Higher Education Needs To Be Free Now

Edith Guzman

Ms. Yeganegi

Advanced Composition

3 March 2016

Higher Education Needs To Be Free Now

Richard Eskow wrote “Colleges and universities must also produce the musicians, writers, philosophers, scientists, and visionaries of tomorrow.” College has always been this magical place I would hear of growing up that was just the best thing I could ever imagine. There are commercials on tv that would speak of scholarships and teachers speaking of student loans. The harsh truth hit me one day in middle school when I realized that my parent’s legal status affected me much more than I thought. We aren’t the wealthiest of families, but I was determined to get the grades need to go to college without making my parents and myself getting into dept. The same dept. that so many of my teachers are still trying to pay off even after years of college. Higher education should be free because it is now becoming a requirement and not a luxury, it is not always useful after three years of working in one job; free higher education is the moral way to go.

Just as everything else in life education prices are also changing. When the first elite colleges were founded the cost was nearly free, but since 1980 there has been a 400% increase in the cost, which means it has rose faster than any other industry. Thousands of teens from lower income families are not able to go to college despite aspiring to be better and make a change in their communities. Often times this is not the case because life is not a fairy tale and dreams don’t always come true in spite of what these privileged born people may say. Out of ten people from low income families only one of them will be able to earn a bachelor’s degree. These statistics don’t mean that we are lazier than higher income families it just shows that we are being denied our own rights to education simply because of money. Money doesn’t buy happiness they say, but who will be happier? The mother who went to college and can afford to buy her kids their school supplies or the mother who works as a housekeeper all day yet still cannot afford to pay for her even her first born child’s college tuition?   This land of opportunities is not living up to its name.

There is the argument that free higher education would be a terrible thing for our economy, but is this really true? “More is being spent on subsidizing things like athletics or administration costs” said Rebecca Burns.  If the money which is being provided to colleges and universities is not being well spent on education why even keep giving them the money? Instead of students applying for student loans or scholarships the money should go directly to the institutions, but be towards the actual education. Less and less employees are asking for just the high school diploma, instead they are asking for higher education and experience. The price for our deserved education more important now than it was just twenty years ago; it’s also the highest it has ever been. Why should we keep on living in poverty with our nation’s economy plummeting even more when just some simple changes could change this country for the better?

“People can figure out how to pass college tests if they can master what the professor wants.” If this is the case why must college even been made such a big requirement? If the few who get full ride scholarships or just have the money to pay their years of college simply have to do that why can’t we all? If we work hard all through elementary, middle, and high school only to bump into a wall after graduation because of money, why can’t this change? Why is it easier to pass gun laws than it is to help out to less privileged of The States? Why are we discussing whether or not drug use should become legal when there is something bigger that needs to change? It needs to change now.

Works Cited

"College Affordability and Completion: Ensuring a Pathway to Opportunity." College Affordability and Completion: Ensuring a Pathway to Opportunity. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2016.

Eskow, Richard. "Free Higher Education Is a Human Right." Campaign For America's Future. N.p., 14 Mar. 2014. Web. 02 Mar. 2016.

"Why Can’t College Be Free?" - In These Times. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Mar. 2016.

Where I am From

I am from a Mexican heritage.

I am from a huge family where I am just the odd one out.

I am from patched Eastside drive that was my home for so long.

From the warm tamales and the "ponche" made on Christmas eve.

I am from the "Si Dios quiere"

I am from the Christian faith, the Sunday's spent at church.

I am from a family who never stops trying to be better.

I am from here, but I am from there.

I am from Long Beach, California and Colima, Colima.

I am from a seahorse necklace and a ruby ring long lost who knows where.

I am from Adriana and Epifanio.

From scars on my two knees earned by being disobedient.

I am from God.

My Personal Credo

I believe in being able to do what I want to do despite what other may think. I believe that it is God who gives me the strength I need to do anything. It is in Him who I put all my trust in and who I confide in. It is God who allows me to wake up and start everyday with new energy. He is the reason I can sleep soundly at night because I know all those I care about are in His hands. In elementary school I played an angel in a school play and even though I still didn't fully understand His word then, I now know that He gives me a purpose in life. 

I believe in love. I believe that with love you discover a color wheel of emotions. There is the pale pink painted daisys that are randomly given to you, but there is also the lime green jealousy that blurs your vision. I believe in love at first sight and life long love. I believe that sometimes even if there is an infinite amount of love sometimes things just don't work out.

I believe in working hard to get whatever you want. I do not think it is enough to just yearn for the fancy house or the luxurious car. I believe you need a plan for the life ahead of you. Your life is your roller coaster and you should be eager to take the front seat. I believe that even if you have a life plan there are times when there is a sudden turn of events and things go tumbling down.

I believe in family. I believe in my family's bond. I believe we all have each others back no matter what. I believe that our families are the reasons so many of us keep going. God and my family give me all the strength I need. I believe that family is not just by blood, but by something on a totally different level. 

I believe that in diversity you find beauty. I believe that the most beautiful things happen without even planning them. I believe that the world is a beautiful place filled with beautiful people. I do not agree with those who say otherwise. I believe that despite our differences we will someday be able to find the middle ground and be at peace with one another. We should not fight with one another over who should own because we will all cease to exist in the blink of an eye anyway.

I believe that our body's are our temples and that we honestly should treat it as such. I believe in God. I believe in love. I believe in family. I believe in working hard. I believe in the beauty of diversity. I believe in me. I believe in you.

The Day of His Death

The Mexican music was dancing through the air as my mom hummed to the beat while she cooked an elaborate dinner in the kitchen. I was coloring with my little sister in my Strawberry Shortcake coloring book. My youngest brother at the time was playing with his friend whom we all called "Dino" The sky outside was changing and turning different shades of blue and purple blended together. That humid breezy evening was one of the most peaceful evenings that I remember.

It was peaceful up until we heard the gunshot. Gunshots were common of course in that area, so we ignored it at first. The police sirens blared through the thin walls of the house soon after. I heard the police cars speeding up the hill bouncing on the bumpy patched up sorry road and instantly the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! We were all startled by the sudden knocks on the door and my dad was the one to answer. I remember her face stained with charcoal black eyeliner streaming all down her face. Lucero could not even speak and instead just cried calling her little brother over to her; she would not speak to us when we asked what was wrong. Once she held her brother and pulled her into her arms tightly squeezing the air out of him she ran out the door only to be followed by my parents who told us to stay with my uncle.

The sky outside was a clear Catalina blue with not a single cloud in sight. The trees and birds were all still around us and not even the grasshoppers chirped in the night. Even the police sirens were no longer disrupting the peace. My mom was the first noise I heard. She was running down the hill her hair blowing from left to right, while my dad tried to catch up, I finally understood what she was trying to tell no one in particular. My heart stopped beating for what felt like an eternity, yet only two seconds at the same time. "They shot Oscar! Oscar is dead!" He could not be dead, I thought to myself. That just was not possible because he was always protected. He might not have been that big of angel and was involved in gangs, but he was our Oscar, the one who watched over everyone. My mom's hands were moving from her face, to her hair, to our black Chevrolet, as she repeated the same words over and over not really listening to us. We didn't know how it happened just that it did in the blink of an eye. I stood there stunned still looking at the chaos slowly evolving all around me because I was no longer in this world. Our neighbors heard and some were staying in from the fear of being hurt, but others walked out to confront one another. I was alone. I remember not wanting anyone to touch me and feeling such a huge loss in my life because once again someone I loved was torn away from me.

We walked back up the hill to go to their house and the cries of grief were coming from everyone nearby. His mom was yelling out trying to get to her baby as her husband held her tightly to keep her from running in to all that was left of him in this world. When I turned towards their house I saw two people holding a black bag that evidently held his body, but they did not seem to care that he was in there. They tossed his body into the car and I was pushed out towards a house because I was too young for that they say. There were already three girls in there crying, but I still could not bring myself to cry. The pain and questions were burning through me like a raging fire. I heard Javi's name and I asked where he was only to be told that it was him who was shot and not his older brother. That was all it took to bring back the memories of our summers spent chasing each other and the plans we had for the summer that was only just beginning. Javi who was just a couple months over than me and who had been one of my best friends since forever would no longer help me climb the big oak tree; he would no longer be at my door to ask if I could go play. We wouldn’t ever cross the creek together to go to the neighborhood near us or go beyond the big boulders to go to the corner store with our friends. He was gone and I didn’t even say goodbye.

I don't remember anything else of that tragic night not even how or when I got home. His death was an accident that left his family torn apart because it had been Oscar who shot him. They loved each other with a love I'll never forget and even though it was an accident it still changed everyone from that day on. The day of his funeral it didn't feel or even look like him. Instead it was a boy who looked blue and with make up on his face. They took out his organs, Lucero told me. That's not him because Javier will forever be the guy I would play tag with and race through the trees with. Javi's memory will never cease to exist for as long as I live. I'll always remember the way he ran with the little brown paper bag to take Dino his lunch and the way he helped his mom with everything with no complaints. Rest in peace, Javi. We’ll always love you. From now on I’m never taking anyone’s life for granted. 

Meeting Her

I sat on the sidewalk bouncing my right leg up and down while nervously playing with my hands. The trees danced with the wind moving from side to side, leaves decorating the parking lot. I could hear the student’s voices in the background loud and deafening, but barely audible at the same time.

His cousin smiled at me and said he’d never seen me so anxious, I stopped listening to everyone after that and submerged myself into my fictional world’s to gain some confidence. Blue skies, white as cotton clouds floated above us. One, one, two, two, three, three, repeat. Counting my heartbeats I submerged myself into my fictional worlds to gain some confidence. He put his hand on the small of my back and whispered into my ear she’s here. The world stopped. Nothing else mattered anymore because it was just his eyes that I saw and suddenly I was in the car, her smile was a precious pearl in the midst of marshlands.

I licked my lips tasting the sweet honey and cold peppermint chap stick. Holding onto the soft cushioned seat I responded to her questions as best as I could. He said it was okay that I could relax. His soothing hands held onto mine and I felt the weight being lifted off my shoulders. The moment he smiled at me with his pearly whites she spoke too and I could hear her lips curing up. The resemblance was evident between them and I stood out more than I’m usually comfortable with, but it was okay.

Mrs. Diaz who asked to call her Floris was friendly, funny, fantastic, and family.

  

On Writing Well- Part 2

Chapter two of this books speaks of clutter in our language. Usually, there is a certain amount of sentences or paragraphs that a teacher is asking us to write to receive credit. In order to have the required amount we often end up saying things that are not even needed. To be a good writer you need to reread and rewrite your sentences in order to keep the reader really engaged.

I learned that it's not always me who isn't reading the right books because I easily get distracted. It could also be the author of a novel using messy language. When you are ariting you have to keep in mind that this person has an entire world around them, but you need to bring them into your's to convey the message. You could start with so many number of sentences, but once looking over them several times that length should shorten.