The Real World, How It Connects to College

The Real World, How It Connects to College

In English class, we were focusing on the question, how can you connect your college experience to the real world? To help better understand the question I was given three speeches: a text from Sally Frost Mason, Evan Bayh, and Emmanuel Villaume. Sally Mason, a dean at the College of Liberal Arts, uses a metaphor of comparing Hillary and Norgay to students in her article. Sally Mason explains in her article that we too have a mountain to reach. That we will have many struggles along the way, but surely with an open mind we can reach the top of the mountain. U.S. Senator, Evan Bayh whom was a former governor of Indiana took a lecturing job at the Indiana University in Bloomington, states in his article a more political vision. He acknowledges that countries like Indonesia and Morocco have no economic prospects, no democracy, and no political outlet for their frustrations. He comments on that there are many alternatives to choose from, but they get their answer by looking at America's democracy. Emmanuel Villaume, a French conductor, in his article states the obvious question. "What am I doing here?" It tends to the open eyes for people, because asking this question leaves a lot of room for improvement. The articles relays a story of a little boy in a choir and how he instantly knew that he was there because he wanted to be a conductor. He emphasizes heavily on the question, "What am I doing here?" Believes you should ask yourself that question everyday. Although Mason, Bayh, and Villaume taught us about college experience and how it relates to the real world. Mason had more of an optimistic point of view. Bayh had a more political vision. On Villaume vision had a more outlook on every day's life. All the articles I have read made me question how college experience connects in the real world and challenged me to think further than what I had been thinking.

Although Mason and Villaume had different views on college life; they did agree on a more optimistic view that will bring out the best in a situation. Mason talks about Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay who reached the highest summit on May 29th, 1953. It was very significant how she preached that students too have a Mount Everest to climb. She used a metaphor of how it took Hillary and Norgay seven failed expeditions before actually making it to the top. It is significant because she is trying to tell students that we will have many struggles along the way, and to never give up on something you really want and desire. When the top has been reach is the struggle over? What are we suppose to do when coming down the mountain? We get tired and almost give up on climbing the mountain, that when we reach the top we let go of all the hard work we put into reaching the top. Mason's answer to the question was an example of Hillary and Norgay. When Hillary and Norgay reached the top of the mountain, it wasn't over with. They had to come back down the mountain. While climbing down the mountain, Hillary slipped and would had fallen to his death but with Norgay's quick thinking he saved Hillary from ending his life on that mountain. In comparison, Villaume responds with the question, "What am I doing here?" Knowing what you want in life and knowing that you are going to get it done will bring success to your life. He argues that we should ask ourselves that question because what if you are here for the wrong reason and you will never know the truth because you didn't ask yourself that particular question. You are thinking to yourself, asking if you have a purpose in what you are trying to do. You don't have to waste your time dealing with something that could have been prevented. In this section, I would have to agree with Villaume rather than Mason, because the more I think about it, I don't want to waste time doing something in life that I really do not want to do. By asking myself the same question, I can try prevent obstacles in my path that could hinder me from reaching my goal.

Both Mason and Bayh had different vision of the future. Mason had an optimistic view and Bayh had a political view. They did agree on how we are supposed to lead by example. Bayh talks heavily about the next generation, how it is up to us to make the right decision. He goes on to talk about the terrorist attacks on September 11, and how everyone's life will never be the same. Because of this devastation, there was no choice but to go to war with Afghanistan and Iraq. He talk about how there are many people in Indonesia, and Morocco who don't know what their religion and hostility toward the West. Many people in Afghanistan and Iraq are very confused on what they should do. They tend to turn to United States for the answer. Either we can do the right thing and lead by example, and not turn to violence or we can turn to violence and have destruction upon us. Leading by example doesn't have to be about fame and glory but helping someone in need so they won't fill either. In Mason's article she states how Hillary and Norgay started to climb down the mountain that without Norgay's quick thinking of lending a hand to Hillary, Hillary would have fallen to his death. You will not have a successful life without lending a hand to someone in need. People that you help now, will be the same people that will help you in the future. I believe Bayh's view is more demanding than Mason. He believes that setting an example by offering another way out instead of committing suicide, terror or death. We have to stand up for our rights of freedom knowing there are other options to look at. We are the example to the other countries.

Despite Villaume and Bayh having different views of the future, Villaume has a more outlook on life. Bayh has more concern vision for the future. They do agree that we have the power to change the future. Bayh begins with the devastation of the terrorist attack on September 11, and immediate says, "That we are the new generation and what are we going to do about it?" Bayh has more of a positive approach for he doesn't believe in violence and suggest that there are more alternatives then just terror or death.