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MONDAY, MAY 5, 2014
PAGE 4
opinion
The reason there are no sunflowers on campus: they grow in the summer, because there is more sun. They're called SUNflowers for a reason.
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I overheard a man say that he wanted to move because he didn't like the weather here and he was sick of all the tornadoes. Really. The last time a tornado hit Lawrence was in 2003...11 years ago!
Let's just take a second to acknowledge the fact that Juicy J has an Oscar but Leonardo DiCaprio doesn't.
It's because sunflowers drop thousands of seeds which create thousands of unwanted sunflowers. Good lord people.
My finals week has consistently gotten easier every semester. Isn't college supposed to get harder?
Today, while in my car, I waved the Chancellor through a crosswalk. If that doesn't deserve free tuition I don't know what does.
"And then 3 months later she was like I'm pregnant! Ahhhhhhhh!" Well, you make big boy decisions you have to deal with the big boy consequences.
You're not "college" until you eat uncooked ramen noodles out of a cup.
How socially unacceptable is it to take a nap on the floor of Wescoe? Asking for a friend.
The 43 red driver stopped at Wescoe and said it was Fraser...?
I have an irrational fear of the automatic staplers in the library.
I'm gonna save up good FFA ideas all summer then send them in all at once to have a day that is exclusively ME.
the mame songs for the next two weeks will be as follows: "That's All" and "Staying Alive."
Cottonwoods found: west side of Strong Hall.
I wish there was a way to know you're in the good old days before you've actually left them.
A dude just went into a stall with no tp and a dirty seat and sat right down.
Harper Lee is my spirit animal.
That sense of accomplishment you get when you complete a sudoku in record time, and the despair when there's no one to brag to who cares.
RELIGION
Pledge to purity should be for self, not others
In middle school, one of my Catholic cohorts received a purity ring for her birthday. Looking back, only a few people in my friend circle believed she'd honor her chastity promise to God and her family. Sure enough, during high school her purity ring slipped away just as the Jonas Brothers' rings did. She stopped donning her "Virginity Rocks!" T-shirt, as well.
But why does society hold purity to such high esteem, especially for girls? "Purity balls" have become popular in religious communities. Similar to senior prom, girls wear nice dresses, style their hair and put on heels. But much different than prom.
almost the opposite, daughters attend with their fathers and pledge to remain pure until marriage. Their fathers assume control and protection of the maidenhead. A popular pledge fathers say verbatim includes, "I, [daughter's name]'s father, choose before God to cover my daughter as her authority and protection in the area of purity." Without thinking about it for too long, the concept of a purity ball doesn't seem awful. If people choose to take the pledge, that's a choice they make for themselves.
However, upon further consideration, purity balls are puzzling, unhealthy and controlling. It's perplexing to me that all the emphasis on
purity deals with young girls. Why are mothers not taking their sons to purity balls? Few boys are given purity rings. But if society really wants girls to resist sex, half the battle rests with the boys also forgoing the carnal urge until marriage.
Purity balls and pledges place a girl's father as the keeper of her maidenhead. Can I not be in control of my own body? What happened
to autonomy? At some point, young people begin making their own decisions. Also, growing up in a culture that's hypersexualized in the opposite direction can be just as unhealthy. People who take purity pledges are led to believe any sexual activity before marriage is damning, so when a girl is sexually assaulted or raped, she is less likely to report it. According to the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health results published in Glamour Magazine, 88 percent of pledgers have sex before marriage. Not shocking, but even worse, they also found sexually transmitted infection rates were much higher among communities with a
high proportion of pledgers.
Many argue that a standard definition of virginity does not exist. How can we put so many restrictions on virginity when it cannot even be defined? Does it even need to be defined?
I suggest we teach children what we think is best, and the reasoning behind it. But in the end, allow people to make choices for themselves. People don't need a protector, or keeper, of their sexuality when they themselves are capable of fulfilling that role.
Anrenee Reasor is a junior from Thayer studying economics and East Asian languages and culture.
Consider graduate school before joining workforce
W what are your post- graduation plans? The frequency of that
what are your post graduation plans? The frequency of that question really ramps up the further you progress through your senior year. It's not my intention to convince you that one path is better than the others; rather, my goal is to motivate you to understand, and fully explore, the options. I'd like to highlight the reasons to pursue graduate education because it is my chosen path.
The type of person who should go to graduate school is one who is intellectually curious and passionate about his or her field. There are several opportunities that one can take advantage of as soon as possible to gain experience toward confirming an interest in graduate school, namely, undergraduate research programs and summer opportunities like research-based internships.
First, be aware that graduate school involves rigorous study and is not the same as an undergraduate degree. As a Ph.D candidate, you are expected to become a master of your field then conduct original research to advance the field in some way. If this sounds exciting then graduate school might be for you. Personally, this is one aspect that draws me to graduate school — the opportunity to gain new and fundamental knowledge that may be beneficial to society in the future.
Decide whether graduate school is right for you now. Give yourself the best opportunity to succeed in the application process by getting involved. One way to get involved is to take part in research. The University of Kansas is a great place for research. As a large research university, many of the faculty that have taught you in class are also doing interesting, cutting-edge research in their field. The easiest way to get involved is to get on the department's website and read about each faculty member's research then email the people whose projects sound the most interesting. Show that you've done
If you are able to, extend these research experiences to the summer for a great way to prepare for graduate school because classes won't distract from research, and you can essentially act as a mini-grad student. This is great experience and it will test and prove your commitment to graduate education. If you're in the sciences, I highly recommend Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) programs through the National Science Foundation. One of these sparked my interest in research and graduate school. With these types of research experiences under your belt, you will be prepared to excel in graduate school
By Jason Bates opinion@kansan.com
The advice I've given here comes entirely from experience. I hope that it is not field-specific. In general, you should consider graduate school if you like to learn and you should pursue research opportunities to confirm your interest. Gather as much information about your options as you can and you can't go wrong.
your homework, maybe go as far as to read one of their recent publications, then ask whether you can be involved in some way. Usually, professors will be receptive to this since undergraduates are free labor. A graduate student can be assigned to you as a mentor and as you gain more knowledge, you can take on more responsibilities. This experience is invaluable because it will show you whether or not you like graduate research, and it can help you when you submit your graduate school application.
Jason Bates is a senior from Overland Park studying chemical engineering. He will pursue a pursuit a Ph.D in Chemical Engineering at Purdue University this fall.
CON
If you're graduating in May, you've probably already decided whether or not to continue your education or find employment. For everyone else, unless you know exactly which advanced degree you want and how that aligns with your career goals, you'd be better off forgoing more school and entering the workforce.
Seek employment, practical experience after graduation
Too many people make the mistake of continuing their education. Some professional degrees are risky investments. University of Colorado law professor Paul Campos, author of "Don't Go To Law School (Unless)," would even call a law degree worse than worthless because of the debt incurred and the weak job market. And beyond professional degrees, most graduate degrees are research-focused and lead to, well, more research. If you aren't interested in research, why get a research-based degree?
It's not a stretch to say that a startling number of people pursue graduate degrees for terrible reasons. The worst? Pursuing a graduate degree because their bachelor's degree was never tied to a career path. Underemployment, as in taking a job that doesn't actually require the level of education that you have, is a problem in the United States already. What a vicious cycle. Am I the only one who wonders how many of the people who pursue bachelor's degrees for which there are no jobs end up pursuing graduate degrees for which there are also no jobs?
So if you're lucky enough to find a job in a field that interests you, don't be afraid to forgo more
education and take it. What you'll accomplish in a few years working, exercising leadership and surmounting incredible challenges, can be exponentially more important than continued education, which might amount to just a few 700 level courses, some research and a thesis that you may not be too proud of. Earned salary, practical experience, transferable skills and a professional network translates to additional opportunities, like advancement in an organization or fresh employment opportunities.
Put yourself in a position to be able to choose. Don't be forced into work because you couldn't get into any graduate school, and don't be forced to go to graduate school because you couldn't find a job. Know what you're getting into, but never use graduate school as a safety net. This may sound painfully obvious, but if you don't know what you want to do, find a job. Find work that's meaningful, and make today the start of your illustrious 40-year career.
Chris Ouyang is a senior from Overland
Park studying petroleum engineering and economics. He will work full time in management consulting after graduation.
FFA OF THE DAY
You know finals are coming when you see a girl sleeping on the girls' bathroom couch in Wescoe.
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