Posted on No Comments on Pas #5 (spring): Victoria beckham Protesters

Pas #5 (spring): Victoria beckham Protesters

This passion blog will interpret fashion with a message in a different way than previously. I will be diving into the protesters during Victoria Beckham’s fashion show during Paris Fashion Week. This has happened many times before, but this is the most recent example, as it only happened three weeks ago.

Victoria Beckham is well known for being Posh Spice and marrying world-renowned soccer player David Beckham. Over the years, she has embraced her creativity and love for everything posh by creating her own brands, which include makeup, clothes, and more. She is an impressive woman who made a name for herself at a young age and continued her life of fame gracefully. 

Victoria Beckham held a runway show during this year’s Paris Fashion Week showcasing her new designs. During this show, protesters from the animal rights organization Peta stood up, holding signs and wearing T-shirts against her line, and walked on the runway with the models. 

They were adorned with words stating “animals aren’t fabric,” “turn your back on animal skins,” and a few more sayings. Victoria Beckham uses genuine animal leather in her clothing, so the protesters came out to disrupt the showing. They saw an opportunity to voice their opinions, and they took it like many others have done in the past regarding similar issues.

The organization used Victoria’s platform to their advantage by doing this act. Many famous people were in attendance and media which would make a difference in using animal skin for clothing. They communicated with people as they knew many people would see it, and the word would spread fast. Rhetoric has much to do with freedom of speech and voicing one’s opinion, making this a perfect example. 

I am personally a big fan of Victoria Beckham, but I do not condone the use of animals for material things. This is a problem, as we now have very good quality leather made from fruits or other materials. Many substitutes allow for a stoppage in using this leather altogether.

While the protesters were effective, I think things should be done legally and professionally. The protesters interrupted a show and had to be escorted out by the police. The protesters could most likely find an effective way to get their message across without causing much uproar. I believe it also could be done more professionally, which would gain the protesters more respect, therefore allowing them to convey their message better.

The saying was clear on the shirts, and it was apparent what they were standing up for, making their rhetoric to the people successful. Protesting is a right in the country that will never be taken away, but it must be done somewhere people are allowed to and in public space. I think it is best to follow the law so others aren’t upset by it but listen to the problem.

Victoria Beckham held an incredible show in Paris over Fashion Week, and she is an inspiring woman, but it would be nice if she could get rid of real leather. It harms animals and the environment for no good reason and creates a need for people to stand up for the animals. 

Posted on 1 Comment on RCL #4: Issue Brief

RCL #4: Issue Brief

Stress Scheduling: The Problem with Scheduling College Courses

Introduction

There is no worse feeling than having a weight on your shoulders that you cannot lift. Many college students across the country speak on scheduling college courses, and why it can be a burden and stressor to many. Penn State, being a large institution, has scheduling policies in place that do not accommodate for the number of people trying to take the classes required for their major. Kids are unable to schedule the classes they want or need due to the overwhelming amount of students compared to the limited spots. Many factors go into choosing classes, and some of them have to be eliminated from a student’s decision as the classes fill up. Stress builds up as the day gets closer and freshmen have it the worst. Almost no classes are available and it is a race to see who can get the remaining good ones. Students coming in with AP credits have an advantage and scheduling a late NSO date leaves students with selective options. This is impacting Penn State students and the process can be adjusted to make it a better event for everyone. The Office of the University Registrar could make scheduling changes to limit stress and aid in availability to accommodate the amount of students.The counterplan being suggested involves students only being able to rearrange their schedule after everyone has completed the task. Doing this would help kids to know the chances of getting into a class and not be so frantic with rearranging their potential schedule right before.

Problem

Scheduling classes can be one of the most stressful events in college for students attending. The lead up is overwhelming and kids are unsure if they will be able to schedule the classes needed for their major. Why is this an issue when every kid must fulfill certain requirements? Even College seniors sometimes cannot get the classes they need in order to graduate because of the scheduling problem. Scheduling is done in waves based on the amount of credits one has. Therefore, the seniors with the most credits go first and it files down until the freshman with the least credits. This filing system is effective as the website does not crash and the kids who have less classes left to take pick first and it goes from there. The problem is that scheduling ultimately comes down to luck in many cases, and this is unfair and stress causing. Oftentimes many people are required to take the same classes and when everyone’s trying to get in, there are not enough spots and it is upsetting to have to redo a whole schedule on the spot while others are taking all of the places. Students do not know if they are going to be taking the classes they desire even though they are paying for them. Many factors go into the decision as seen below, and students can’t fulfill what the need from them when classes are so limited at times.

 

Plan

There is currently a system in place for student scheduling that is supposed to make the process easier on everyone. The classes available for the semester are put out by the Office of the registrar based on room space and what is popular. Public Safety decides how many students can be in one room at a time, so the school must follow those guidelines and that cannot be changed. In regards to the students’ end, they are given a date at which they can begin their scheduling and have freedom to change things until a few weeks into the semester. As previously mentioned, the date given corresponds to the number of credits one has, so the most credits go first and then on. Students can schedule as many classes as they like once the date hits. There are often preset plans for each major that a student can follow as they are required to fulfill certain requirements to graduate.

Counter Plan

The policy changes being mentioned are to help the greater good of the college community. The major change that would take place would be a schedule lock. This policy would cause schedules to be locked in place once they are in until all students have completed their scheduling. It can be very difficult for students on the later dates to make their schedule when so many classes have only a few seats and they can be filled all the way up until their exact time scheduling opens. It seems unfair that some students have free rain of scheduling while others are still waiting for weeks for their turn. This would allow all schedules to be locked in place with the amount of classes that person needs, and then they can change things as needed once everyone has a schedule for themself. Another change would be students being required to list a general idea of the classes they will be taking the next semester so the school can better accommodate for the number of kids wanting to take a single class. It is hard to navigate the process when students are constantly dropping and adding classes, sometimes 30,000 students before you have the chance to begin. These changes would eliminate the stress a student goes through and give more guidance. Some other recommendations include needs forms and scheduling advisors who specialize. Students could have forms to fill out which allow them to enroll in a class early that they know they absolutely need and could fill up fast. There also could be advisors who specialize in only scheduling for kids who get overwhelmed and make sure they are on the right track along with their traditional advisor.

Conclusion

Overall, scheduling can put a toll on students’ mental health because of the race to get classes and the unknown variables. Kids are unable to schedule with confidence because so many others are scheduling on the same date or already took up the classes they need or want to take. People are unable to personalize their schedule how they want because not enough spots are available and with such a big school, you never know when more will fill up or open. The policy solution being suggested calls for change in a few areas. The main difference would be students making their schedule and not being able to change it until all other students have gone. Other minor things include forms of probable classes and forms for needed classes. Lastly, more specialized counselors would be available for those that get too overwhelmed with the process and need aid when deciding on classes when little is still available. If all help with this issue, the policy could be enacted and all students could have a little less stress than they already do. Almost everyone has gone through the struggle together and are fighting for the last spots, when people could work together. If awareness is raised about making scheduling changes, it could impact seniors   graduating classes and freshmen who got a late NSO date, bringing the whole community together to fix a common problem.

Posted on 1 Comment on PAS #4 (spring): Killers of the flower moon

PAS #4 (spring): Killers of the flower moon

The 2024 Golden Globes took place on January 7th. This blog focuses on this event and one woman in particular who attended, Lily Gladstone. Lily Gladstone acted in the movie Killers of The Flower Moon, which came out in 2023. 

This movie was nominated for multiple awards at the Golden Globes and tells a fantastic story. It is set in Oklahoma in the 1920s and investigates the Osage Nation, a Native American tribe that had many members murdered. Their reservation was on valuable oil fields, and it dives into the conspiracy of settlers who tried to get the tribe away.

Lily was one of the main actors in the movie, portraying Mollie Burkhart as one of the females on the reservation. She gave an outstanding performance, landing her the award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture. Not only did she win, but she was the first indigenous female to win this category of award at the Golden Globes. Gladstone is Blackfeet and Nez Perce, which are both Indian reservations. 

To honor her roots, Lily wore earrings made by Lenise Omeasoo, a Blackfeet designer. She paired them with a Versace dress and a Bulgari necklace. The earrings were made to honor her culture and endorse an ethnic brand. Lily used her rhetoric for a good cause and to bring out a part of her that others may not have known.

Previously, this blog focused on outfits with a clear message to the people. This look had a more hidden meaning beyond it. Lily used her position of fame to endorse her culture, which is often looked over. The earrings stood out with her dress and were beautifully made. They caught many people’s attention, and many articles have been written about them. 

Winning the award and posting about them on Instagram was Lily using her rhetoric to communicate with the public about her indigenous roots. The movie is about a horrible and sad citation regarding Native Americans, and she honored the culture and used the movie’s message to her advantage. 

I love the way her whole outfit came together. She went for a very classy look, which is my favorite. The black and white allowed the bit of gold on the earrings to stand out. I think the simple white dress with the black overtop looks great on her. I also prefer how her hair is up. It does not take away from anything, showcasing the earrings to their fullest potential.

The earrings are meant to be picture frames and came as a collection with two other pairs. It must have been an honor for Lily to wear these and for Lenise to have an actor wear her design at the Golden Globes. They took Lenise weeks to make, and it paid off. They are handcrafted to perfection and include an ode to the Blackfeet reservation.

Overall, Lily Gladstone used her position as a Golden Globe winner to communicate to the public how vital her culture is, and the movie made a huge impact. I love the whole outfit together and the subtle addition of the earrings, but I also love how they stood out. It is a beautiful tribute to her, and she has inspired many.

Posted on No Comments on Civic #3: Sports impacting college decisions

Civic #3: Sports impacting college decisions

Your college decision is one of the most significant decisions you will make in life. It will shape a person’s future and what job they end up with. Many factors play a role in the decision, like how high-ranked the school is, what type of people go there, and the location. A separate factor, though, has influenced many high schoolers’ college decisions that may seem unreasonable, and that is sports. 

An article from the Washington Post states, “colleges — ranging from major state schools to lesser-known institutions that particularly benefit from the attention — have spikes in interest following athletic success.” It can be challenging for some people to understand the extent to which sports can influence where someone chooses to apply, but studies show the impact.  

The culture in the United States is recognized for its people’s love for sports. For some, it is their entire life. Whether it be football or baseball, there are millions of die-hard fans who follow their team intensely. While many love professional teams, this love has ventured into college sports. 

This has caused a change in college decisions and the application status of many institutions. It may not play a role for some, but many people may analyze the college’s sports citation before they make a decision to apply there. Some kids state that they do not want to go to a college that doesn’t have a big football program. This can be a good thing and a bad thing.

The rhetoric surrounding college football is everywhere and almost hard to escape. According to ESPN, “The College Football Playoff National Championship Presented by AT&T scored 25 million viewers” this year. That is a massive number of people, considering only two schools are playing each other. This draw is what influences decisions. Some small colleges put their name on the map with a good sports year, while prominent sports colleges have a significant draw. 

It is debated if sports should be involved in the decision at all. If college is about one’s education, why do sports play such a big role, and why do some kids seem to only care about them? This can harm colleges without sports, as they can be looked down upon by sports lovers. It seems wrong for applications to be based on how well a college did athletically. College is for a young adult’s education into the future, and many think they should decide on that only.

There is also the topic of civic issues regarding scholarships for athletes. As stated by Debt.org, “there are roughly 180,000 athletic scholarships available for the NCAA’s D-I and D-II schools” that are given out each year. This adds up to a large sum of money going to kids for athletics rather than for education, which is the college’s primary purpose. Athletes deserve rewards as they work very hard, but it can seem unfair that someone with excellent grades is not getting anything while an athlete receives a full ride. 

In addition, many athletes do not meet the standards to get into the school but get a place because of their sports. So, should someone be able to go to a school because of their athletic ability? I think they should, as athletics can be someone’s whole future, and they work just as hard on their sport as some do on schoolwork. 

The amount of money college sports bring in is significant. College sports communicate with the public and get people’s attention. Without these sports, there would likely be much less school pride and less of a school identity. Some schools are funded mainly by their athletic programs. Take Penn State as an example. We get so much revenue from football that it allows the school to build new things and add to the athletic department, which runs pretty much on the money from football.

I believe that college decisions can have many factors and it is fair for sports to be one of them. Sports are able to build a community for the institution and many applicants want to be a part of it. While it can be unfair to smaller colleges with small sports programs, they accept less people, so the mass of people who want to be at a football school generally can fit and it ends up working out for all colleges.

Many scholarships are given to athletes, and they get some resources that others do not, but I believe that bringing in money allows them to reap the benefits. It can sometimes seem like a bit much, as kids who work hard on academics do not get special treatment. I think there should be a balance allowing exceptional people to be appreciated for anything they do. Education is the most important thing and there needs to be a strong focus on that for all parties involved.

However, being at a campus with many sports has given me and many others many options for things to do, which I love. People travel here for games, and it is great to see so much support for college kids. The community interacts with each other in such a positive way that everyone keeps coming here. Everyone coming together on game days is heartwarming and so much fun, which you cannot get at some other schools.

Overall, I believe that there are some issues regarding college sports playing significant roles in decisions and college athletes getting a lot of money. What would happen to some schools if there were no college sports? That is how many institutions brand themselves, and it pulls people in. This could have a long-lasting effect, and most schools would be the same. People will continue to debate over athletes and money, but no one can deny the community that is created in the process and how incredible the support is for kids who want to make a living out of it.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2018/sports/ncaa-applicants/

https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2024/01/espn-delivers-record-viewership-across-college-football-playoff-and-new-years-six/#:~:text=The%20College%20Football%20Playoff%20National,year%20and%2011%25%20above%202022.

https://www.debt.org/students/athletic-scholarships/#:~:text=Each%20year%2C%20there%20are%20roughly,eligible%20for%20an%20athletic%20scholarship.