Behind everyone’s greatness that they have earned in life they all had to start from the same line. Everyone has different ways that they had become successful. But if they became successful through school they started just like everyone else does. Some of the ways that have helped people to become successful are simply just getting away from the technology. Some of the greatest things have been done when technology wasn’t even invented; turning away from the screen helps you in the long run in making you successful. Some other ways that help with becoming successful is using snail mail, and also crafting your resume.
This semester in Eng 131 we took a step back in time for the class period; no technology was allowed out unless instructed, or it was during a break period. Some people see technology as something that is glorious, and that is true it is but sometimes you need to just break away from it. Some of the greatest things that we have done in this class, and in historic history were done without the use of technology. Studies have also shown that those who use digital devices in class perform worse than those who don’t: “students barred from using laptops or digital devices in lectures and seminars did better in their exams than those allowed to use computers and access the internet”(Adams). The study conducted 726 upgrades and divided them into three groups: the controlled group, those allowed any technology, and those just allowed to use tablets. The results of the study where that “Our results indicate that students perform worse when personal computing technology is available. It is quite possible that these harmful effects could be magnified in settings outside of West Point,”(Adams). Even though technology is an amazing thing sometimes we need to take a step away at times; that also includes using the snail-mail that was required for this course.
Snail mail is something that we do not like using because, it take three or more days just to get a letter to someone. Why would we want to do that if we can just send a text message and it will get there in just seconds? Using snail mail helped me feel successful this semester, and I feel that it overall gave me some values. This was the first class that I have had that wanted to send letters, and when we were first instructed to do so I was dreading it. However, after every time I got my letter written, labeled, stamped, and mail ready I got excited for it. I was ready to mail it and to see how long it would take to get to that person. Using technology is an amazing thing, but I feel that using snail-mail is something that teaching morals. It teaches patience, and writing skills also. At Briar – Cliff University they did a study on how many students use the “Snail mail”, and it resulted with 25, 70 pound bags of mail a week is the normal. They say this is the reason why” An email might be faster, and a text message more convenient. But they can’t quite replace a handwritten letter, or a card filled with a few dollars, when it comes to reminding students of home” (Brauer). Those skills are some things that go hand in hand with other things you need in life. You also can develop new skills that you can use to put on your resume that you have as an individual.
Writing resumes are one of the most important things that I have learned this semester, and it is something that is very important to everyone that is applying for a job, or internship. It is also something that almost every employer is wanting when you are applying for a new position. Through the visits from the career center, and with us being asked to create one it feels that it is something that everyone is stronger in now. Since resumes are something that helps you stand out of the crowd, and be able to show your strengths; it is never a good thing to lie about
your abilities just to try can get the job. Overall you need to try to make yourself stand out of the crowd and show that you have new and old cards to bring forward.
Eng 131 has opened our eyes to many things a lot of professors do not do anymore like not using technology in the learning environment, and snail mail. It has helped make us more rounded people, and also gave us new skills im sure many of us do not use outside of this class. This class is almost like a step back into time before technology and everything took over; I have enjoyed personality how this class was set up, and hope it continues to be like this for years to come.
Work Cited
Adams, Richard. “Students Who Use Digital Devices in Class ‘Perform Worse in Exams’.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 11 May 2016, http://www.theguardian.com/education/2016/may/11/students-who-use-digital-devices-in-class-perfor
M-worse-in-exams.
Brauer, Michael. “Snail Mail Still a Hit with College Students.” Briar Cliff University – The Catholic Franciscan Learning Place, http://www.briarcliff.edu/news/campus/140328-snail-mail/.
Annotated Bibliography
Beatty, Robert. “Serafina and the Black Cloak”. Disney/Hyperion, 2015.
In “Serafina And the Black Cloak” Beatty opens a new door into a different reality; there is many things that this book makes you wonder from the beginning to the end. It is a work of fantasy, a fairy tale, and a mystery put into one book that makes you never want to put it down. When children started going missing at the Biltmore Estate Serafina thought it was time she took in into her own hands. With her doing that it opened many dangerous, and even some doors that should have remained closed. Though there is happy things in this book; it is more than just your average fairy tale.
Collion, Billy “Snow Days” Poetry Foundation. Random House, New York. Web. 2001, 29 April 2018
In Billy Collins “Snow Days” It gives us visual images of what happens when it snows in a small town, or a place where snow doesn’t happen to often. Talks about how big the snow piles are compared to buildings, and tells about how white the whole town is because of it. It mentions that the whole town shuts down because of the snow on the ground, and how no one is out and about. Everyone is at home; no kids at school, no parents at work: it’s a step back from reality.
Kitchener, Caroline. “Why So Many Adults Love Young-Adult Literature.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 1 Dec. 2017, 29 April 2018.
In “Why So Many Adults Love Young-Adult Literature” it is a very interesting article about what draws adults into wanting to read more Young-Adult literature than anything else. There is different sections in the blog that talk about different reasons why adults are more drawn to this type of literature. Since most Young-Adult books still include things like adventure, fairy tales, and mystery in ways that adult books are just not written.
Richtel, Matt. “Blogs vs. Term Papers.” Newyorktimes.com. The New York Times Co., 20 Jan. 2012.
IN “Blogs vs. Term Papers” the article begins talking about how so many students dread getting assigned a term paper. It continues to talk about how much time students push the assignment off before they actually start the paper. People seemed to enjoy writing blogs because it is on the internet, and because you are not just staring at paper, and trying to think about what you should write about next. They did a study to show who did better in a semester: those who did blogs, and those who just did term papers. The results showed that the students had a better outcome when it came to writing blogs vs term papers in its own.
Smith, Zadie. “Swing Time”, Penguin Books. 2017
In “Swing Time” Smith gives us a story like no other I have seen before; it is a story about two females friendship with each other, and how it had went horribly wrong. They were friends from young ages, but never completely friends it seemed. They always tried showing the other one up, and making the other one jealous. The book itself swings from one place to another; almost like it is a couple books in one. It offers a look into what a toxic friendship looks like when jealousy, fame, and hardship.
Twenge, Jean M. “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 19 Mar. 2018,
In “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?” the article talks about kids with cell phones, and also about how kids are missing vital things that kids should be doing instead of being on a smartphone. It also tells about how people are now more focused on the screens of devices rather than having real conversations with people. It includes examples of changes that have been noticed from people who were not born with technology. They say that kids are missing out on a lot of their lives due to to just staring at a screen all day long.
Jessica Wooten 