Friday 16 September

This week's class focused heavily on the identity of the student and the abundance of challenges they face. The video we watched was extremely accurate and even captured the emotion involved as the scenes scanned the faces of the students in the crowd. Some of the thing I related to were being stressed out, tired, and worried what the future may hold. One of the greatest fears a student has nowadays is the debt the will certainly incur after they graduate and the loan officer comes calling. This really hit home since it acted as a source of motivation when I was in college the first time. I didn't know what to expect when I got there and I grew uncertain about the direction of study I wanted to follow. Ultimately, I lost the academic scholarship I earned and found myself applying for all sorts of financial aid. Not wanting to fall into debt or rely on my parents, I enlisted in the military. In hindsight, I suppose I was less worried about bombs and bullets than I was with books and bills. Now that I am back in school I have earned the benefits which afford me the opportunity to attend Temple University. However, I can attest to the stress and fatigue that school work places upon even the most dedicated of students. Take it from me... I have spent over two years in a combat zone, so as the song by A Tribe Called Quest goes, "I really know what it means to be stressed out...".