College Student

Neutral Tone:

I became a college student in 2005. My original major course of study was Speech and Language Pathology. I started out college with a can-do attitude by taking seventeen units my first semester enrolled at Santa Ana College. After a couple of semesters I decided that I needed a break and college wasn't for me at the time. In 2008 I enrolled in Fullerton College. I found my true passion and changed my major to Paralegal Studies. After some personal issues in my life I decided that another solid break from college was entirely necessary for me to reset and get some of my priorities straight. This spring semester at Fullerton College is my first semester back at a college in three years. I am currently enrolled in English 100 and Reading 142. I am starting off with a couple of classes each semester and now at this point in my life I am ready to be serious about my collegiate life.

Generally Positive Tone:

I began college in the fall of 2005. I was incredibly excited about my major, which was Speech and Language Pathology. I was so excited to be in school and so ready to be a college student that I tackled seventeen units my first semester while I was at Santa Ana College. After a couple of semesters I needed time to focus on myself and found that college was a little bit tougher than anticipated but I was willing to come back to college at a later time. I enrolled at Fullerton College in 2008 and decided to take a class called Entertainment and Sports Law. I had always been incredibly curious about the law and everything that this industry has to offer. I secretly enjoy all of the entertainment news and gossip and I love sports so I thought that this would combine many things that I enjoy doing. In my head I thought "if I truly like this class and want to learn more than I will continue on this path to become a paralegal, if not then at least I got an elective class completed." Come to find out, I truly loved that class and couldn't help but feel like this was what I was meant to do with my life. I had some personal set backs along the way but now I am enrolled in English 100 and Reading 142 to get my collegiate life where it should be. I'm excited about my change of major from Speech and Language Pathology to Paralegal Studies. I'm even more excited about what my possibilities in this field are.

Generally Negative Tone:

I began college in the fall of 2005. I started out looking at college wide eyed and bushy tailed. I was so excited to be there but my views of college quickly changed. I took seventeen units my first semester which in hindsight probably wasn't a good idea. I was so overwhelmed by college yet I tried out another couple of semesters at Santa Ana College and found that college wasn't for me. I was not made immediately for college. I honestly didn't know what I wanted to study. I felt that I had to choose something and the first thing that sounded interesting to me was Speech and Language Pathology. It is a great field but not for me. After working in that industry for a couple of years I realized that that was not my true calling. Then in 2008 I decided to transfer schools and attend Fullerton College. I enrolled in Entertainment and Sports Law hoping that I would find my calling there. I definitely did. I quickly changed my major to Paralegal Studies and haven't looked back. I have had some personal issues and things that kept me from having college completed by now. I look around and see my friends around me and they are working towards their Masters degrees and I'm 24 and at the starting gate. I had to take a good hard look at my life and realized I am going to be 25 this year and what do I have to show for it? Nothing. I thought that I would be a lot farther in my life by this point. I am currently enrolled in English 100 and Reading 142 and will pursue the Paralegal Studies program at Fullerton College. Better late than never.

Connotation and the Media

           People may place some sort of importance on the denotation of a word but equally as important is the connotation. The implied of something you write or say may be the difference of a positive and negative statement. The media are experts in regards to this. The media can make something that is a negative statement into a positive one by the use of a few words. Bill Clinton, during his political scandal had put a statement that him and Monica were "alone together in the office" nothing more. But we all know that quickly changed and the truth was found out. He began stating that they were alone in his office, okay that seems innocent enough and maybe just enough to get the media off of his back. But as the story unfolded and the truth eventually surfaced we, the public, found out the truth of his escapades. Take Tiger Woods recent scandal as well, as countless women came forward stating that they had relations with the famous golfer he denied it at first. Then again, as the story unfolded Tiger had to do some damage control and said that he apologized to his family for his many "transgressions" I believe that he was trying to cover all matter of sins in regards to his escapades. I must commend the public relations teams of  Bill and Tiger. They are great at their jobs and can seemingly turn a negative public relations nightmare into a statement that will cover all sins and is so vague that the public is not sure what to think. I think it's the public relations departments of these famous people that help turn their scandals into mere "transgressions."

My Little Critical Thinker

                 After thinking long and hard about this subject I have chosen to write about my Mother. When I was about three years old my biological mom left my Dad, younger sister and myself. Of course I was devistated by the fact that the only Mom I had known had abandoned her two living daughters. I now know that my biological Mom didn't desire to actually be a parent and left because it was too hard for her. Granted, she was young when my parents got married and she was young when my older sister was born. The fact that my older sister had severe medical issues that caused a lot of stress on my parents and grandmother. Shortly after my older sister passed away my biological mother had the unnatrual urge to leave her children. A couple of years passed and my biological mother hadn't had any contact with my father or her children.
               My father began to move on and dated this one woman whom he brought around my younger sister and myself. They dated for a while and eventually became engaged and later would become married. This is the woman I consider my Mother. She is the one that took over from day one and without hesitation and started raising my sister and myself. She took us to all of our doctors appointments, took us to get our hair cut, taught us how to drive and everything in between. I think one bravest things she did was locate my biological mom and brought us back into communication with her.      
             I know that this could not have been an easy decision and she definitely had to think about all of the pros and cons of this. The thought process for her to figure out if she should locate the woman that gave birth to her two daughters or not must have been a tough road to travel. Now that I'm older I realize that it was for the fact that my parents wanted my sister and I to have the ability to see our biological mom and there was also the underlying custody of us. The thought process that my Mom had to go through with being married and already having two kids to take care of is something I couldn't imagine. She had to seriously consider the outcomes, good and bad with having my biological mom in my life The major transitions for my mom came at an alarming speed but she handled everything amazingly. The thought of being single one day to married with two kids the next day is something that I admire about my Mom's decision to be such a big part of my life. 
            I'm very appreciative of the decision my Mom made to be in my family. I feel that she is the center of my family and I don't know where I would be if she wouldn't have made the decision to be a part of our lives, not only mine but my sister's and mine as well. She had to make a decision to drastically change her life in an instant and I'm eternally grateful.