Nick's English Blog

Prompt Response:  "Mediocre people don't like high performers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - Nick Saban. This is a quote that I think about often when I think about who I should be around. In his speech about who he wants on his "bus" in life, he states that if the people you are around don't have the same principles as you or the same high standards as you, you will never be successful. He compares it to the metaphor of being on a bus in spring camp for football. The bus that he is referring to is your pathway in life, and the people that stand in the way and block the path are the same people that don't share the same goals and standards that you set for yourself. This connects to Dr. King's I Have a Dream speech because of the similar use of metaphors. As Dr. King uses his metaphors to explain the injustices that Black Americans faced in times of segregation around the US, Nick Saban explains how the people you are around a...

Prompt Response:  I am like Clark Kent. For one part of the day, I am everyone's friend. I am the guy people can come up to when they need something, and I love to have a great time with my friends, but when the time comes, I become a different person with a different personality. When it is time for me to work, I think of what I can do to separate myself from the rest of the crowd. Most of the time, this doesn't include having fun with my friends or having people needing something from me. It is about how to make the most money I can while still making great relationships with the people that I am working with and the people I am working for. The reason I chose this allusion is because like Clark Kent, I have one personality at one point in the day, when I am not taking photos, but when duty calls, I turn into a different, more guided person just as Clark Kent does with Superman. Summary: Today in class, we went over rhetorical devices Reflection:  This week, so far, we have ...

Prompt Response:  There was a time when I was out at breakfast with some friends from work when we started talking about the Messi vs. Ronaldo debate. I was told by the rest of the table that my opinion that Ronaldo was better was incorrect because they were convinced that Messi was better. I defended my opinion using stats from games and evidence from my own experiences, and they eventually saw the other side of the argument. By the end of breakfast, we concluded that there isn't really a "better" option of the two and that they are both extraordinary players. Summary: Today in class we did more rhetorical devices. Reflection:  This week, we learned four more rhetorical devices that we can use when writing a rhetorical analysis. We will also have a quiz on them on Thursday.

Prompt Response:  In the back of my mind, I am constantly thinking about what others think about me.  Not because I want to be everyone's favorite, but because I want to be the most successful I can be. When I am in school, I constantly think of how my teachers thought I had done in class that day, whether it was a good or bad day. When I am at soccer practice, I think of whether my coach is deciding to put me in the lineup for the weekend based on what he sees. But most of all, when I'm on a field or in a stadium for work, I think of what everyone  thinks of me. The athletes, other photographers, and other staff of the team. But I didn't get caught up in my head about it. I just thought, "What can I do to be different than everyone here... what can I do to get ahead of everyone around me so that I can be the most successful I can be?" Networking. That's the answer. At some point, everyone around you has a great eye for a photograph, everyone around you knows ...

Prompt Response:  I agree with it. In my personal experience, I meet people first in person and continue to follow up online. I generally don't see these people I connect with for quite some time after meeting them because our schedules never align.  With that being said, I think technology has improved the way people can build a connection with each other , but a relationship is formed through shared experiences together, which cannot happen by only speaking to the person online. Throughout my experiences, I can confidently say that technology can make it easy to be connected but hard to be together. Summary:   Today in class, we continued to review rhetorical devices, where we did specific examples to increase our understanding of the material. Reflection:  This week, so far, we have gone through 4-5 separate rhetorical devices. We have gone over examples in class to show our understanding, and we will have a quiz on Monday to solidify the knowledge that we have be...

Prompt Response:  When I was being interviewed for one of the positions I'm currently in, I made the roles I had with other organizations seem to be better than they were. Even though I wasn't lying, I certainly exaggerated my responsibilities and the expectations of my role. I did this simply because I really wanted to get the job. I did end up getting it for many reasons, but I believe one was the exaggeration on my resume and in my interview.  Summary: Today we learned about rhetorical devices. Reflection:  Today was the first day back from fall break. We took notes on rhetorical devices and did exercises to strengthen our understanding of writing the specific devices (hyperbole and understatement).