First, spend 5 minutes thinking about the topic and making notes. Based on your notes, write an essay of about 300 words. Complete it in 20 minutes. Then, use the last 5 minutes to read your essay and make corrections.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? All college students should be required to take classes outside of their major fields of study?
I agree with the statement that all college students should take classes outside of their major field of study, mainly because college should be an enriching experience in all senses, not only restricted to the major we’ve chosen. Classes that, at first glance, don’t seem to have much relation to our later profession in life help expand our view and understanding of the world. They make us aware that just like no man is an island, no field of knowledge is isolated from the rest of the sciences or arts that make this world function. Take for example Architecture, a very particular art mixed with engineering principles: it takes most of its design norms from social sciences because what can seem like a cold, hard building or city in reality is made for people, and it has to take into account Sociology, Economy and even Philosophy to create an object that is not only beautiful, functional but that also contributes to the development of society. Sometimes from classes outside of our basis curriculum we acquire discipline that we can later apply to our main courses or in everyday life. An algebra or calculus class may seem like a waste of time for a Medicine major but the truth is that perseverance, discipline and practice are abilities that you acquire when you study Math with the seriousness it requires. No one can say that perseverance is expendable, no matter what they want to become when they finish college. Additional classes can also make it possible to enjoy certain things later on, like art or literature, or to have a hobby; and the truth is that a person with knowledge in just one field of study is incomplete and is missing out on all the things this world has to offer.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: the saying, “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again” means to continue working toward a goal in spite of difficulties?
I agree to a certain extent that if we fail in some endeavor we should continue trying, in spite of difficulties. If we are successful in something it means we’ve acquired the knowledge and abilities necessaries to continue to the next phase, so failure should motivate us to learn more, study more or try different alternatives to reach our goal. The obstacles in our way will make us appreciate our achievements in a way it wouldn’t be possible if everything was easy in the first place. But there is a fine line between perseverance and stubbornness and there comes a time when we need to question our need for that which we want and try to discern if it is really necessary for our fulfillment or if we are fighting against the Universe for it. Sometimes when we are so focused in something we lose sight of other options that could work as well or even better than the one we previously visualized; there are other times when we don’t realize we are trying to obtain something with the same procedure that has failed before; we all have heard the saying that humans are the only animals that trip over the same stone twice. On the other hand, if our intentions our noble and we really believe in the importance of the destination we’ve envisioned, outside obstacles shouldn’t discourage us, and we have to eliminate inner insecurities and thoughts about not deserving what we want. This is why I insist on the importance of deciding what we want and for what reasons, so we don’t waste time with things not worth our efforts. I think if at first we don’t succeed we should try again with our heart and mind opened to different courses of action or new opportunities that could come our way.
Some international students choose American roommates. Others choose roommates from their own country. Compare the advantages of having an American roommate with the advantages of having a roommate from your country. Which kind of roommate would you prefer? Why?
When studying in a different country it seems students want to look for that which seems familiar and homely so they have something to hang onto in the midst of the unknown. That is why I think so many Hondurans prefer to have people from their own country or other Latins as roommates. It seems a very comfortable situation: they both have similar habits, interests or idiosyncrasies in common since they share similar economic or political situations from their background. There is also the matter of language: if they are living in a country where they have to speak a different language than their native one sometimes they feel intimidated to interact with other people from there. It’s easier to just hang out with someone who will understand them clearly and will not criticize them for making grammatical errors or having a weird accent. But it’s not necessarily good to have a roommate who comes from the same places as you do: it will give an appearance that you’re not interested in going outside of your comfort zone, and therefore others will not make the effort to get to know you. On the other hand, having an American roommate while studying in the USA can have its advantages, first, the foreigner will be forced to practice the language and he will eventually get better at it. If a friendship develops, this roommate could introduce him to new friends, or places in the city. And this will be a perfect opportunity so an American can learn something about the country where this international student is from (chances are he’s not well informed about it). I personally would prefer an roommate from the country I get to study; there’s always a possibility I get an obnoxious person who chooses to discriminate me, but when I’ll leave my country I want to learn as much as I can from everyplace I visit and I will not drag old baggage and nostalgia from my origins as a way to close myself up to new experiences.
Post a Comment