Final Project and Whole Freshman Seminar Experience

The final project was very interesting to do, especially with a group. The experience was very different from when doing a final project on my own. When in a group I had to coordinate each and every aspect of the project with others. From the topic to the timing to the design of our presentation. Everything had to be agreed upon and consencise had to be reached. However, with four minds instead of 1 the conceptual portion of the project seemed to go faster, if not smoother. The end product was the culmination of four individuals efforts, and I thoroughly enjoyed each portion of our project, especially because I got along with my group members.
As for the class I learned a lot from the lectures.  It has given me a new way of thinking, a new perspective. I enjoyed it because previously I want to a majority white school, and coming here I didn't know what to expect. But, in this class I found something I couldn't find at my High School, pride. Not just any simple type of everyday pride, but pride in our culture and ourselves. The type of pride that creates a man of substance, like the kind I want to be. That is what I got form freshman seminar if nothing else.
Thomas Obisesan

First Semester

Summary:

My first semester in school was amazing. It was from anything I've ever experienced in my life. To see African Americans all working together to be important, is amazing. Howard University is indeed the best thing that has ever happened for me. My first semester in Freshman Seminar was different, different from any class I had ever taken. I was never introduced to such black history. I found it fascinating and anxious to learn more.

Analysis:

I think that my first experience away from home was a change, a very good change. This experience is helping develop my future. My next four years will only teach me and broaden my horizon to new things. Before I graduate from HU, I want to intern in Quantico at the FBI Headquarters with special agents. My first semester has already taught me it’s going to be rough, but you can do it.

- Alexis Noelle

Group Presentation

Summary:

Group presentations overall went exceptionally well. My group and I researched the effect of slavery today. As a group we decided on this topic because we thought it was important for us, as African Americans, to know what it was and how it has affected us this far after it occurred. In many ways slavery affected our race. We wanted to show and prove to our peers what impact slavery has had on us.

Analysis:

My group presentation was indeed an experience. If I were to choose whether I wanted to work in a group or alone for these group presentations, I would have chosen to do it alone. My group as a whole did alright in terms of getting it done, but I work better alone and get things quicker by myself. This presentation has helped me develop skills on working with others on research projects. I've done numerous group projects, but never a research project with others. I would have to say overall it was average. I wish it was better, but I was happy with the end results.

- Alexis Noelle

Freshman Seminar Experience

This semester I have learned a lot and take a lot out of the Freshman Seminar class. Through the different presentations my knowledge on our African American ancestors has grown exceptionally and for that I am thankful for this class. Not only was I able to learn through these visual presentations and lectures I was also able to go on a trip to actually experience what we have been learning about all along, this was a great experience. I think that this class is very important for students at Howard University because it is important that African Americans be educated about our past so that we can succeed in the future.

-Alexandria Daley

A Job Well Done!

Ultimately I believe that our group did a wonderful job! I am used to being put into groups in which I am the only one putting in work and I feared for the worse when learning of this presentation, however I was completely mistaken. Even though we all had busy schedules and other priorities we we’re able to come together and create a very good PowerPoint presentations. The minds of four individuals were put to work and we’re able to work as one and create a question that we wanted to address to our fellow classmates. Although I feel that we should have been given more guidelines and more time to gather our information so that we would have been able to give an even better presentations I am happy with the outcome. Our question was clear, and with our research and sufficient amount of information provided we were able to come up with a concise answer which was our ultimate goal. I enjoyed working with my group mates and I’m so proud of them and myself as well at how successful we were with this project. I also enjoyed the other group presentations and admire all my classmates for all of the hard work and effort that I could clearly see that was put into their projects. It is always a nice feeling seeing young individuals such as myself working together to come up with something brilliant as was shown through these groups.

-Alexandria Daley

Homecoming!

Summary:

Homecoming weekend was a homecoming I will never forget. I’ve never seen so much school spirit in my life. I was told Howard had one of the best homecomings in the Nation, but it wasn’t until now that I can totally agree. As a freshman, it was important to me to attend most of the Homecoming events available to make my first homecoming most memorable. Saturday before homecoming week, I went to Midnight Madness and had a phenomenal time. Monday, I attended the Comedy Show as well as the Poetry Cipher on Tuesday. On Wednesday, I went to the Fashion Show, which by the way was one of my favorite. Friday was Yard Fest and Saturday was the parade and Homecoming game vs. NC A&T.

Analysis:

Overall, Homecoming was amazing. I saw more celebrities than I’ve ever seen. It is a beautiful thing to see Alumni come back every year to reunite with old friends and have a good time with new students. I absolutely loved my experience during my first college homecoming and I can’t wait for the other 2 to come.

Homecoming

From a very early age I have always heard many great things about Howard University's Homecoming. This annual affair is an event that teens, college students, alumni and so many more rave about because of the great experiences occur throughout the week. From the various shows, festivities, parties and the homecoming game itself Howard is the place to be during this time and I am happy that my first homecoming experience happened here.

Out of the various shows that were put on by our students and various performers I attended the R&B Show, Fashion Show I and Yardfest and enjoyed every second of all three. The amount of talent that was showcased at these three different events is mind blowing. The fashion show which occurred on Wednesday included Howard University students showcasing pieces from various artist. I believe that every student did an excellent job and I commented many times that they seemed very professional and like they could make modelling a profession if they truly wanted to do so. I especially like the aspect that the fashion show models were not limited to one body type, we saw females and males of different shade, sizes and shapes and that in itself is beautiful.

On Friday I attended both Yardfest and the R&B show and this was the best day of the week. The atmosphere on the yard was amazing and an experience that one would have to experience to actually get a sense of how everyone felt. I have never seen the yard filled with so many people from D.C and all over the country. There were people both young and old enjoying the food, activities, music and the company of others. I enjoyed listening to the music of some of my favorite artist Wale and Gyptian and singing and dancing and just having a good time with my friends.

This week was definitly a memorable week and a week that will go down as one of the best weeks that I have experience so far at Howard University. I wish that it didn't have to end but I am also happy that it is coming to a close. Its time to get back to the main reason that I am here and that is to receive the best education that I possibly can. Its time to shake up this weeks events and regain my focus, because I am team 4.0!

-Alexandria Daley

Free Write

This week we were told to write a free write blog post and after several hours of thinking about what to write I decided to write about an issue that concerns be today colorism. This morning I was talking to my friend about how light skinned African American are preferred over dark skinned African Americans and we came up with the conclusion that the black community makes it this way. I just wanted to share my thoughts on this matter.

From the beginning to recent times our society has always favored light skin African Americans over dark skinned African Americans due to colorism, a form of prejudice. Colorism, defined as a practice of discrimination by which those with lighter skin are treated more favorably than those with darker skin has become such a controversial topic causing many problems within the black community.

Today, the issue of colorism has not seized to exist amongst the African American community. We see it all around us from the latest music videos to the hit televisions shows playing on our favorite station even within our everyday relationships with our friends and spouses. The world today, especially the media, has seemed to put a standard on what is considered beautiful, light skin. Majority of the “video girls” in the hip hop and rap videos today are light skin females with dark skin females occurring occasionally or in the background while their counterpart is featured in the spotlight. We rarely see someone of a darker skin color playing the main role in television or in a movie and if they are they play the antagonist of the story. The media gives their audience what they want and in our world today light skin is the right skin and is what people want.

“Some African Americans, dark and light, prefer light-skinned mates so they can have a “pretty baby” . Many members of the African American community pursue light skin partners of the opposite sex in the hopes that their children will have a lighter complexion, hopefully with light eyes and “good hair” as well. They disregard potential mates with darker skin tones deeming them “dirty, poor and ugly” and not worth their time. Dark skin males and females are shunned by their own community for something that they have no control over, a physical trait that does not conform to society’s idea of beautiful.

It is detestable that colorism is still a prominent issue amongst African Americans in today’s day and age. As if racism and discrimination from other races isn’t enough the Black community finds alternative ways to put down and further separate each other. In the year 2011black America still defines beauty and an individual’s status based on the pigment of their skin and it is shame. It is a shame that although we have been freed from the chains of the white man, we still have mentally chained ourselves from these discriminating ideals.

-Alexandria Daley

Research and Methodolgy

Summary:

Thursday's lecture discussed a lot of beneficial topics. As the lecture objective states, we identified the different components of research, we related these components to research and then connected the lectures to our group projects. We were informed about how we should begin our group project and how to find a topic. The components of research include statement of problem, current state of research, methodology, development of the thesis, and conclusions. Methodology is extremely important, especially in Thursday’s lecture. Methodology is of course the method in which you gather your research and data collection. Outlining or determining your research method makes things a lot easier when it comes down to putting your data together. The conclusion of your research is just as important. It is essential to answer the following questions; what new insights have your research revealed? What limitations does your research include? And what future study should this research undertake? Our research should indeed have a new discernment of information.

In Thursday's lecture we also covered transformative scholarship at Howard. We learned about a few representative thinkers that started at Howard. W. Montague Cobb was a critical individual here at Howard. He earned his PhD here, he is the author of more than 1,100 publications, and he built black medical and scientific institutions. In order for Cobb to produce such greatness, he had a distinct tradition of research such as offensive posture and using objective humanitarian concepts.

Reflection:

Dr. Dana Williams did an outstanding performance of delivering Thursday's lecture, Research and Methodology. Her lecture was clear, entertaining, and understanding. I understood everything she was saying because of how clear she articulated as well as the help of her visual presentation. I am ready to begin our group projects for I know the tips given in the presentation will surely help my group and I establish our research and methodology.

- Alexis Noelle

References:
         "Redirect Notice." Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Oct. 2011. <http://www.google.com/imgres?q=w.+montague+cobb&um=1&hl=en&sa=X&biw=1366&bih=615&tbs=isz:m&tbm=isch&tbnid=f6gX8pcpG_zljM:&imgrefurl=http://www.nasonline.org/site/PageServer%3Fpagename%3DAAHP_Database_Bio_m_cobb%26printer_friendly%3D1&docid=3K89SJ_XSi01HM&itg=1&imgurl=http://www.nasonline.org/images/content/pagebuilder/183913.jpg&w=351&h=467&ei=RzObTr6-Ccrr0gHHybygBA&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur

Yoruba: My Culture

The talk was really good, but I never saw head or tail of those light refreshments. But I learned much more about my own culture. The religion of Yoruba is a thing previously unknown to me, and the fact that there are that many people in Brazil, West Africa, and America that claim and Identify with the Yoruba culture, its an amazing feeling to know that you are a part of that. Furthermore, he spoke in detail about the religion, explaining how everything could be a member of such a religion. Such an accepting culture is very inviting, but i  am content in my praise of jesus. Yoruba culture is something that I think I am interested in and would like to look up more, and learn more about. Thats a plan.
Thomas Obisesan

Out with the Black in with the Incompetent

This weeks lecture was more informative than inspirational. I actually feel like I walked away with something more. I learned that when the desegregation occurred they removed all the black teachers including the qualified ones and replaced them with less qualified teachers. Furthermore, the trend set from that day and age has continued with statistically less african american teachers than caucasian teachers. I can attest to this because of my experience in public education, there are very few black educators out there. They are less in principal positions and even in densely populated areas of African Americans the ratio still prevales. It is interesting because we should be taking the future of OUR youth into our own hands, but were leaving it up to others. This is the ever consisting problem with African Americans, initiative  persistance, and even simply caring. We need to hone these qualities in our young for the success of our society, not just African American culture but American Society.
Thomas Obisesan

Lecture #7

In my opinion this week’s lecture was the most eye-opening class that we have had so far and really made me evaluate my future and if I am doing what is right for me. Dr. Leslie Fenwick the Dean of the School of educator was our guest speaker for the day and I think that she was wonderful and her message was clear. I was so intrigued by the information that she was sharing with us that I didn’t take much notes on paper however I remember her message.

She began the lecture giving us a mini “pop quiz”, she asked us a series of questions containing statistics regarding the African community and our community as a whole. I do not remember all of the questions however I was astonished by the actual statistics behind the questions. After allowing us some time to think about the question and answer it in our own opinion she revealed to us the real answers and we couldn’t believe it because what we thought was true was the complete opposite. Mrs. Fenwick said to us “too many people in our community do not know the statistics regarding our community” and judging by the “ohh and wes” of my fellow classmates and I this was true.

“Which group outscores the other when it comes to standardized test?” asked Dr. Fenwick. The whole classes burst with excitement after this question because we are almost positive that we knew the correct answer., little did we know that we were wrong. Only two people in a class of probably 200 plus students answered the correct answer thar African American males outscore their counterparts. Fr, Fenwick explained to us that our community does not put the right statistics out there that properly represent us and that it is our job to know who we are and what we are about. As a spinoff of the question she asked us if this statistic is true “How come we do not see more African American males in college?” This question really had me thinking. I honestly cannot come up with an answer to this question three days later because I do not understand how people let their intelligence go to a waste. I think it is our job to build up these young men and make them realize what a gift they have and that college in an opportunity to further their gift.

Dr. Fenwick explained to us that she has devoted her career to “improving educational opportunity and outcomes for African Americans and underserved student.” I really admired her for this statement and the statements that came after that to back up her strong beliefs. She believes that as an educator she can basically change the world one child and a time overcoming any challenges that may lay ahead. She spoke about her profession so passionately and the leaps and bounds she has made from a elementary school teacher to becoming a dean at a university.

The statement that really made me think about my career path of being a nurse was when she said to do what we want to do because we love it and we feel that we can make a difference doing it, not because of the money it will bring. Every time I tell someone that I am majoring in nursing in the hopes to become a neonatal nurse I automatically get the response that I have chosen a great career path because I will be set for life with the money that I will be making and the benefits of job security. Although being a nurse has those perks these are not the reasons why I am choosing this career. I want to change lives, I want to help someone when it seems like they have nothing left, I want them to give them hope and happiness and everything that people deserve. Dr. Fenwick didn’t really make me question my career choice but strengthened my decision to become a nurse. I thought about it and this is something that I am sure that I am going to love.

I really enjoyed Dr. Leslie Fenwick’s speech and the insight she provided us about making decisions that will help us in the future. I also appreciate her for educating us more about our community so that we too can go on and educate others.

-Alexandria Daley

"Miss Evers Boys"

Evers Boys

To be honest I did not have high expectations as I sat in the theatre waiting for the play “Miss Evers Boys” to begin. My thought process was since this show was required for me to go to by a class that it would be one of those shows that are like “pulling your teeth” because the plot of the story is of no interest to me. However I was greatly surprised when I was proven wrong. I think that this play was phenomenal and I enjoyed it greatly.

“Miss Evers Boys”, set in the time of the Great Depression, is the story of a young nurse Eunice Evers. Miss Evers Boys tells the story of “The Tuskegee Study of Untreated Blacks with Syphilis” in which there was a lack of treatment and heath care given to groups of African American men who had contracted syphilis due to a study. This study was performed to show how blacks and whites react when given the same diseases. I was sad to see theses innocent men being turned away by the government after initially being treated for the disease. And I was disappointed that the government continued to lie to these men and give them false hope when all they were doing were looking out for themselves. In the end two men died because they received no treatment even though there was treatment available.

After watching this play I came to a clearer realization that we do not live in just world. Due to the color of these men skin their lives that easily could have been saved, were taken. I really enjoyed this play and I would recommend for anyone to see it as well in the hopes that they will enjoy it as much as I did.

African Burial Grounds

I enjoyed the trip to my home town, New York City to see the African Burial Grounds. I was excited to be home again and feel the NYC vibe again but most importantly excited to see this historical place that I’ve heard so much great things about. While looking at the different sites I learned a lot and grew a better appreciation and understanding of my culture. This ground which has a plethora of cultural exhibitions did not fail to amuse me and in fact every piece was eye opening. I distinctly remember seeing the pyramid door, although unfinished, a beautiful masterpiece both physically and for the meaning behind it. This door is said to be a symbol of the slaves leaving there motherland towards slavery. I enjoyed myself here and since I live in New York I’m positive that I will return to be enlightened again.

-Alexandria Daley

Miss Evers Boys

Summary:

Miss Evers' Boys is a true story, around the time of the Great Depression, about the U.S Government and their secret medical experiments done on African Americans with Syphilis. This experiment was entitled The Tuskegee Study of Untreated Blacks with Syphilis. During this experiment 412 men were selected and by the end of the experiment only 127 remained alive. The main character, or whom the story was told by in her point of view, was Nurse Eunice Evers. She was very familiar with the experiment, for she knew the lack of medication and treatment there was for this disease. Miss Evers new a lot of the men who were selected in the study and felt the need to comfort these men at this time. Miss Evers tells the story of the project that goes on from the beginning of the 1930's to the Second World War, the 40's and beginning of the 50's when the study was finally ceased.

Reflection:

Miss Evers' Boys was the first real play that I have ever been to. I had a great time and I’m glad I took the opportunity to go and watch it. The play was very long, but it was really good so it didn't even matter. I thought Howard couldn't have done better choosing Miss Evers' Boys to turn into a play. Washington, D.C has a high rate of sexually transmitted diseases and this was perfect to open the eyes up our students. All of the actresses and actors did an outstanding performance. I would definitely go see it again, for I did enjoy myself. :)

- Alexis Noelle

The Eloquence of Scribes

There are many things I can do to be part of Howard's elite, but a few things are vital to successfully become part of the"best and the brightest". The first I want to discuss is having a goals, because without them one dosen't know what they are working towards. I have a goal, and that is to be part of the Howard elite and I know what I have to do to get there. But, that is the next thing, doing what you have to do to get where you wanna go. I know that im gonna have to work hard and sacrifice my time and effort, but I also know Im gonna have to make decisions for myself. Im also going to need the dedication to do what I need to do.

Being a citizen of the world means having a global mentality, a mental reach that is not restrained by borders or nationality. Being cognisent of what is going on in our global community.

The one person who inspires me the most is Ben Carson. He has done so much from starting off with so little. He is a house hold name and an achiever to the highest level. He is recognized as one of the best neurosurgeons in the world, and has the earned the right to be recognized as such.
Thomas Obisesan

The Eloquence of the Scribes: Initiation, Expectations, and Mastery-Continuing the Legacy of Howard University

This week’s lecture by Dr. Alvin Thornton was very enlightening and thought provoking which made for interesting class. Dr. Thornton stressed to us the importance of education, what it means to be a citizen of the United States today and the importance of not only becoming successful for the sake of our lives but for others, we must be role models for the future. Dr. Alvin Thornton stressed that as a student of Howard University it is not only enough to be a part of the legacy but to continue it as those people who have come before us have done.

As students of the prestigious Howard University one of the top HBCU’s it is a known fact that for the next four years of our lives we will be receiving the best education that we can get at a higher institution. However we alone must not be the only ones who benefit from the knowledge we receive here at the “Mecca”. We must take this education that we receive and become role models of our society for our younger generations; we must become a representative of our people. We must not take our education and keep it to ourselves for the sole purpose of greed and wealth but share it with those less fortunate so they too can become wealthy in knowledge and economically. We must lend a helping hand to the African American community, our roots, and be their mentors and advocates so that we as people can progress.

As a student of Howard University there is so much that I can do to become the “best and brightest” both for personally and for the Howard community. Personally I can make sure that I attend every class that I am mandated to take for my major as well as making sure that I am prepared so that there is nothing stopping me from getting the best education possible. I must not stop there however; I must continue to complete all my assignments as well as reading ahead and studying all the material covered. I can study hard by myself or with a group and seek help from my peers as well as teachers when I am having trouble, I must utilize all my resources. To be the best and brightest of Howard I can get involved in many of the clubs and organizations going on. Many organizations strive on giving back to the community and helping those less fortunate than ourselves while also building student’s leadership and character skills. Students in these organizations and clubs are the best and brightest of Howard.

In the lecture Dr. Thornton spoke about what it means to be a citizen in our country. She repeatedly said that as citizens of the United States we must not be complacent and it is our job to take the opportunities that are presented to us. We must remember that African American’s fought for the rights that we have today and for that we owe it to them to take full advantage of what we are given. We must allow to government to limit our rights, we must not be limited by our funds; our citizenship must not be limited. To be a citizen of the world means to not only the basics of living in that particular country and having that country’s rights and knowing its history but much more. To be a citizen of the world we must carry on the legacy of our country by representing and serving it, we must not limit ourselves.

In Dr. Thornton’s lecture he said that we as Howard students are expected to “till and turn over the soil.” This expression was unfamiliar to me at first and I kind of brushed it off after hearing it but now that I see it here in this question I am forced to really think about it. This expression to me means to continue what others before me have started my nurturing the idea and concept more and making it better and furthering it along. Throughout my two months here I have met many upperclassmen that are so involved around campus while also maintaining a very high GPA. They constantly tell me to not limit my dreams and that I most work hard and go after them. Like these upperclassmen and from the many representative thinkers of Howard I have been inspired to carry on their way of thinking and to inspire those that come after me to continue to fight and better our community.

-Alexandria Daley

Continuing the Legacy of Howard University

Summary:

Today's lecture consisted of a lot of information. Dr. Thorton spoke on the legacy of Howard and how we, as students, will contribute to the 'best and brightest' of Howard. As a Howard student, I will contribute and uphold this by study hard and prepare to lead us in a new direction, consistently keeping up with my work, go to class every day, graduate in 4 years, and as Dr. Thorton said would be 'the hardest thing to do at Howard', forming new different friendships. Students at Howard are different, special and unique. Howard makes sure that students have historical experiences in historical environments to form better students. What does it mean to be a citizen of the world? To me, this means having a voice, allowing yourself to be heard. I think it is important, as a citizen, to have an opinion and let it be known. You have a say just as much as anyone else and you are just as essential as anyone else. My citizenship in the nation informs my citizenship in the world because our nation is indeed a part of the world; therefore I am a citizen to the world as well. There is no nation without the world. As Dr. Thorton proclaimed, "I do exist, this is how I speak." I think that Dr. Thorton himself is a great Howard representative thinker. He inspires me being that he is also from the south. I am somewhat familiar with the education systems and I know that they may not be the best. He got away and came to Howard to better educate himself and so did I.

Reflection:

The presentation was great! Overall, I thought the presentation was amazing and Dr. Thorton did a great job delivering it. At first, I must admit I didn't know how much I would like it being that there wasn't, once again, a visual aid. I was shortly mistaken. Dr. Thorton's lecture was extremely affective. He had a lot of helpful things to say. He removed himself from the South for better education opportunities because apparently, southern education systems aren't good systems. He shared with us his experience at Howard and how he has continued the Legacy. When asked 'What can we do as Howard students to also continue the legacy?', Dr. Thorton replied with "Be the best student you can." Graduate in four years, use your intellect, expand your vocabulary, make excellent grades, and don't lose your scholarship. The world will stand up and look and say 80% of students graduated in four years? Let them see. HU, YOU KNOW!

- Alexis Noelle

Convocation

Convocation was an interesting experience, it allowed me to see what our role as a University was, and is. It  put into perspective the role as a predominately and historically black college and the standard we must live up to. Being this type of university puts us in a the position of being an example for all the generations to come after us. It also sets us apart from the rest as the exceptional. The way that Lomax said it, "Great Colleges must not be complacent". Its just as I said in y previous post, as HOward students we must take the initiative and fight for what we believe will better this school no matter how small the change may be. We "must welcome the struggle to become stronger".
Thomas Obisesan

Howard University Opening Convocation, One Hundred and Forty- Four Years

This year’s opening convocation was an exciting even that left me with high expectations for the next four years here at “The Mecca” Howard University. Dr. Michael Lomax, president and chief executive officer of United Negro College Fund, delivered an exceptional keynote address as this year’s convocation. As the convocation orator of 144^th convocation ceremony Dr. Lomax gave an inspiring and thought provoking speech to an auditorium filled with eager bright minds both young and old.

In his inspiring speech Dr. Lomax emphasized the importance of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the United States. He made it a point that HBCU’s are crucial to producing African Americans that will contribute great things to our society. It has actually been proven according to Dr. Lomax that HBCU’s as far as African Americans getting degrees students at HBCU’s outperform majority of other institutions. At historically black colleges students perseverance are greater than that of those at other schools that they are more likely to continue on towards attaining a higher degree or work in more challenging fields of study. He stressed that historically black colleges and universities not only provide a great education but they hold a legacy that only students at HBCU’s can understand. This is an experience like no other, the culture at these prestigious institutions of higher learning are beyond amazing in every way. HBCU’s were established to give the black community an opportunity, if not an equal opportunity as that of other races towards an education. Through HBCU’s students have learned to embrace their culture rather than hide from it, they have learned a greater appreciation.

However like Dr. Lomax reiterated numerous times throughout his speech “great colleges must not be complacent.” As students of Howard University and of an HBCU it is our duty to not become satisfied with what we have and how far we have come but to continue to strive for greatness. We owe it to ourselves and others that have come before us and that will come after us to continue our legacy in any way that we can. Whether it be by upgrading our resources such as textbooks and equipments. It is our job as students of such a historical school to not only preserve the history of Howard University to take care of our “home”. There is no reason that such an astounding university should have so many flaws.

As a whole we need to do better. As HBCU’s we must work together to make sure that we all attain the greatness which our institutions were created for. As students we must work both in the classroom and outside the classroom as well as every aspect of life. We must take every opportunity given to us and strive for nothing but the best.

Segregation

This Thursday lecture by Dr. Wright covered the topic of racial segregation in the United States. Racial segregation was the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life activities. I found this week’s lecture particularly interesting because Dr. Wright not only provided us with the hard facts about segregation that occurred earlier on but he also gave his own personals stories of his encounter with slavery. He also tied in segregation with Howard University’s history in the 1960’s and our lives here as students at Howard University today.

A point that Dr. Wright made that raised an eyebrow with me was that Washington, D.C is a city with one of the highest rates of uneducated young blacks in the United States. This really concerns me that in a community with the most prestigious HBCU's, students of the younger generations are struggling in school. Dr. Wright brought it to our attention that we are not only students of this university to better our selves but better our community. It is our duty to help our young “brothers” and “sisters” and make sure that they learn and ultimately succeed in which ever field they plan to study.

Another point discussed by Dr. Wright that drew my attention and that of the whole auditorium from the responses that I saw from the other students as I looked around was the idea of the university “purging students”. For weeks now the University has made it clear they will purge students who are not financially validated on Monday, September 26^, 2011. To be honest I didn’t really think much of the word “purge” and I did not know the definition of the word until it was brought to my attention on Thursday by Dr. Wright. He told us that purge means “to get rid of something undesirable or unclean” and after hearing that I was somewhat disgusted by Howard University. At such a prestigious university that students give so much back to it is appalling to know that Howard University would describe their students in such a manner and this is all because a student may not be financially able to receive an education here.

“Nobody can restrict your life without your permission” was one of the many inspirational quotes stated by Dr. Wright. This quote was so inspiring to me that I felt the need to share it with others and I posted it as a status on my facebook page. It is important for people to know, especially African Americans that we are capable of doing anything and that no one can stop us. If we are restricted from doing something it is not at the fault of anyone but ourselves. With hard work and dedication we must move forth in life jumping over the hurdles of the obstacles that we are destined to encounter along the way. Dr. Wright further instilled this reality in my head.

All in all I rated this lecture an 8 on a scale of 1-10. This lecture was interesting and valuable to me and others. The only reason I did not give Dr. Wright’s lecture and 9 or 10 because I feel like he should have had a power point presentation as we listened to him speak. As a person who is more of a visual learner than one that can listen and attain information I feel like a presentation could have been more effective. Overall I believe his thoughts and ideas got through to the students as intended and as usual I look forward to what next week’s lecture has in store.

Purging Howard

I know he the lecturer of this week spoke about many things of significance, but the one that resonated with me the most was the one that concerns the whole of Howard, the purger of students from the system. This concerns me not because of the treatment, however uncouth it is, but because of how the students are responding to  it, or lack thereof. Everyone seems to be just accepting the system, and the unfair and un justified way Howard is treating their students. I understand it is the Howard administration, but their behavior on this particular issue is wrong.
    As for the rest of his lecture, I thought it every issue he adressed was very true, especially about students using their knowledge and resources to take the initiative. I have seen alot at Howard in my time that I have been here, I have seen students put up with subpar teachers, food, and housing. You hear the same complaints everyday, like clock work, yet no one makes any moves to initiate change. Why? I have no idea, yet I do know one thing, it has to change or nothing around us will change. Simple point Howard can be better, even if it was already good, it could still be better, but as a college and a people we still have a long way to go.
Thomas Obisesan

Segregation

Summary:

In Thursday's lecture, segregation was a big topic. Dr. Wright discussed his experience with segregation along with his early experience at Howard University in 1961. As a child, Wright was brought up in a home with a background of commitment and confidence. Dr. Wright introduced us to what Howard as like in 60's. Howard was considered a 'boogie' institution, very conservative middle class that was not engaged in Political life like it was supposed to be. He also described that shortly after segregation; there was a lack in education in the young black community. Washington D.C has one of the highest rates of uneducated young African Americans in the country. Dr. Wright made us think about how we, as Howard Students, could help these young people out so that the rate can increase the education of Washington young black locals. In class, the word ‘purge’ was also discussed. The word 'PURGE' means to 'rid you of something undesirable or unclean'. The university uses this word to describe dismissing invalidated students, which I wouldn't say is an appropriate word for this activity.

Reflection:

I thought the lecture was beneficial in different ways, but there were ways that could have been a little different to better my learning experience. There was not a power point or visual aid offered, therefore it was more of just a listening experience. This benefitted learners who better learn while listening, but was less beneficial to visual learners as myself. Other than this minor setback, Dr. Wright had many amazing points that were addressed in class. One included his theory of the entire upcoming 'Purging' of students. Wright was on the student's side, trying to get students in this situation to stand out and let their voices be heard, and also demand an emergency meeting with the President. The lecture was powerful and instilled three quotes in me, "Nobody can restrict your life without your permission", "Nobody can abuse you without your cooperation", and his motto and my favorite, “if it is to be, it is up to be”. These quotes stayed with me.

- Alexis Jackson

Abandoment and Dismemberment

Abandoment and Dismemberment

Unfortunatly I did not enjoy this week’s Freshman Seminar class as I have previous weeks. This week’s lecture by Dr. Mario Beatty was not great to me at all, and to be honest I found myself drifting off here and there. I did not really understand the concept of the lecture or how they related to the previous lectures by the other speakers. Although I did not particularly like the lecture, or should I say the way Dr. Beatty approached teaching the lecture I did learn many key concepts.

In Thursday’s class we learned about dismemberment, an African term for the “middle passage” the beginning of the African Dispora. During dismemberment between 1492-1776 Africans were taken away from their homeland and forced into slavery. While brought to this New World, which Africans consisted of 83% of, Africans were forced to let go of some of their culture to adapt to their new surroundings. They desperately tried to hold on their culture but eventually lost some of what meant most to them. The European and African culture eventually combined with the European traditions holding more credit than that of the Africans.

Another key point that Dr. Beatty made was that Africans actually contributed a lot to the New World. Growing up in an African American Baptist church I have been very well educated on the advancements our ancestors but I felt this was very interesting. Too often Africans, or ancestors, are not credited towards the knowledge and science and technology they shared. Africans were able to use nature around them to cure the ill while carpenters and blacksmiths made fiddles and drums. While the Europeans were not educated in the field of agriculture the Africans were able to pass their knowledge of growing crops to the white people in order for them to produce and make profits. Africans have had a significant impact on our society today in more ways than one. Through our ancestors passing down their culture with younger generations they are the roots behind our medicine, music, agriculture, science, technology and much more.

The topic of Social Structure was also an interesting concept. Social Structure, as defined by the power point is the creation and modeling of family patterns, social and political culture, roles, traditions and rituals. There has always been the prominent role of a mother, minister or our ancestors from the very beginning. Although this role may vary in different religions and cultures every family or group in society for that matter has a social structure.

As stated before I believe that Dr. Mario Beatty could have been more engaging towards the audience but never the less I did learn a great deal. I hope next weeks lecture will be a little bit more interesting however just as informative, if not more as this one was.

Abandonment and Dismemberment

Summary:

Thursday's lecture hit numerous concepts and key points. The lecture was titled 'Abandonment and Dismemberment'. Not knowing what Dismemberment meant, I was utterly confused on what we were going to cover in class. Soon, I was taught that Dismemberment was an African term for 'middle passage' which was the making of the African Diaspora in the Americas. It was said that between the time period of 1492 and 1776, there were about six and a half million people in the New World; 5 out of 6 being African. This opened my eyes to what exactly Dismemberment was. We also cover a topic of Social Structure. This is the creation and modeling of family patterns, social and political culture, roles, traditions, and rituals, i.e. the prominent role of mother, king/ chief/ minister, sage, elders, ancestors, priests, diviners, and blacksmiths. I think that everyone could relate to this because we all have traditions, rituals and religious beliefs within our families. One last concept that I want to share is the NY African Burial Ground. I found this cemetery to be so interesting. The African Burial Ground was discovered October 1991 and it is earliest and largest African cemetery in North America. This burial consists of Africans who lived from the 1600's to 1794 and has 408 excavated remains.

Reflection:

Overall I thought the lecture was phenomenal. At least one of the three ways scholars tend to explain African dismemberment is historical narratives of loss and emptiness. This means "knowledge acquired by investigation" and "the study of the human past" of loss and emptiness. Dr. Beatty asked, if we were empty, what would be filling ourselves up with? My answer was faith. With faith and hope, I have no doubt that I will be okay. There was an excerpt in the lecture about Self Governance. I didn’t know what a maroon society was until it was brought up in the lecture. A proper definition would be "peoples of the African Diaspora who escaped from enslavement and lived independently of plantation societies in the Americas." I gather that there were quite a few of these throughout the world such as in Brazil, Jamaica, and the U.S. I am from Florida and apparently there was one there as well. I thought that was quite interesting. As far as the lecture itself, Dr. Beatty did a great job teaching the lecture, he was interactive with the audience and loud enough for everyone to hear. My learning experience was a fascinating one.

 'Ndyuka maroon women washing themselves, 1955'

Resources:
         Discipline. "JSTOR: An Error Occurred Setting Your User Cookie." JSTOR: An Error Occurred Setting Your User Cookie. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Sept. 2011. http://www.jstor.org/pss/25616528.

"File:Maroon women with washing. Suriname River. 1955.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Sept. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Maroon_women_with_washing._Suriname_River._1955.jpg>. 

"Google." Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Sept. 2011. <http://www.google.com/#hl=en&q=historical+narrative&tbs=dfn:1&tbo=u&sa
=X&ei=NTZ2TpKdJIPv0gGdz6SvDQ&ved=0CCIQkQ4&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.
&fp=801fedc005a36936&biw=1311&bih=616>.

How could I have not known

This freshman seminar was particularly interesting, especially because I am Yoruba. It was interesting to me because I learned some things about Nigerian culture that I was perviously ignorant to. It was cool to have some one from my own culture come in to present. The concept that he spoke of in his lecture made me think my role in school and in life are. Omoluabi, a person who uses his or her knowledge for the good of others with a lack of concern of the personal sacrifices that it entails. I aspire to be that person, to do things with the knowledge that I gained here at Howard. It is a concept that encompasses the way knowledge should utilized, and what we should be doing here at Howard. It carries a message made for everybody in the pursuit of knowledge and acquisition of the elusive wisdom. It was the most integral part of the lecture for me. I also am interested in the research question, the advancement and transformation of knowledge, and the processes of such an undertaking. It seems as though in our society it is as common as a discarded penny, information evolves, changes, and is perpetuated everyday wether its wrong or right. I am interested in this question because it makes me think of all the ways I advance and transform information.
Thomas Obisesan

Omoluabi: Self Actualization and Communal Responsibility

Thursday, September 8, 2011 lecture focused on “Omoluabi: Self Actualization and Communal Responsibility”. Dr. Segun Gbadegesin, the speaker of this lectures main focus was to explain to us how important it is for Africans as well as African Americans and Blacks to know our roots, where we came from and how we started out as people. Dr. Gbadegesin began the lecture explain to us what the African word “Ijuba”, meaning to pay homage to, is about and how it relates to the African culture and impacts our lives as well. It is important for us to pay homage to our ancestors and those who came before us because without them we would not be who we are today. They paved the way for us to have this life that we have now. Dr. Segun Gbadegesin continued by speaking about Omoluabi, defined as “a child begotten of the chief (or source) of Iwa”. It also means a person of character, disciplined, and self improving, thus earning the respect of peers and community on account of practical wisdom, putting knowledge acquired through education to the service of the community, and not shying away from personal sacrifices when needed.

Dr. Segun Gbadegesin really captured my attention when he began to speak about the second topic, human condition. It is important for us as people to acknowledge the human condition whether it is social, cultural, moral, economic, political, metaphysical, spiritual, scientific or technological. People must understand that human conditions exist in our society in different shapes and sizes and lead back to why so many African Americans are struggling in our society and not living up to their full attention.

It came to my attention during this lecture that many people do not think that Africans have any type of history or philosophy and I was baffled but still at the same time not surprised. Growing up in an African American church it was drilled into my head from an early age that Africa IS our history. Just as Dr. Carr explained in the last class our history as African Americans is not all about slavery. Our history consists of so much more than that including education and religion. As Dr. Gbadegesin explained religion actually began in Africa. I actually did not know this and this is the new concept that I took out of this lesson. He spoke about the Gods that came before the well known prophets and how they relate to modern day religion, it was astonishing.

All though I did take a lot out of this week’s lecture I did not enjoy it as much as the previous two classes. I do believe that Dr. Gbadegesin was affective in teaching us a new way of thinking while also teaching us new concepts however I feel like if he could have been more engaging and that would have made it more beneficial. However, I did like how this week’s lecture coincided with last week’s lecture with Dr. Carr and we can see the relationship between the two topics. Although I did not find this week’s lecture quite as entertaining as the last overall it was a good class. I learned quite a bit, which is the whole point of this class, to gain knowledge that I can pass on to future generations.

Omoluabi: Self Actualization and Communal Responsibility

Summary:

Thursday's lecture was focused and directed towards the aspect of Omoluabi, what it is and what it means. Omoluabi simply means a child begotten of the chief (or source) of Iwa. Also meaning a person of character, disciplined, and self-improving, thus earning the respect of peers and community on account of practical wisdom, putting knowledge acquired through education to the service of the community, and not shying away from personal sacrifices when needed. We were introduced to other new words, such as, Ijuba which means to pay homage (tribute) to the creator and the created. We also touched basis on The Philosopher in Kemet. Kemet is "the ancient Egyptian name of the country Egypt, which means "black land", referring to the fertile black soils of the Nile flood plains, distinct from the deshret or "red land" of the desert." A philosopher in Egypt or 'Kemet' is considered as the one “whose heart is informed about these things which would be otherwise ignored, the one who is clear-sighted when he (she) is deep into a problem, the one who is moderate in actions, who penetrates ancient writings, whose advice is (sought) to unravel complications, who is really wise, who instructed his (her) own heart, who stays awake at night (looking) for the right paths…who is wiser than the sage…..” A philosopher of such standard is apparently praised upon or some type of Ijuba. Another concept in which we discussed during lecture was Iwa. Iwa means existence/character and was the name of Orunmila's wife, a Yoruba God of Wisdom. It was taught in class, her story. She was mistreated by her husband Orunmila so she left him and he eventually lost everything.

Reflection:

A lot of information was gained from the lecture. Knowledge that I clearly was never taught. I thought the lecture was okay. I mean, I did accumulate new things, but I wish the lecture was given in a more entertaining way so that we weren't just given information directly and so straight forward, if that makes since. I guess because of Dr. Carr's presentation of last week’s lecture, I expected more from this lecture by comparing the two. On a different note, I did see a comparison between Dr. Carr's lecture and Dr. G. It does feel like a continuation from one lecture to the other because the concepts seem, or rather is related. I think I will see myself and my discipline to knowledge transform and extending to African traditions as I learn more and more each lecture. I want to end with a quote that was quoted in the lecture by Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, "The purpose (of education) is to transmit from one generation to the next the accumulated wisdom and knowledge of the society, and to prepare the young people for their future membership of the society and their active participation in its maintenance or development”. This quote really projected to me. It will motivate me to spread the knowledge I have to others.

- Alexis Jackson

Sources: - “Egypt: Ancient History of African Philosophy” in Wiredu A Companion to African Philosophy, Blackwell, 2004, p. 35

- Neolithic, about 6000 BC a. "Egypt - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Sept. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypt

Learning, Wisdom, and the African World Experience

Thursday night after Freshman Seminar my mother called me and asked me how was class and all I could say to her was “amazing”. As I sat there listening to Dr. Carr’s lecture I was so inspired by all of the captivating information he was sharing with the class about our people and our history. Throughout the whole week I heard rave reviews about this week’s lecture in freshman seminar from the previous classes but little did I know how much of an impact this lecture would have on my thought process.

Dr. Carr stated “Learning is the acquisition of knowledge. Wisdom is knowing what to do with the knowledge.” This quote is defiantly what stood out to me the most from is lecture and was so inspired by it that I felt the need to post it on my face book page as a status to share this piece of knowledge that I learned with my friends and family so that they too could take something from the lecture. A wise person is not determined by the amount of information that one learns. A wise man is one that goes beyond what they have learned by spreading this knowledge with others, by educating younger generations so that they too can become knowledgeable.

As the lecture continued Dr. Carr went more in the depth about learning and wisdom by introducing us to the concept of Mbongi, a think tank or common shelter. Mbongi embodying many traditional African functions is a place where everyone is allowed to speak with clarity and authority. It is a way for people to share their thoughts freely. Dr. Carr continued to explain to us that not only have we taken part in an Mbongi in this class, with the evaluation sheets that we filled out but we have experienced Mbongis in our daily lives both socially and academically. As a Howard student I am a part of a Mbongi because I work with other students to create an environment in which we can share our knowledge with others.

I was also greatly interested when Dr. Carr began to speak about education in the African American community. Education to me is one of the most crucial factors in life. To be successful one must receive an education. As stated by Dr. Carr “modern education is linked to the economy of the state” meaning the more education that you have the more successful one will be. Especially in today’s day and age a person’s degree is very important to getting a job, which is in high demand these days. Education is a gift in more ways than one and more African Americans or people in general need to realize that.

I’ve always been told my parents that I will never be handed anything and to get what I want I must work hard and make some sacrifices. Even though I’m away from home I can still hear my mother’s voice telling me “the early bird gets the worm”. Dr. Carr’s statement only enforced what my mother has been teaching me all along, he said “most of life is just about showing up”. It is not exactly what my mother has been drilling into my head but it defiantly is a spinoff of her teachings. Too often opportunities are missed out on because one does not show up. College is a place with so many opportunities but one most go out and get them. My lesson of that day was to take part in events, go to class, join an organization, just SHOW UP. Showing up is half the battle; you never know what opportunities are hiding behind a door.

Overall I think that this was a fantastic lecture. I have been raving about it all week to everyone that I have been in contact with that’s how amazing I thought it was. Not only did I learn so many new things I have also realized that maybe I should reevaluate some things in my life and make sure that I am on the right path towards a successful future. I look forward to next week’s lecture and hope that it will be as inspiring as this one.

Mbongi

The first freshman seminar lecture raised some interesting ideas. Mbongi, the African roots of the human race, and aspects of our culture. I thought Mbongi was the most interesting concept . It was the concept of a communal group, that focused on problems of the community. I thought it was an interesting because after the class I began to notice that we ourselves had Mbongi walking down the street, in the cafeteria, and even at the spot. We spoke about things that concerned us, and concerned our immediate community. Its cool that a word created many years ago still applies today.
Thus far I am actually enjoying the class, and I belive that there are things I can gain from it, we'll see.
Thomas Obisesan

the African World Experience: Mbongi

              Mbongi of students from Howard with children in

              Africa. This picture,I felt related most to me.

                              (found on powerpoint)

Summary:

Thursday's Lecture, Learning Wisdom and the African World Experience and Mbongi, really caught my attention. There were many key points discussed my Professor Carr that I myself had never knew. Before Thursday's, I had never once heard of what a Mbongi might have been. It was Thursday that I learned that a Mbongi was a "physical and intellectual space or common shelter" which constitutes many traditional African functions. It is basically a group of people close together that participate in a lot of things with each other and if you really think about it, everyone is involved in at least one group that would be considered an Mbongi. You can even form your own Mbongi's, for example a studying Mbongi, or an Mbongi formed with your floor mates in your dormitory. Thursday we also discussed a few African Mbongi terms that are often used. These terms included, 'Boko', meaning to break or cut, 'Yemba', which means to create a shelter in order to cover and protect, 'Lusanga', which means to mix or to put together, and 'Kioto', meaning to inhale. Learning these four words expanded my knowledge of the African language.

Reflection:
            

This was my first time hearing these points, so seeing myself as heirs to a tradition of African thinking made me feel like I could potentially contribute and be a part of this and it could really benefit me and my learning and wisdom. According to the lecture and PowerPoint, learning being 'the acquisition of knowledge', and wisdom is 'knowing what to do with knowledge'. These points really open my eyes and broadened my knowledge on the African culture, which is a part of my culture. Professor Carr related his lecture a lot of these concepts with today's society and things that we, the audience, can most definitely relate to. Dr. Carr was remarkably inspiring. There was a quote on the PowerPoint that stuck with me. It was "We must break out of the crypts in which our memory has been buried" [Ngugi, Something Torn and New, pp. 44-45. To me, this quote meant that we, as African Americans, should know our history, and if we don’t, we need to learn now.

- Signed.

Alexis Jackson

I must remember that success comes to those who work hard, it is earned not given.

August 13^, 2011 at exactly 4pm I packed my bags into the car and said goodbye to the only place that I have really ever known Brooklyn, NY and headed for Washington D.C a place that will forever change my life, where my dreams will finally take shape and start to become reality. To be honest as I left for Howard University I didn’t have much expectations or emotions running through my body. To me it just felt like another road trip with the family, as if in a week or so I would be right back in my house surrounded by my pink walls counting the days til my independence from my parents. My parents continued to ask me if I was excited to finally be free, to have experiences that I have never encountered before, to finally do my own laundry , of course my answer was yes but yet there was no excitement behind it. That completely changed as my father’s car turned the corner and I saw the huge sign greeting my class as well as myself to the “Real HU”, “The Mecca” Howard University and I realized that I made it, and I am now the student of one of the most prestigious schools in our country.

There are only two words that I know how to explain my first week at Howard, “an experience”. From the lonely feeling that immediately hit me when my mother hugged me goodbye in a place where I knew nothing, to the elated feeling that I had when I finally met my fellow classmates I think that I have experience every feeling known to man in a series of 7 days. These two weeks have been filled with many first time experiences some for the good and some for the bad. I experienced truly being on my own and being independent from my parents, two old school Jamaicans who have been overprotective over me all of my. I’ve experience waking up every morning to a bowl of cereal instead of the smell of my mother making me breakfast downstairs in the kitchen. I experienced my first college party and staying out late without my mother calling every second telling me to come home. I’ve experienced the different personalities of people from all over the country as well as their strong accents. I could go on and on about the many experiences that I have encountered like experiencing my first earthquake or fire drill at 1’oclock in the morning but I think the experience that has the most impact on me is my first week of classes.

When people told me back home to work hard because college is not like high school I always brushed it off. It’s not that I didn’t care about the advice that I was being given but I knew that with my ambition college would not be a problem for me and I would breeze through it just like high school. Man was I mistaken! As I read the syllabus I knew that my studying habits would have to change. No longer could I put off reading chapters and assignments because professor’s here do not care if you are a procrastinator and will continue to assign to chapters to read every day. These classes especially Chemistry and Biology are really fast pace and I must work hard in order to receive a good grade. I realized that the second day and that is permanently etched in my brain. I must stay one step ahead and never be the student always trying to catch up, college will swallow me up whole if I do. I must remember that success comes to those who work hard, it is earned not given

To be honest I did not have any expectations for Freshman Seminar. All I knew about this class was that freshmen are mandated to take this class under graduation requirements other than that I was clueless as to what the course entailed. However like every class I walked into the classroom with an open mind and ready to learn. As the speaker went through the course syllabus I was most intrigued about Omoluabi: self-actualization and communal responsibility. Being a person that has always been involved in my community I think that this topic will further enlighten me and encourage me to give back to my community.

After my first Freshman Seminar class I am excited to go back and learn from the many interesting topics that were explained to us. I am eager to learn how “scholars across various fields of study have advanced and transformed academic knowledge related to enduring problems of the human condition.” I think the this class will be very helpful for me as a student at Howard University because not only will I learn the great history of this magnificent school but I know that it will further motivate me to add onto Howard University’s legacy and to reach my full potential and even go beyond it just like many students have before me.

Realest Week of my Life

Reflection:
        The first week of college, was intense. It wasn't the multiple natural disasters that made it intense it was simply the freshness of the experience that made it an intense week. If you think about it you have never spent everyday with your, friends, Im not talking about school days, I mean from 8 am to 12am, full days with these people that you chose to hang out with. Unlike your friends back home these people have access to you 24/7 and vice  versa. Which is part of what makes this experience so strange, how fast you get close to these people. But, since I have to answer the questions from the rubric, I will stop saying what Im actually thinking and answer the questions.
Summary:
 These classes are more difficult and faster paced than high school, but I can handle all 21 credits. Biology seems most interesting, but freshman seminar is the closest to being relevant among the ones that I dont really place much importance on. Honestly its the first week so these opinions might change, but well see which classes are still in the running at the end. As for Howard, I love it here, regardless of the perilous walk for carver to campus every single day. But once you get to campus, the people and the yard, and my special spot are the awesome, but the food could be better, and so could the WiFi. Im just trying to be honest so dont take any offense, Im just trying to succed in college, thats why Im here. The people, food, and girls are all just secondary........okay mabye not the food.
Thomas Obisesan