begin and the transportation begins.

The action may be so intense, that one can feel wind blowing through their hair, as the cars speeds away from danger. The “don’t go in there” scene will have neck hairs raising as the next victim walks into doom. The moment the hero leans in for a kiss, hearts will be pounding. As the family dog drifts away , even the manliest man will shed a tear.

The best cinematic moment is the moment you forget that "it's just a movie." That is my favorite thing about a movie, it takes a person out of reality and lets them experience a whole new world. A world away from everyday stresses and worries. In a hour and half, I can visit a strange land, befriend interesting characters, and embark on a outrageous adventure.

At this point in my life, I feel as if I am not only living one very stressful life, but multiple stressful lives. My first "life" is an active high senior. Keeping up with numerous clubs, volunteer services, standardized testing, senior fees, and the dreaded college applications...it's enough to turn a seventeen year old blue.

Then theres my "second life", a college sophmore. I use to think high school requirements were consuming, that all i changed when i steped onto a college campus. With the fast moving circulum and the "no nonsence" teachers, my stress level has reached all new heights.

With this kind of double life schedule, I can't afford to take a real vacation. I only have enough time and money to enjoy simple fun with family and friends. And you guessed it! One of my all time favorites is a trip to the movie theatre!

For under ten dollars and less the two hours, I can sit back and be transported to a whole new world, one that has nothing to do with homework, essays, fees, or exams! Hollywood has created effects that entertain all of our sences, so that we feel like we are somwhere far far away. I can laugh, munch, swoon, scream, cry, explore, travel and enjoy myself with my loved ones, without every leaving my seat!

Journal #2: Pregnant $$

Journal #2: Paying Girls Not to Get Pregnant, July 23, 2009 by Carin Ford (higheredmorning.com)
The University of North Carolina’s come up with an unusual incentive in hopes of encouraging teen girls not to get pregnant. In an attempt to reduce the number of teen pregnancies, UNC at Greensboro is providing classes in abstinence and the use of contraceptives to girls ages 12 to 18 — and paying them a dollar a day not to get pregnant. Girls who attend the 90-minute weekly meetings – and who don’t get pregnant – collect $7 at the end of each week. The money is put aside and can be collected when the girls enter college. But is it ethical to pay girls not to have babies? Or is this a case of desperate times calling for desperate measures? The teen birth rate is on the rise these past two years, with 7.2 pregnancies for every 1,000 teenage girls. Although a handful of girls enrolled in College Bound Sisters have gotten pregnant since it began more than 10 years ago, there are also success stories. This fall, in fact, four graduates will begin college with the help of the money – in some cases, $3,000 – they’ve earned in the program.
What do you think? Is this a good idea to pay girls to avoid becoming pregnant to reduce the teen birth rate? Bonus points are offered if you take the time to look up intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation and think about those ideas.

This is the perfect example of a Intrinsic versus Extrinsic Motivation case. Is this really a good idea? In my opinion, when was the last time you met a pregnant teen who wanted to get pregnant? No teens wants to have a baby, it changes their lives forever. Children are for responsible adult, and having a baby at sixteen is not very responsible.

So my question is: How is paying them going to change anything? Sure, money is good and not getting pregnant for it is a plus. But most likely the teen did not want to have a baby before the money was offered. So how is the money changing anything?

Sex is still sex. Teens still want to have sex. And while a teen is about to have sex , is money promised in the future really going to stop them from having pleasure at the moment?
Using Extrinsic Motivation may be helpful for some cases, but not in this one. Dangling an award is not good enough, when it comes to giving up sex.

How would using Intrinsic Motivation differ? For one, the goals and rewards are meaningful. If you teach the teen the difference between children from teenager parents and adult parents, you are showing them a true award. Statistics show if they wait, their child, love of their life, will have a healthier environment and have a happier, brighter future. Is this not something that will be etched into their lives forever? A human beings life's should have more weight then money.

Don't get me wrong, for the teens that were never going to get pregnant in the first place, this money is great. I would love some cash for having no baby.

Teenagers are always right, in their own minds. Nobody can tell them different, not teachers, and defiantly not parents. So when you give them the facts, the stories, and you let them form conclusions, emotions, and experiences on their own..they are going to get it. And accept it, because it is their own conclusion.

It would be nice if we could all believe that everybody waits until marriage to have sex. But we can't be ignorant and believe that. So instead of pounding it in their heads, and telling them the answer is "no sex", we should be showing them all the different options for safe sex. All the different protections against pregnancy, and include absence in the lessons. Let the teenager decide and create their own decision. If the lessons are informative, strong, and on their level, I believe there will be a more positive result from the teenagers, then an adult telling them there is only one way.

The money is a great reward for those who decide to wait to have children, and be responsible about their choices, but at the same time, maybe it would be more productive to change the focus and the way we look at the reward. The money is the smallest reward we can be telling these teens about.

Journal #1: The Dirty Science of Magazines

Journal #1: Maxim. Cosmo. Playboy. Playgirl. Elle. Men’s Health. Vogue. These magazines spend millions of dollars researching the male/female mind so that they can market to it…to you. How well do you think that they understand the male or female psyche? Do you think that you fit in the average demographic to which they are marketing? Why or why not?

I believe these magazines do a great job marketing to male/female minds. They spend millions of dollars researching and they succeed by making money back. I believe when these magazine are researching female/mind, they are focusing on the "wants."

Let face it, when a man is at the convenient store, and a glossy half-naked bunny catches their eye, it is all want. And for a small fee, the man can take home that bunny.

The same goes for a woman's want. I went to vogue.com, and I am automatically bribed with an "exclusive red bag", it looks so good and for only a years subscription, I can have this "exclusive red bag." That flashy red bag catches the women's eye, the word "exclusive" pulls her in, and the fact it is part of a sale? deal.

So what is it that playboy.com is flashing, in order to sell magazines? Boobs. Right on the home page, I am bombarded with breast. This really isn't as appealing to me personally, but Vogue has done their research for me and so they choose to use bag.

But women must have more "wants" then just bags and fashion, and this is where Playgirl steps in. Playgirl has spent their millions of "research dollars" on what women find sexually attractive, much like what Playboy does for men. When entering the Playgirl website, the homepage is a bit more reserved then Playboy (I'm guessing the rest of the website is less then shy). The opening page lures a women in by showing bare the upper bodies of men. See a connection? The exact same bait that Playboy is using, but with the opposite sex.

Magazines like Playgirl, Vogue, and Elle cater to the wants of a females mind. Each magazine caters to a different kind of want. Not every woman finds interest in Playgirl, Vogue or Elle, every woman is different. But the research tries to represent women as a whole. By reading a magazine, I'm sure all my wants are not filled, and probably very little of my needs, but I've been entertained. And Americans WANT to entertained.

I've also noticed women's magazines have a lot more celebrity related articles and focuses. This must mean, magazines have found that women want gossip. For most men, the knowledge of who's dating who in Hollywood is more like torture than pleasure.

Which is why men love car magazines. It's those types of things, most women just don't get it. Why look at pictures of shiny fast metal? Because it's his want. Which is why magazines like Men's Health, focus on more manly things, like working out, getting buff, and of course sex. On the cover of a Men's Health magazine, titles are read saying things like "The truth about exercising machines", "go beyond bacon", "get rid of that gut" and 30-red hot sex tips." Male and female magazines seems to always comes back to one thing- sex. So what are those researching saying about us?

I believe these magazine have researched what the mind of a male/female wants and then they cater to it. Is it exercising routines, recipes, flirting technique's, latest fashions, best deals, gossip, sport legends, sex tricks, shiny cars, cash filled entertainment, makeup and hair tips? Yes, yes it is.