Illiteracy and Employment in America

I find it surprising how so many people are illiterate. What is scary is how these same people manage to have money and many intelligent, literate people are unemployed. If one is unable to read, write, or comprehend, how are they employable?

Problems with the Campus

Through the last three weeks of the semester I have noticed how the majority of the students here at LAVC don't actually want to be here. I wonder why they even come at all. For example, I had my first exam for Environmental Science today and what seemed like a third of the class either opted to not buy a scantron and pencil before class or was oblivious to the fact that we even had an exam. I see students on the campus that are dressed as if they are going to some kind of nightclub. This is school right? You can leave the over-applied make up at home along with the high heels. A book bag might also be more useful than the gaudy over-sized knock off bag. Aside from aesthetic preferences, all I keep hearing about is what major people are studying along with them defining their selves by that major. It does not make any sense to me to have an umbrella title of courses define your actual academic interests. I initially chose the major of philosophy for example. Did I deem myself a philosopher? Did I plan on becoming one? No. Despite why I declared my major, people who would ask me about my major seemed to think I was some kind of delusional alien conspiracy theorist or something of the like. Why I chose philosophy is because I enjoy analyzing and I enjoy arguing. I like to learn why people do the things they do and think the way they think. I like to walk in other people's shoes to see how they fit. I like to leave my shoes for others to walk in as well. I would define myself as a social experimentist and a make-you-uncomfortablist long before I define myself as a philosopher. Above that, I love language. Without language we would have no ideas, without ideas there is nothing. Does that mean I have to major in linguistics too? While the students have some learning to do, the staff does not appear to be that great either.

Only one of my on campus professors is on time to his class and is an excellent instructor, granted he wears the same jeans, denim jacket, and USC hat everyday. The others I can expect to be at least ten minutes late for a sloppy and condescending lecture. Ironically, if one of us students are late to their classes they comment on it or lock us out. It's ridiculous! We pay them to show up to class on time, the least they can do is that. Hell, even the offices are dysfunctional. While admissions is usually overwhelmed at the beginning of a semester, the least they could do is have more than two people working in a five window booth when the line is out the building and around the corner. Another issue with admissions is the process of adding a course. With the internet readily available on and off campus and registration available online, students should be able to add a course online. In my previous college, if a student wanted to add a course and there was room, the professor gave the student a special add code they could enter online then immediately be added to the course. Here at LAVC however, we have to have the professor fill out a form, sign it, we sign it, stand in a long ass line to have admissions sign it, then return it to the teacher. I used to have to do that in middle school if I was absent. Here I am already paying for school, why are you wasting my time?

Los Angeles Valley College

I am now officially a student at LAVC. After waiting in the ridiculously long admissions and financial aid lines, I am in! The semester should be interesting. I am taking Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus, Environmental Science with lab, and a Critical Thinking English Class for a total of 16 units. While doing some of my math homework I noticed how dull my mind has gotten over the years that I didn't use it. Math used to come very easy to me, but now it is somewhat of a struggle. The formulas make sense, yet it takes me a while to apply them. I feel confused throughout the lecture, and do fine when I try the problems myself at a slower pace. I sure wish I had exercised my mind more.