Food Inc.

So I made the same mistake that most of us did and just wrote about what was on my mind. There is little to no analysis in this post. I wrote it during class and didn't think it would be fair to revise and analyze. (Sweet rhyme huh?) So here it is:

I read a book over the summer. The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan. I don't want to ruin it for anyone, but turns out the dilemma is that we've ruined a good thing that we had for ourselves. For thousands of years we've had a free lunch. All energy comes from the sun. Sun to Plants to Man/Sun to Plants to Animals to Man depending on who you talk to and what you eat. We took part in that chain. Respectfully. The sun knew it's place. The plants and animals did what they do naturally. Humans reaped the rewards. "The Earth is yours and everything in it." Then BOOM! The Industrial Revolution took over. Thanks Eli Whitney. Suddenly waiting for the sun to shine wasn't convenient. Now the farmer doesn't have to get dirt underneath his fingernails. Now the American diet is floating on a yellow sea of corn. Now the government gives subsidiaries to plant or not plant certain crops. Now a homemade meal consists of meat from another state, Fruit/Vegetables from another country and liquids that appear to be from another planet. The great American plains, that proverbial bread basket is now running low on supplies. It's been over-farmed, over-run and over-packed into concrete slabs of soil and left for dead under rows and rows of a mutated grass. God bless America! And God please bless the American diet!

Rhetoric Used in "Food Incorporated"

The example I selected from "Food Incorporated" that demonstrated good rhetoric was the part where a mother was telling her story about the death of her son. Her son died because the food he ate was contaminated from poor health standards at the meat factory. This brought the audience to an emotional level (pathos) because it pulls at your heart strings. by using a child the audience felt a greater sense of loss because his life had just begum. He was perfectly healthy and had so much to live for. They also used pathos by showing the same video of this happy child before he was sick over and over again to reiterate their point. Through repetition the expression of emotion was heightened and it was unlikely that their audience would forget that story. You wanted something to change so that this wouldn't happen to future children. You wanted the factories to have more restrictions and healthier standards.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgnWsUyRNtE&feature=related

Food Inc.

The arguments presented in the documentary Food Inc. make the movie incredibly persuasive. The movie appealed the pathos through the story of Kevin's death because of e coli. Had the animals been kept in more sanitary conditions, or were raised in the manner they were meant to live in, then the e coli disease would not have been introduced to the human population. The documentary also established the ethos as the producers interviewed the farmers for the controlling companies, such as Monsanto. The movie makers also played with rhetoric when they put a single short sentence, "Monsanto declined to be interviewed for this film." The short sentence drew attention to it and also helped to strengthen the producers arguments that the companies would not even deign to explain themselves. When the film makers legitimized their ethos they also established their logos. The people interviewed provided the evidence for the producer's arguments with their stories and the footage they provided of how the animals or workers were treated. The most persuasive argument in this film was the mother petitioning for after her son died (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzAN_het4KM). The story made me think of my own future children, and how I would do anything to keep that from happening to them. That single argument moved me to want to act.

FOOD!

The whole purpose of this film was to introduce the importance of the food we eat on a daily basis. It showed, and sometimes didn't show, the source of what we purchase as consumers from the grocery store and how it got to be there. There were times where people were not too proud of what they did and were either never interviewed or were kept in the dark. Perhaps there was some law that didn't allow them to talk, but the employees/farmers were very aware of the power that corporations held. And what they were capable of doing. From shutting their farms down, to taking them to court and filing charges against them for using their products illegally. There was another part of the film that showed a mother who had lost a son due to some bad meat products at a fast food restaurant. This part was exceptionally effective because the ethos, pathos and logos was all implemented. The woman addressed the issue in a way that could apply to anyone, as readers/viewers. It had left such a great impression on me. I could never want or imagine what it must have felt to lose someone like that at such a young age.

Food, Inc. shows how in the past 50 years the US agriculture industry has come to control the nation's food supply for maximum profits though feed lots, genetically modified organisms, lobbied legislation, exploited labor, and legal threats. Food, Inc. also explains how Monsanto is able to maintain their monopoly over seed production with legal action ans revolving door politics. More revelations include how the few largest chicken producers control the individual farmer through debt and contracts via a system reminiscent of the company stores of coal mining regions. Farmer Joel Salaatin's view on the link between how we treat our food, each other, and the global community is particularly insightful. This film's use of logos was especially apparent but it seemed to work better when it was paired with ethos, such as with the mother of the dead child petitioning congress with statistics. With these two aspects put together, it was very persuasive to me and makes me want to think more about when and what I buy. The use of hidden cameras in the meat factories was very insightful as well as the interview with Farmer Joel as he and his crew prepared and packaged their chicken on the spot.

Food Inc Post

Food Inc.'s argument, that corporations are force-feeding Americans all the junk that multinational corporate money can buy, is persuasive through its unappetizing lessons. This film demonstrates all three characteristics of rhetoric: ethos, pathos and logos.

The ethical appeal of the argument is there because clearly the people who made this have extensive knowledge about the issue. In fact, the voice at the opening belongs to Michael Pollan and the co-producer is Eric Schlosser, both who have authored credible books on the very issue. Logos is demonstrated through the many logical arguments all throughout the film, most notably all the graphs and statistics compiled to show just how bad the situation is.

I am a bit of a realist so I do realize that this is an activist's documentary, meaning that of course they picked the most extreme examples and stories that they could find in order to fuel the sometimes infuriating idea of what these huge company's are doing to everyone. Pathos was probably the most heavily relied upon aspect of rhetoric used because of the simple fact that those stories were exactly what gets people motivated to try to change things.

Key Me In

I never realized how boring the dazzling brilliance of the stars can get if you stared at them for long enough. Especially if you're staring at them while locked out of your dorm in the middle of the night because your ID card that typically lets you in after curfew has shown its bipolar side and has refused to let you inside. Guess you can learn something new no matter the circumstances. Now imagine this. I come home from a movie date, just three minutes past the curfew. I walk up to the door and slide my card through the slot. A blaring, red light flashes me. I slide the card again. Sometimes the card just doesn’t register the first time. Red light flashes me again. I slide it again, and again. But no. I am officially locked out in the snow, with no dorm mates to call. So I call the number on the door listed for emergencies. One freezing hour later the Helaman Halls Advisor finally drags himself out of his warm bed to let me into my own warm bed. This experience is not unique to me. Other girls have also experienced being locked out in the cold, rain and the dark. Which is why I want the outside lock to be changed from using our ID card to get in to a regular key, so that this occurrence doesn’t happen again.

To understand the locking system issue you need to understand how it is that we get into our dorm. At Helaman dorms there are two keys that are used, our ID card (key card) is used to open the outside of the dorm, and a regular key is used to unlock our actual dorm room. The issue that boggles my mind though is that there is still a key that can be lost, so why not issue a key for both entryways to make an easier process? If the dorm residents can keep track of one key, then they can keep track of two. The change from card entry to key entry is easy as well. The entrances do not even need to be recalibrated for the use of keys. All doors already have key holes that can be used.

Now that how the locking system at Helaman Halls works is understood, a counterargument can be brought up. One argument against switching the lock system could be that we can just call someone from our dorm to let us in. Let me ask you then, who wants to be disturbed at odd hours of the night to let someone in? Wouldn’t like that? Thought so. We don’t either. So it would be so much easier, nicer and warmer if we had a dependable key that would always let the dorm residents in.

Many people say that by freshman are just irresponsible, so this issue about the keys is stupid to talk about because their irresponsibility can’t be fixed. Ask yourself this, how many times have you misplaced your keys? I know of several people, including my Writing and Rhetoric 150 teacher, that say they sometimes lock their keys in their car or leave their keys in the house. It’s human nature to forget things. Helaman residents are not exempt from this law. They too lose their keys, but generally they are simply locked in the room just as anybody else can accidentally lock their keys in the car. According to a Helaman Room Advisor, of all the lock outs she has helped out with only about 5% of the students had actually lost their keys, the rest had simply locked their keys in their room. There are 42 girls on our floor, which means that only about two girls actually lose their keys. To replace two lost keys is about $40. What does that have to do with changing the key card system back to metal keys? Less lost keys equals less extra cost. So BYU’s stance that using the key card is cheaper loses its validity when relatively few keys are being lost.

Another reason to switch to regular old keys is because being locked out is stressful. Every time I use my ID card now I tremble in fear that it won’t work, and I’ll have to once again call someone else out into the cold with me to let me in. Now as most people know stress is not very good for the body if it’s prolonged, such as constantly worrying about being locked out in the cold again. A student’s life is a constant string of mounting stress because of homework and tests, so why add on to the mountain when it could easily be resolved? Just switch out the key card system for a simple key and lock.

Security. That is the one distinct advantage that a digital key card locking system has over the key. Between the two systems the key card is much harder to break into; however it is not impossible. An article in the magazine WIRED included a study done by wealthy software entrepreneur, Van Bokkelen. Bokkelen wanted to know how if card based locking systems could be hacked into. The “felon” only needed a laptop and cloning device that copies the signals or codes on the card. A copper wire touches the card and all the information on the card is copied into the device and downloaded into the laptop. It took all of 2 minutes to complete the process. Now all this study does for my argument is to prove that card based locking systems are not invincible. They can still be broken through, it’s just harder to bust through compared to a key based system.

Brigham Young University was founded in 1875, but this technology was not used in the outside of military use until about a decade after WWII. Why did BYU change from normal key lock systems to the key card? The answer comes down to cost, ease of changing the lock code and security. To replace the ID card if it is lost would only cost ten dollars, because the lock doesn’t need to be changed. However, the installation of the key pad for the ID card is incredibly expensive. For one system it costs $550. That’s just for one key pad. At each dorm there are four key pads, meaning that $2200 was spent to install the key card system per dorm. There are eight halls total at Helaman. So BYU spent about $17,600 to install the systems. While the replacement fee for a metal key can range from $15-40 to replace the key and change the lock. Over all the dorms generally about 5% of the keys are lost. 2048 people are in Helaman Halls. The cost for all those replacement keys would only cost $2048 at twenty dollars per key replacement. So you tell me, which one do you think will be cheaper in the long run?

Stress and being stuck outside in weather situations that can be detrimental to a student’s health are the main reasons why the lock system should be changed at the Helaman Halls. With a simple change these issues can easily be resolved to the improvement of the student’s life.

Why BYU Students Pay Higher Rent than UVU Students

It’s true; BYU students pay more in rent than UVU students. How is that possible, considering our campuses are only five miles apart? Well, once BYU required all students (except single graduate students for some reason) to live within two miles from campus, it became simple economic supply and demand from there.

Sure, I only pay $320 a month on rent, including utilities, but that is for a shared room in an apartment with six girls and one shower. The Daily Universe article, “Pros, cons of BYU’s housing radius debated by the numbers,” revealed that BYU students are required to pay a premium just to sleep and eat somewhere approved by BYU. Shockingly, my own BYU housing research as well as the Daily Universe article shows an average rent disparity up to $150 per month. That is an extra $1200 per school year! Last year the average price for a shared apartment in BYU-approved housing was $282.62 per month, and $338.35 for a private room (Daily Universe Housing Guide). That means that a three bedroom apartment like the one I am in, with 6 tenants paying the average $282.62 per month, that that single apartment is going for $1,695.72 per month. This number is staggering when compared to other apartments for rent in the Provo/Orem area, but even more annoying is that for $1,695.72 per month you could be paying down a mortgage on a $350,000 house.

“With housing booming the way it is, it made sense for the university to take care of housing for its students,” said Julie Franklin, director of residence life in an interview with BYU Magazine in regards to the reason for the implementation of the housing radius, back in 2008. Well the housing market definitely isn’t booming like it once was. Looking at the amount students pay to rent out an apartment (not just their room, the entire apartment) it would seem BYU still thinks the housing market is booming. I don’t know about you, but my three bedroom 1.5 bath apartment at the Colony is definitely not worth over $350,000.

The requirement to live in BYU approved housing within a 2-mile radius of campus has caused students to pay a premium on their rent. BYU ought to get rid of the radius because it does not add any additional value to the measures already in place, which intend to create an environment for its students to live consistent with gospel standards; rather, the radius causes inflation in rent for BYU students.

UVU students, who can live any distance from campus that they choose, could live at Pinnacle Canyon View, a three bedroom two bathroom apartment for $1,165 per month, which would be $194.17 each for six people. Village Park, six miles to BYU is $775/month for a three bedroom two bathroom, or $258.33 for all three tenants to have a private room.

It is a main point to note that apartments for UVU students costing the same or more as those at BYU are the large complexes right next to the UVU campus. Parkway Crossing, for example, is right across from UVU is $270/month for a shared room of $380-$445 for a private room.

So what’s with the extra $150/month? We live in a market economy where there are typically two products available to us: name-brand and the exactly-the-same-but-cheaper-generic-brand. BYU housing is name brand; however we are prohibited from purchasing the generic-brand off-campus housing options. Associated with the BYU name brand housing are the arguments that we are paying to live with those who hold our same standards, and are in our wards.

Gospel Standards:

“Because the university relies upon the community to provide accommodations for most of its students, BYU has established a Contracted Housing program to cultivate that desired environment off campus” Off-Campus Housing Handbook

All BYU students agree to live according to the same standards. BYU has covered their bases in more than one way to ensure students are living righteously: students sign an honor code, get annual ecclesiastical endorsements, attend singles wards which help those who may not have as strong testimonies, and via BYU’s contracted housing all students sign a rental agreement form saying they are living according to gospel standards. Don’t get me wrong, I agree with the idea of BYU approved housing. I don’t agree with the radius being the first requirement needed in order to qualify as approved housing.

By requiring the contracted housing to be within 2 miles of BYU, economic theory teaches us that the supply is down and so the costs are being driven up. TT Those living on or off campus have to sign a rental agreement or form that they will live by these housing standards. Every student also has to live by the Honor Code. By signing the Honor Code agreement, we all are committing to live the gospel standards, no matter where we live. So, in terms of living according to the gospel standards, every student is morally and ethically required to abide by those standards. Requiring students to live within a radius of their school doesn’t necessarily increase righteous living or experiences.

I can see how it helps single wards become closer, because we are all neighbors, but those who are going to live by their word will, and those who won’t, don’t. How many times have you asked someone if they like where they live and their response is “the ward is so great!” or something equally positive about their ward. That is because wards function as what any other college or university refers to as Greek Life. Wards are BYU’s sororities and fraternities; it is how we meet people and the center of our social life.

There are those living in BYU housing and attending BYU who do not live the standards, and some who don’t even try to hide it. I have known BYU sports players, foreign students and even Utah born and raised students who have been mixed up in drugs, sex, alcohol, and everything in between. The fact that they lived within 2 miles of school didn’t matter to them. When they got in trouble it was as an Honor Code violation, and not a housing violation. It may be true that these circumstances were the exception, but I have known too many personally to simply write it off and say, “oh hey, that doesn’t really happen that often.” In reality it does, and in real world reality, it’s the norm.

Would taking away a housing radius be detrimental to the student ward experience? In a simple answer, no. Most students will still choose to live at the major complexes close to campus, that is what happened before the radius was in effect. However the radius is driving up costs and it’s got to go. What about those who don’t live in the large complexes? Well, student wards are set up across the nation, and they are a success for those who attend, just as they are here in Provo for those who attend.

Double Standards:

Some BYU students are required to live in university-Contracted Housing, others are not…The Off-Campus Housing Office may waive this requirement for … single students who are in graduate school.” Off-Campus Housing Handbook

Why are the rules different for undergraduate and graduate students? The very first housing guideline to which all potential dwelling units are contingent upon are whether or not the place is within the boundaries. Yet this rule only applies to undergraduate students. What makes a grad student less of a threat than an undergrad? The argument then that this radius upholds and is crucial to BYU’s housing objectives is moot because it only applies to certain students and those without a waiver.

As a single graduate student I find this issue particularly interesting. I still sign the honor code. I still get an annual ecclesiastical endorsement, albeit the graduate endorsement which is a bit different than the undergraduate endorsement. I still attend a student singles ward. Basically, I have promised to live to the same standards as every other BYU undergraduate. The only difference is that I don’t have to live within 2 miles of campus. However, because I have signed the Honor Code I have promised to live according to the same exact housing standards as everyone else.

BYU ought to get rid of the radius because it doesn’t add any value to the environment BYU is hoping to create. BYU has many other means set up to create an environment for its students to live according to the gospel standards that aren’t the root cause of inflated rent.

BYU may be well intentioned but the simple fact is I pay more than I would if I were to live with my same 5 roommates anywhere else. Why demand students to live within the boundary designated by BYU Housing when it causes so many financial problems, and really has nothing to add to the University’s housing objectives? BYU, you have a choice to make, you can’t have it all. Either keep your radius and require your approved housing to be rented out at fair market values, rather than cramming us all in like sardines, or get rid of the radius but still trust us to live according to the Honor Code in approved housing.

Snoring Fits or Video Clips

You’re sitting in a desk in a classroom filled with hundreds of peers. The person next to you is asleep, two people in front of you are checking their facebook status, and a girl with a new ring is looking up a variety of bridal dresses on beautifullymodest.com. Of course, you have the straight A students who have their notebooks open and pens in hand. However, even they are having a hard time paying attention and a forbidden yawn often escapes their lips. The classroom feels stuffy and cramped. Your mind starts to wander back to the class you had earlier that morning. You were attentive and actively involved with the learning process and would often raise your hand to make comments or ask questions. It surprises you that you were learning about the life cycle of a sponge and enjoying it. You left that class actually wanting to do the homework because you are interested and want know more. What made these two experiences so different? Hard to say. So many factors affect the classroom environment such as: lighting, student preparation, subject matter, distractions, etc. But, regardless of these factors, the main differences between these two classes were the methods used to present the material.

Now, I’m not making excuses for the students who stay up too late, who aren’t prepared for class, or who choose to use distracting deceives in the classroom. You can learn something from every teacher if you motivate yourself and take responsibility for your own education. However, there is something to be said about an engaging teacher who makes learning memorable and even enjoyable. It is only natural that students will learn and remember more from an engaging teacher than one who isn’t. I feel that students have the right to learn as much they can from their education and professors have the obligation to facilitate learning in the classroom.

So, why are some teachers more effective than others at engaging students? Well, you’ve asked the right person. I’m majoring in and working towards becoming an elementary school teacher. Now, before you think that what I have to say is irrelevant because I specialize in young elementary aged children, and therefore know nothing about higher level education, I am competent in effective teaching strategies that facilitate multiple learning styles. For instance, there are three main learning styles; visual (to see), auditory (to hear), and kinesthetic (to do). In other words every person learns differently, but most learn through the senses (sight, sound, etc). I have found that the most effective teacher is one who incorporates as many of these different learning styles into their lessons as possible.

However, in a college classroom setting incorporating these different learning styles can be difficult to do. The classes are large, time is limited, and the amount of material to cover is vast. But teachers can still to choose the most effective way to present the material while meeting the learning needs of each student. One of the best ways to accomplish this is through the appropriate use of video clips.

Notice that I said the appropriate use of video clips. Unfortunately there are ways that video clips can be misused in a classroom setting. Sometimes a teacher will attempt to use clips as a way to spice up his/her lecture by showing something comical. Although humor is a positive element to have in a classroom it can be far better used when the humorous clips are relevant to the subject. Another way that video clips can be misused is through improper length. A few years ago I had a Spanish teacher who was, how should I say it? Lazy. We spend an entire month of class time watching Fiddler on the Roof (a three hour movie). To give my teacher some credit there were Spanish subtitles. But that is all we did. We weren’t required to even connect the English words we heard to the tiny subtitles at the bottom of the screen. Class time could have been better spent learning how to understand and speak Spanish than watching a movie that most of the class had already seen. The best clips are short and memorable. As you can see there are in appropriate ways to use video clips; however, there are still many ways that video clips are effective and aid classroom learning.

First of all, they use multiple learning styles by appealing to both the visual and the auditory learners. By using these two learning styles video clips fulfill the needs for the majority of students. In fact about 65% of the entire population are visual learners, and 30% are auditory learners (1). This means that about 95% of the students learning needs are met through video clips.

Secondly, video clips usually involve narrative. They tell stories. Memory improves when subject matter is coupled with some kind of a story or experience we can relate to. For example, in my child development class we were learning about language development, and specifically how language develops through mimicry (copying the sounds we hear). My professor shared a clip of quadruplets and how they developed their own language through mimicry. They would see an object, like a book, make a sound and the others would repeat that sound. So when it came time for the final I remembered that mimicry was part of language development because I could easily remember the story of those quadruplets. Stories are just plain easier to remember than facts.

The last point I would like to make is how video clips increase attentiveness. Let’s be honest, it is hard to listen to a professor’s voice for an hour, or two, or three. A short clip helps to refocus the class and reminded them of the importance of the subject matter. Clips can also be a break from extensive notes. Instead of writing lengthy definitions that makes little sense, students can write down a key phrase of what the clip was about. Video clips help students refocus on key points made in the lecture.

It is clear that video clips are an effective way to increase the productivity of your education. That education is vital to you future. It is important to receive the best education possible and learn as much as you can while attending this university. After all you are spending your savings just to be here. Shouldn’t you care about the value of education you are receiving?


Works Cited
1.University of Phoenix. http://www.studyingstyle.com. 2010. LangVid Language Training.

Safety in Parking

College is one of the most exciting times of your life, and it can be one of the busiest. Many of us juggle jobs, school, relationships, and other extracurricular activities. At times it feels we are almost forced to be in a rush. Sometimes we forget about the safety of others in our rush. Parking is something that can cause a lot of stress in our life. We are so focused on getting to where we want to go, that parking is the last thing that we want to deal with. Students have to get to classes on time, and in all the rush become a liability in the parking lot. BYU has a limited number of student parking close to the main areas of campus. I had a friend who was hit by a driver while walking to class in a parking lot. The girl wasn’t paying attention and ran into him. Luckily he wasn’t hurt, but it is better to prevent accidents from happening. We need to have more parking available so that students are safer when trying to park.

I feel that if we eliminate faculty parking from student lots it will provide more accessible parking. By freeing up these spots it will allow for students to have more areas to park. Students won’t be in as big of a hurry trying to find a space to park, and that will result in safer driving. Many of the faculty do travel longer distances to get to school and have already put their time into school. I feel that we should keep the larger faculty lots open that are close to campus. Faculty members can also park in any lot they want, so if by chance there isn’t a space in any of the “A” lots, they could then go use a student or grad student parking lot. If we could provide a faster way for students to get to class, then I believe that would help ease the stress and provide safer parking.

Many schools have a shuttle bus that helps transport students to class on time. BYU could purchase a recycled school bus fairly cheap. This will also provide more student employment because you will have to hire bus drivers. You could have two busses running students every five minutes to select locations on campus during rush hours. I believe if we had a student shuttle at the parking lots farther away, students would take advantage of the shuttles. Shuttle stops would be located by the Tanner building, testing center, and Wilkinson center so that the main areas of campus can be accessed.

The Tanner building provides access to the front third of campus. The JKB, JFSB, and math building are all right in that area. The testing center gives access to the back third of campus like the Brimhall building, JSB, Maesar building, and Widstoe building. The Wilkinson center is the central location to everything else on campus. By providing quick and easy access to these main areas students don’t need to be worried about time and walking distance as much. When weather is bad it saves them from having to walk in it. Many of the students live very close to campus and could also ride the UTA bus or even walk when the weather is nice.

The majority of students live within a two mile radius of campus. If BYU charged for a parking sticker I think it would help cut down on the number of student drivers that live so close to campus. Charging for parking would help encourage students to choose an alternate method of transportation; whether it is walking, biking, or riding the bus. Many other universities require students to buy parking permits. Students could pay more to park in lots closer to campus if parking is that important to them. By charging students for parking that would free up a number of spots, and provide a safer environment in parking lots.

Students on campus are concerned with their safety because of parking. The constant rush of the day catches up with many of us and we disregard concern for other people. By providing solutions to the problem, we are able to slow down a little and take the few extra minutes to watch out for people when we park. In the long run students can really benefit from a few simple solutions to solve the problems we have with parking right now.

Is Anyone Else Tired of P.D.H?

I, like Nephi was born of goodly parents. Not a day went by when we didn’t gather together in family prayer. Often as a family we studied the scriptures and we were so consistent in our church attendance that to even this day the back left pew is known as ours. Maybe we didn’t regularly hold Family Home Evening on Mondays, but we were always together anyways. I guess you could say that I am the typical Mormon male; a twenty-two year old return missionary who, with my mother’s help, earned his eagle scout at 14, and now finds himself at the Mecca for Mormon youth, Brigham Young University. As a sophomore, I haven’t spent as much time here as some, but during the past two years something about this campus has become clear. It’s suffering from a bad case of P.D.H. Yes you read that correctly, P.D.H. as in “Public Displays of Holiness”.

Now let me explain, P.D.H is a term I coined to refer to what I feel are unnecessary acts of religious devotion in the public domain. Not only do I feel that such displays are not needed, but I also believe that true worship is a personal and private matter and not for the wooing of the opposite sex. Christ the Lord explained it this way in Matthew 6:1, “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your father which is in heaven.” I am not advocating that we remove religious devotion from this campus because that would defeat the purpose of this institution. What I am saying is that there are those among us who may offer their alms before men for their praise, and more specifically to single students for dates. This must change.

As I mentioned before, my family gathered in daily prayer. I can’t ever remember sitting down around the table and not saying a blessing on a carefully prepared meal. Growing up I figured we prayed over our food so that it would “bless and strengthen us and do us the good that we need”-don’t even get me started on that overused phrase-, but as I matured I realized that more importantly we prayed around the table to give thanks for the food that was before us, for the time and energy it took to make it possible, the care of the cook, the nutritional value of the meal and the energy it would give us to continue to experience the life that God gave us.

So why is it then that I have seen students pull hot pockets out of the microwave, get ready to take a bite and then notice the eyes around them and before beginning to eat, half bow their heads, partially close their eyes and say a quick prayer standing in the middle of a crowded room? I thankfully cannot tell what such a student’s true intentions are, but I can imagine that they’re not giving thanks for the nutritional value of a hot pocket assembled at some factory in the mid-west by a guy wearing a hairnet. Sure we all want to make and keep friends that are spiritually uplifting and nobody at BYU wants to date a spiritual slob, but I wonder if even the good Lord can make maltodextrin or thiamin mononitrate “bless and strengthen our bodies and do us the good that we need”. So I ask, is this P.D.H justifiable?

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have the privilege to publicly share our beliefs in front of a large body of like believers once a month. Let’s keep it that way. A testimony is vital in our personal conversion and in the conversion of others. It is a gift that God gives us through His holy spirit after we have studied and prayed hard enough to receive it. If used properly a testimony can help and inspire others, and ourselves, but if misused the opposite can be achieved. Much too often I have found myself in the middle of a classroom discussion about the secular side of education and have been interrupted by a well meaning student who, for personal religious reasons, -reasons most of us, including the teacher, agree with- argues with the professor on gospel grounds.

Allow me to illustrate. Last week in my mass media class we were talking about the “7 Truths of Media” that state everything has been done before and that nothing is completely “new”. That’s when some clean cut kid, probably a month removed from the mission field gets up and says he disagrees because prophets and apostles can receive new revelations from God. Anyone disagree with that? I didn’t think so. But how does that help the class understand mass media and prepare for the final exam? I’m sure this student meant well, but the cynic in me can’t help but wonder if he got up and said what he said to impress the unsuspecting freshman girl at his side who would decide that a man with such a fervent testimony would make a great father to her future children.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love being a Mormon. If I didn’t I wouldn’t be living in Provo and studying at BYU, but I think that at times we get carried away in our beliefs because we live in such a predominate LDS environment. Because there is little religious opposition, we can become overly comfortable bringing religion where it might not belong for reasons other than the edifying of our fellow saints. Remember the Lord’s words to Joseph Smith found in Doctrine and Covenants 63:64? He said, “Remember, that which cometh from above is sacred, and must be spoken with care, and by constraint of the Spirit . . .” If the gospel teachings are truly in our hearts, then we don’t need to wear them flamboyantly across our chests for all those around us to see. Not only does P.D.H make some students uncomfortable, but it also goes against the Lord’s counsel. Let us be the saints that God knows we can become, but let us not lose sight of common sense and misuse our beliefs in order to secure plans for Friday night.

Be respectful, it is not that Hard?

The majority of college students will experience what it is to live with the roommate(s). Granted, we all have experienced what it is to live with great roommates; unfortunately we all have had some bad ones too. I have been with roommates who do not live by the Honor Code and leave the house looking like we were just robbed. Clothes are everywhere, dishes are found all over the kitchen, everything is unorganized. As a fellow student and member of the college environment I feel that I am entitled to certain rights and privileges. I do not think that I am above the BYU law, the Honor Code, and I don’t think I am better than anyone else. I am certainly not saying that I will break rules and standards, but I am tired of living with people who choose not to live by the Honor Code or who settle for an unclean home. It is to these kinds of roommates that I want to speak to. Common sense and common courtesy dictate that roommates should share the responsibilities of keeping the house clean and obeying the Honor Code.

Of course I am far from being perfect. And I certainly do not think that I am better than anyone. Perhaps I am getting old and grumpy, but what is it that motivates people to want to stay up late into the night and sit and talk for hours. Boredom? Curiosity? Honestly, do some people find the only time to see their loved ones or friends is past midnight? Other concerns I have include some basic household cleaning skills. I know I’m not the cleanest or most organized person. But to some degree, it almost appears that some people have never lived in a clean environment. It is only when they begin to lose their wallets, keys, watches, phones, etc., that they realize they need to be neater. Other times, these untidy roommates complain about not having any clean dishes and are too stubborn to admit to others and themselves that they are the problem. It makes me wonder, what is this person thinking? And what justifications could they have for what they do?

In a recent conversation with my roommate Richard, I was able to get some insight as to why he stayed up so late at night with the ladies. He said that each time he stayed out late it was never planned. Originally he only wanted to talk to the girl and get some food. But slowly they would lose track of time and forget how late the hour was. Soon, these visits would become customary and they soon forgot about the Honor Code which states that visiting hours for people of the opposite sex are from 9:00 am and extend until 12:00 midnight. Friday visiting hours may extend until 1:30. Not wanting to, but I have sometimes walked in on Richard and the lady friend, on the couch making out past curfew. That wasn’t pleasant! To know that I am interrupting that which should not be happening already. To feel that I cannot be comfortable in my own home. The Honor Code what we had agreed to and signed before and during our time here at BYU is not just a form with our signature. I imagine that many of us do not realize the promise that we had made and do not think of the results of our actions. What kind of lives are we living when we are not following the simple rules given to us by BYU? What kind of people can we hope to be like when it is time to leave this campus? Are we only meant to follow a few if not all the rules? For my roommate and lady friend, their commitment they once had was gone and had lost its impact. It would be easy to say that they had simply forgotten about the hour and curfew, but from what I have been told, there was never a good excuse. And when asked if they ever had taken into consideration the feelings of others, they never really thought about anyone else. They admitted their actions were selfish and they were not being very respectful. Since my conversation with Richard, the nights have been spent more in study and preparing for the next day, and visiting with the ladies on a timelier frame.

In another opportunity I talked to my other two roommates, who are brothers, and expressed my frustration with them in how they did not clean up after themselves. To both Kyle and Cameron, my purpose of speaking to them was not meant to be an attack or say that they were bad people. I only wanted to understand why they never put their dirty dishes into the dishwasher. The dishes had continued to stack to the point where we couldn’t see the bottom of the sink anymore. The situation had gotten to the point where we had no clean dishes, and they would go to a fast food restaurant to eat instead of cleaning up. Maybe it is just me, but there is nothing incredibly laborious about cleaning up after oneself. Perhaps they were brought up differently and have lower standards than me. And perhaps that is the problem with all my issues. (My whole argument is not to point blame, but to establish responsibility.)

Maybe all these bad habits are a result from bad/crazy semesters, and because of their busy schedule they are more forgetful than normal. But who isn’t busy with work, homework and classroom assignments? Preparing for a quiz or an exam that is important to their grades and future education? Some people say that living with these roommates is temporary and things will get better when they leave. But when things don’t get better with the new roommates, what happens? Does it become an ongoing cycle that is never solved? How long can you go without clean dishes?

To me, it only makes sense, to want to live in a clean house with people who obey the Honor Code. Can anyone honestly say that they would prefer living in a world without order and organization? Maybe. But I know from experience that there is less stress and argument amongst the roommates when the house is in order. The responsibility should never fall on one person to be the example or to clean the entire home, like some mother figure. I want my home to be a place of escape, to feel peace.

Keep in mind that one day most of us will have families of our own and there will be a need for an example figure. And the responsibility will not fall onto one person. It is clearly to our benefit to begin these healthy habits now and put them into practice. This will only result in better preparation for our future homes and families. So why not start now? Let’s show each other the kind of respect that not only our immediate roommates deserve, but also our own eternal families. We should begin by asking ourselves: how respectful am I being to my roommates?

Tough Religion

I hope this doesn't come across too offensively. I really did like my religion classes, just not the grades I received from them.

As stated in my freshman orientation class, BYU’s top 5 most failed classes for lower classmen are Calculus 112, Economics 110, American Heritage, and Book of Mormon parts I and II. While calculus and economics classes are understandably difficult (they’re like a different language) the difficulty of religion classes takes most students by surprise. I think that most of this has to do with the fact that most of BYU’s students have grown up in the church, are “born of goodly parents” and have been “studying” doctrine a minimum of three hours a week ever since they were born. I do not write this as a freshman who is just starting on their academic experience here at BYU and realizing the daunting task of 14 religion credits that lies before me. I am a senior who has completed the religion requirement, and a returned missionary, a little disgruntled about my GPA due to my difficult religion classes, and who is optimistically preparing for graduation and life as we know it outside of the “Provo Bubble.” Is this really what Brigham Young had intended for his graduates?

“The foundation for the educational philosophy of Brigham Young University was established over a century ago when, in 1875, President Brigham Young called Dr. Karl G. Maeser to go to Provo to assume the principalship of the newly organized Brigham Young Academy. Brother Maeser, who was a convert German schoolmaster and disciplined in the precision of his homeland, asked President Young for his instructions.

“I have only these,” President Young said. “You should not teach even the alphabet or the multiplication tables without the Spirit of God. That is all. God bless you. Good-bye” (‘Student life at Brigham Young’).

And now, 136 years later, the request to have a prayer before every instruction has transformed into 14 credits of religion classes that are too difficult and too time consuming. While these classes have taught me to study, as opposed to casually read, the scriptures, I don’t see myself applying the useless bits of information, such as how many women are mentioned in the Book of Mormon, to my future careers in Corporate America.

I can, however, imagine my future employer going over my resume and GPA report card. He’s not going to know of, or sympathize with ridiculous questions that showed up on a Book of Mormon final. He’s going to see my grades, B‘s, and think that I don’t excel in important matters or that I don’t perform well in areas of my life that I feel define me. How eager is he going to be in hiring me to represent his company? Other than this potential scenario, I don’t see how random facts from religion classes could apply to an office workplace.

I would like to focus on only some of the required religion classes that are here at BYU, namely The Book of Mormon parts I and II. I took these classes in my first year thinking that they would help me to prepare for a mission. While these classes did encourage good habits, such as reading the scriptures every day, I unfortunately was never asked on my mission “How many people did Ammon slay in defending the king’s flocks? (Alma 17:38.)” Or better yet “How and what is the significance in the killing and death of Shiz? (Ether 15:30-31).” The answers to these questions do not strengthen a testimony and are not pertinent to salvation. Nonetheless, I was prepared to answer these kinds of questions thanks to my classes.

Fourteen religion credits is the minimal amount that students are required to take while here at BYU. That’s roughly an entire semester. The average American (non-BYU student) spends four years in obtaining their undergraduate degree, and with this extra semester’s amount of religion credits, it is taking BYU students about four and a half years. Again, the concern at hand here is not the quantity of classes, but the quality. If these classes were structured to promote only good habits such as life-long service to our neighbor, as opposed to simply memorizing large quantities of random, unimportant religion facts, then the average BYU student would have no reservation in adding a few religion credits to an already full-time schedule.

The overall goal of every university is to prepare its students for their careers and promote lifelong study and learning. BYU is not an exception. In preparing students for life after college, universities have student development classes. These classes are geared towards the students and assist them in finding their potential as students, individuals and future employees. There are some religion professors here at BYU that adequately prepare their students for life though their classes. One student on ratemyprofessor.com, in regards to Brother Bott, stated that his class was “more of a life prep class than a mission prep class.”

In perfecting oneself, Jesus taught that you have to lose yourself in order to find yourself. By this he meant that we needed to put others’ needs and wants before our own. In other words, we need to serve others. By serving others, we better understand ourselves and our true potential, and then are blessed as we excel in our fields of study and career paths. That is what Jesus wants for us to do, as well as what BYU wants for its students.

The easiest way to accomplish this is for religion courses to highlight characters in church history and show how they were blessed by their service, and then encourage students to do the same. By doing this students will not only get more applicable and practical meaning from their religion classes, but will also be blessed with a better understanding of themselves as individuals.