Andrew Linder
Dr. B
FYE NYT
9/29/15
Barriers we bring upon ourselves restrict us to become whatever we want to pursue. This causes problems when trying to break barriers and work to create new innovations. College presents students with the opportunity to become whoever they choose to be, and find an occupation to fit that. College is an opportunity that allows you to pursue the “American Dream”. The opportunities that college present you with are endless and are open to however you choose to use them. As we are occupying our time about the limits we make ourselves we should be working to broaden our horizon in all aspects. Frank Bruni discussed specific points about what he believes the college experience should be such as networking, involvement in school activities and social media. Moving on from anything you have spent a lot time with or doing takes a lot of willpower to complete. Though this may be hard doing, moving on to become something greater is key to your success. Frank Bruni stresses this in his New York Times article. When in college, students tend to lean towards what they used to do in previous years as a form of comfort and support. This causes students to stay in a “gated community” per say. Students should be networking and expanding themselves rather than trying to recreate their high school years. Joining new groups and clubs instead of reaching to find identical substitutes allows you to broaden your horizons in all social suspects. Students believe college is too much about finding resources that aid them with their own personal preferences when they should be working to diversify their surroundings to maximize their own potential. Acquiring skills to break past these barriers is the hardest part for most people. Having to move away from what you are accustomed to doing and trying to find new ways to be successful, but Frank Bruni suggests multiple tips to move past your status quo. Joining different clubs and new sport groups around your college are two great experiences to enjoy in college. They allow you to create new relationships and experiences with people. Another experience Bruni mentions in his article is to search new websites on the internet. Instead of looking at the same old readings on the internet explore the internet and read different articles to educate yourself in other ways than usual. Since social media is a huge part of today's society the article mentions to expand yourself on your personal media. How to do this you may ask? Alike the internet it is ideal to explore and to follow different people and groups than usual and to also work to follow new blogs and read about other items on social media than usual. So if you’re not huge in meeting new people you can still follow Frank Bruni’s article and expand yourself in the social network world. One of Frank Bruni’s main points is that people try and join similar sports when they join college instead of expanding themselves. Well in that case I joined a sport that I have been playing since I could remember. Though I did not do that I worked to join a group in the school called SAC (student athletic committee). As one of the three representatives on the football team, I receive the experience of conversing with people from other sports that I may not of gotten the chance to if it was not for this club. Also in this club I am given the opportunity to express my thoughts and issues which gives me experience with public speaking as well. I have also took up another one of Frank Bruni’s suggestions and started expanding my views on the world wide web. Looking at new websites and reading more about politics and trade, something that I was not custom to doing. Besides learning about these two specific categories it has taught me that by doing this I have learned more by expanding myself doing this than I could of by reading the articles on usual websites of my preference. After reading all about Frank Bruni’s thoughts about college in his article he has me agreeing with his thoughts. I also think students should expand themselves to unfamiliar areas so they can truly learn what they want to do after college instead of thinking they know what they want pursue. In some cases moving past what your are accustomed to is necessary to reach your full potential, and I believe that should be everyone's goal in life. Settling for the average is mediocrity.