As a freshman in college it seems like you must plan out the rest of your life right now and everything around you is moving at the speed of light. You must plan for next semester, figure out living situations, start thinking about internships, passing classes, and study abroad if you want. Study abroad is an amazing opportunity the we can take where we can study in another country for an extended period of time. Being able to have this experience gives you so many things, you learn about a new place, you learn a new way of life, and you are thinking about more than just yourself. There are so many different places you could go and visit, Ireland, France, Germany, Poland, China, just to name a few. When people think about study abroad there are many variables to consider both good and bad.

In class we read a book called “Waiting to be Heard” by Amanda Knox. This book touched upon some of scary realities of studying abroad. She talked about how it was scary being in a new place and not knowing anyone and having to learn a new place without anyone telling you where to go, how to act, or what to say. When you are in a new country in this way you completely immerse yourself in not only their culture but also their lifestyles and way of life. In the book she ends up getting arrested for a crime she did not commit. One of the differences between where she went, and America is that you are guilty until proven innocent which is the opposite of what we believe. It is also scary because you may not really know anyone. A major component of studying abroad is the cost. Since we are all already college students, we are all spending a lot of money just on going to a school in the United States so paying extra to go to another country is not always an option because it can get very pricey.

After talking about all the bad and scary parts of studying abroad there are some amazing things. To start of although it can cost more money many schools offer scholarships that help pay for some or all of the trip, so that way it is cheaper for you and more people are able to get the experience. Another reason it is something everyone should try to do at some point is because it gives you life experience that you don’t get from just traveling around the United States. You get to learn about new food, new ways of living, and different views on life.

For our last project this semester we worked in a group to create a poster all about a study abroad trip the is being run by Bloomsburg University. To complete this project, we went and talked to the head of study abroad trips and was able to ask him all about the little things that go into planning, preparing, and deciding to study abroad. He brought up certain things that we did not even think about how there are different types of study abroad. You can do a semester, or just a couple weeks, or even a full year, or you can do an exchange program where you basically trade places with a student from another school. There was also the fact that you would have to look at classes that are in English or they had a translator, unless you speak the language fluently enough. When putting together we also looked at other factors like currency because most other countries do not use dollars and cents like we do, and they are also not worth the same amount.

Being able to see how all of this works and how you can apply to get money made me want to study abroad even more. In my opinion if you can study abroad, I would take full advantage of it because you may not be able to get this type of experience anywhere else.

Our world today is so different then it was years ago, yet in some ways it still has not changed. We are more open about issues that are going on in our world whereas twenty or even thirty years ago these topics were never brought up. Topics being racism about gender, color, religion, and ethnicity. Back then they were all very bad issues that where going on but never discussed which means there was nothing being done about them. The newer generations are bringing theses issues to the publics eye with the Me-Too movement and others like it. As more of these stories are hitting the news finally there are some changes being made but still, not everything is perfect.

This week I had the amazing opportunity to attend the ZIPD conference. Basically, what this is, is an event where our business school brings in hundreds of presenters that are either Bloomsburg University alumni or their company has ties to the University. Either way they are people that are employed at company’s and they come to talk about their experience and network with the students. During this they have a bunch of different panels that cover different topics and one of the ones I went to what all about women empowerment. During this panel it showed me how far us women have come in the past years and how we were able to prove that we are able to do more then just cook and clean. The panel of women that were speaking we all highly accomplished not only in the workplace but at home too. As we all got to talking, they mentioned a lot about having to prove themselves in their jobs, more then men, because being in the business world it is mostly male dominated. With this being true most people think that women are not capable of doing the same job or even doing a better job then a man. Not only have they made themselves known in their area of work, but they have also learned how to balance having a personal life. This can be an issue because being a woman you are expected to at some point take a leave to have children and that is why there is still a wage gap and why a man would get hired over a woman. What I learned from them and the conference overall is that, no matter man or women, if you work hard and push yourself you can accomplish whatever you want. Also, it taught me as a women that you may have to give up somethings in life in order to have a great work life and a family life but either way if you really want something there is always a way to accomplish it.

Another event that happened at the University in the past week is that a video of one of our athletic trainers saying very racist and inappropriate comments. As much as we would like to think racism is gone and no longer exists the sad part is that it’s not, it still is very real. Whether this man was just saying it as a joke or because he was intoxicated either way is showed that our world has not changed as much as we thought. When this video was leaked the school acted very quickly and explained that what was said was off campus and had no affiliation with how the school feels, and that he has been fired and consequences where being deliberated. In my opinion he should not be able to work at the school again and there should be further consequences. Actions like these seem to be more out in the open and taken as a joke rather then a serious problem. The bigger issue is that it was posted on social media and then went viral. So, this means that not only did people from Bloomsburg hear and know about it but millions of other people from different schools and maybe even future employers saw it. Then that not only reflects poorly on him but also the University and on its thousands of other students.

Overall there are still issues in this world that are slowly being fixed but also some are just staying the same. As the younger generations start growing up it seems like we are more expecting of everyone no matter the color of their skin, their gender, their religion, or any other differences. If there are issues, we also seem to bring it to the public’s eye which hopefully means that soon we will all be seen as equals and there will be no problems where someone is better then another because of anything else other than their accomplishments.

Over the past thirty- or forty-years music and music videos have become such a huge part of our everyday lives. In class we talked about the way music can affect the way people feel and just the power it has over the listeners. Everyone listens to different types of music for different reasons. Music can help people in many ways because it can help with your mood or it can show you that certain situations you go through you are not going through alone. Throughout that past few days in class we talked about a paper we are writing about a music video of our choice. This paper is about how the music and the video relate to a societal issue and the importance of it.

For my video I am doing Supermarket Flowers by Ed Sheeran which is about the passing of his grandmother and just the struggle of losing a loved one. Sadly, death is something that each and everyone of us has to deal with at some point in your life and it is never expected or easy to deal with. Just recently I lost one of my best friends and it was one of the hardest things I have ever had to deal with. Although having the support of my family and friend’s music was something that really helped me, I was able to listen to songs and just forget about the world for a little. I think that is the case with most people and music, they can listen to the songs and just escape reality for a little. When you listen to certain songs and get lost in the lyrics. Each song paints a picture of something the artist has been thorough or experienced and the listeners can relate to them. There is a song for almost any mood whether you are happy, sad, mad, in love, heartbroken, relaxing, and so much more then there is always a different song you can play. You can easily just lose yourself in each song.

That is one of the reasons I wanted to go into business because I could then help people through music. Although I can not sing or play an instrument, I am still able to manage artists and get their meaningful and important messages out to the world. By doing that I could possibly help one person with each song, that would be enough. Being a person that has needed music in certain points in my life I know how it can change even the way you look at life. By being a business management major, joining the Learning Community, and being in the Ziegler Institute of Professional Development I get a well-rounded education and also, I am learning the professional skills that I will need in the competitive world of music. Every hour I spend working on an assignment or I spend at a ZIPD program I know that I am improving my professional skills and all-around knowledge that will soon help me in the future. All my life I have always wanted to help people and never knew how I wanted to do that. I thought about being a physical therapist at one point because I am interested in sports and anatomy and I could help people but I knew I would not love the job as well as I thought about going into criminal justice so I could help people who were in need and couldn’t do it for themselves. But both of those options were not things that I would love to do for the rest of my life.

When it comes to music it is something that has always helped me and always been a large part of my life as well as it having an impact on every other person around me. Music is a universal language almost because it is something every person relates to and everyone listens to. So by working in this industry I am able to leave my mark on the world and help any other kids in the world that are going through there own problems.

Something that has been done in almost all schools and all grades is peer review. It is a basic skill to be able to communicate to others and analyze their work. Peer reviews are important because they give another point of view to focus on and therefore you have more ways in which you can take your assignment. When we are writing our own paper there are certain explanations or words that in our head make sense and explain a topic completely but someone else reading it who was not there when that situation happened or does not partake in the same activities may not understand what you are talking about. So, by having multiple people reading your paper before you turn it in means you have multiple people making sure what you are saying is easy to understand and not confusing.

During writing this week we were put into peer review groups for exactly that reason. Our project was all about our life and how the people and places have affected us. With each one of these stories is from our point of view which means that is in words and ways the we understand and, in our head, makes sense to us, but may not make sense to others. Each peer review consisted of seven question, each question was in depth about how the paper was set up and if it was confusing or not. It also included if each of the points made sense or had any parts that went off track from the theme of the memoir. When I went to the peer review workshop, I was unable to work with my group because no one was able to make it to class that day, but luckily I was able to work with my professor which helped me even more. I was able to get a professional’s opinion and show me what I could work on which also helped my project all together. Finally when I was going over the peer review worksheets I realized I had to specify for who certain people were because to me it was obvious who they were because they are my family but to other the names and stories became confusing and hard to understand. Therefore because of that I was able to fix my memoir and make it better and easier for the reader to understand. I was also able to help others with their story because I could give them advice on how to revise their paper and make it better for me and others.

Another advantage to having peer review groups is you learn how to communicate better with others. With peer reviews, yes you are fixing their work and telling them how to fix it but you can not be mean about it because, this project especially, is a very vulnerable topic. Writing a memoir mean you are writing stories about yourself and opening up about events that have happened that can be very personal and hard for you to talk about. So, when editing on someone else’s paper you needed to nicely state how they could fix some of their problems. For example, if one of their google map points did not make sense you could talk about how the point had a good meaning and is important but could be reworded and explained in a better way. This is because then when they read it they know what they did well so they can continue to do these things but they also know what they can improve upon within their paper.  

Although peer reviews can be a burden because you have to rely on other people to get their work done on time or also find time to meet up with them it is a very helpful tool to use in school. I am able to learn from others and see how they write and take small pointers from them to improve my own writing abilities.

In class this week we were going over our google map projects and talking about how the world around us is changing. Although the world we live in today is what is normal to us it is very different then it was 50 years ago. Then just imagine how different it will be in another 50 years. 
In the past the world was much harder but simpler at the same time. They didn’t have technology which has its own pros and cons. The previous generation went outside and played, they made dumb decisions without getting in trouble, as well as the planet was a lot safer. 
Today’s day in age kids are addicted to technology. They don’t go outside and play anymore they sit and play their video games or stare at their phone watching whatever the newest trend is. Not only has the way we act changed but also the work around us. As we grow older the planet is suffering, we are polluting the air which is affecting many things is our life such as our health and how the planet is going to be in years to come. When working on my project and talking with my professor he brought up the fact that in 30 or 40 years New York City could be under water. Just the idea of that is insane. 
As kids and young adults we still have our parents there to guide us through this crazy world and tell us right from wrong. But when we are adults we might now have them with us to tell us and this world will soon be just ours to take care of. Not only is it just the environment but the people and places around us. This weekend i went to New York City with my sisters and you can see how some places are not taken care of and also the way people act in the places. The world around us is changing so quickly and all we can do is adapt to it. 
Our children will be growing up in a world that is completely new and foreign to us just as our world was to our parents. In the future we can only predict the technology that will be used on a daily basis will surpass what we use today. 
Not only did we talk about how the world is going to change but we also talked about how the places and people in our lives have changed us as people. No one is the same exact person they were when they were born. Events that occur and people that we meet all impact is in some way, shape, or form. The google project what in a sense a letter to our future kids explaining what is was like growing up in the early 2000’s. Also give them a sense of why we are the way we are. I am strong and optimistic because of my Aunt. But I am kind and warm hearted because of my mother. I learned how to deal with losing people because I lost both my uncle and my best friend before I started college. There are situations in life that you have no control over and all you can do is deal with them and learn from them. At the same time that is also the best part of life because you as a person are always changing and learning. 
Within the next few years the world will be ours and we will be in charge of what happens to it. So while we are trying to change the world and make it a better place us as people will also be changing with it. We will be learning to new ways to help with our environment and learning new ways to live life. All we can do as we grow up is make sure we are the best person we can be not only for ourselves but also do what is best for the world because if we start not caring about it, soon enough the world as we know it will no longer exist. 

In the last three weeks reality has hit me hard. Going to college there are normally two types of people; the people who are excited and think they know what to expect, or the people who are scared and have no clue what to expect. I was the person who thought I was ready and knew what I was going to expect. This is because I have two older sisters that were in college and I heard all about it from them but hearing about it and living it I have realized are two completely different things. In high school you are in this safe little bubble that your school and parents have made for you. In high school the world around you can seem like it is unimportant, or you just don’t know what is happening in general. Your do what you must do to get by then the rest of the time you worry about yourself. You worry about who your friends are, what people think of you, where you hang out, and how you look. This is because you have your parents to make sure you get where you must be, they are on top of you about schoolwork, and they can protect you from what is going on in the world. Whereas in college you are on your own and that little bubble you had up until you were about eighteen is gone. You must stay on top of your schoolwork yourself, make sure you are on time to places, and you are experiencing the world and learning what is going on in the world alone.

There is so many things going on in the world and most of them are issues rather then good things going on in the world. Even just in class we have learned about how much student debt is, underage drinking, as well as shootings and shooters.

As a country in general we are in an obscene amount of debt and most of that come from students. Everyone says how important it is to go to college and get a college degree, and it is, but many people are unable to attend a university due to how much it will cost. This can cause even more issues then people may think. If people are unable to get an education, then they are unable to get a well-paying job which can then lead them to not being able to afford a suitable home or food. Not saying that college should be free because that would also cause issues but lowering it would be beneficial while not having the university suffer.

In movies and on social media we hear and joke about underage drinking, but it is a real-life problem. People sometimes take it to far and can cause harm to themselves or others. When it gets to that point that is when it becomes a problem. Everyone knows some people, especially in college, are going to drink before they turn twenty-one but it is how drunk they get and what they do while they are drunk. This is the problem because when they make these mistakes is could affect their future. Having an underage citation or disorderly conduct might not cause you to not get a job but if you have more than one it can keep you from getting a job or at least a good job. That is because it makes you seem like an unreliable employee.

One of the largest issues going on in the world today is shootings and or shooters. We have become so blind to these situations that they have become the norm. They happen almost every day and all around the United States. At this point we as a nation don’t really know what to do because even if we make gun laws stricter if people want to get them, they will. There is not really a fix for this other then people just needed to know that it is not okay. Events like this cause loss, death, heartbreak, and so much more.

As students and young adults becoming a part of society, we need to know what is going on in the world so that we can change it and make it better for the future.

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

Why do this?

• Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
• Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.

The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.

To help you get started, here are a few questions:

• Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
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• If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?

You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.

Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.