Reach for the Stars

It was a typical night in the dorm room. A group of people in my hall gathered in my room to chat about whatever. Several people vented about the ridiculous demands of their teachers and questioned why they were taking the class. From more than one person I heard frustration about the fact that they didn’t even know what they wanted to major in. “Why am I killing myself over an economics class for a degree I don’t even want to take?” I heard repeatedly. One was taking courses simply because his parents told him to. His profession of interest was deemed unworthy because it would not yield a good enough salary. Parents expect results if they are going to pay tens of thousands of dollars each year. But what ever happened to an education for the sake of an education?

I have one friend who is particularly passionate about medieval history and music. She took prospective classes on both subjects and fell in love with them. She finally found something that she was enthusiastic about. However, her parents told her that they would not pay money for an impractical degree. She is now entering into the business school with no idea what she wants to do with her degree, and dislikes all of her classes. I can see where parents are coming from because they are paying a lot of money for their children to have a comfortable future. However, what ever happened to “you can be whatever you want to be” and “the sky is the limit?” Are those notions deleted when the salary drops below $40,000?

I still remember when my cousin dropped out of high school to get a job with a computer technology company. My family freaked out at the thought of him dropping out of school and nagged my aunt for letting him make that decision. She said that it was his decision to make, not hers. His passion in life is computers and what makes them work. Yet he was being scrutinized for doing what he loved. My family was afraid because society tells us that without a high school and college degree we will fail. While in some cases this is true, my cousin knew that this was the best choice for him. He now makes great money, without a high school degree. 

I believe that if people are driven enough, they will be able to succeed in whatever they do. If I want to major in Russian and Philosophy, I should be able to do it. If not for the money, then for the education. Society puts so much pressure on money and one’s exterior that people forget about the importance of beautifying their interior. If you are lucky enough to find your passion in life, should shoot for the stars. If you have the enthusiasm and drive to work with that passion, you should. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise! 

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I recently left a comment on JSC’s blog about parking on SMU’s campus and how ridiculous the process is.

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How to Save a Life

As I opened my email this morning I came across a startling caption reading, “Urgent, Blood Supply Critically Low!” As a regular blood donor, I typically receive emails from the Red Cross asking for another donation. My mother refers to the Red Cross as the “Vampire Agency” due to their non-stop phone calls asking to suck your blood. But as I read this bolded email it occurred to me, why is it that the Red Cross has to nag us to help save a life? It isn’t a terribly painful process and it doesn’t cost any money to participate in. So why is it then that the Red Cross has less than a 24 hour supply of most major blood types? 

The thought crossed my mind that some people only think about donating blood in disastrous situations. The media covers natural disasters, car crashes, mass murders, and many other large scale death scenarios when they first occur. These reports typically state the death toll, the number of injuries, as well as the amount of survivors. But it is rare to see any reports as follow ups to those accidents seeing how those people were saved and what it took to save those lives. What most people don’t realize is that every 3 seconds someone needs a blood donation. And while only 37% of the US population is eligible to give blood, only 10% of those eligible donate annually. So while you are appalled by the number of deaths from accidents, you should also be in shock from the miniscule number of blood donors in the US. Especially considering that one pint of your donated blood can save up to 3 lives!

As a college student without a car, I can empathize with those who find it  inconvenient to seek out blood drives and/or hospitals to donate at.  It then struck me, how did it come to be that every University in the US is not hosting blood drives on a monthly basis?  Colleges hold the prime candidates for blood drives and yet they aren’t utilizing their capabilities. Students could then no longer claim that it is inconvenient to donate blood. 

If organizations such as the Red Cross are in such dyer need of blood that they are offering gift certificates and free gas, don’t you think that some reform need take place? I would even go as far as proposing that those eligible to donate should be required to give blood by their jobs and private schools. So long as the employers and schools would host blood drives, I believe that it should be a mandatory component of one’s job or enrollment. I don’t believe that this proposition would work for government agencies or public schools simply because their would be too much dispute over the government’s control of a person’s body. I honestly think that required donation would serve as a new hope for those counting on us few who donate to make the effort again. What have you done to help another person lately? 

For more information about giving blood visit givelife.org or call 800-GIVE-LIFE.