Facebook

Okay. I still don't have a camera to take pictures with so once again I have no pictures to show you. On the flip side, I know that help is on the way as I will receive a new camera within two to three weeks. Thank goodness for that. I am stuck in the middle of this summer break- this means that I am not looking back to my past times at OWU (even though I admit that some of the pictures I have are pretty hilarious); however, I am not trying to look into the near future since I am not ready to deal with the harrowing challenges of being a Senior Orientation Leader or helping out with the Minority Orientation that is a week before the actual Orientation. Rather, I will focus on off-topics to help me take my mind off the past and the future.
My topic today is none other than Facebook. Facebook has become the bane of my and many other OWU students' existence. The very presence of Facebook is a must among OWU students. The use of Facebook varies among the students from checking important or trivial messages, interacting with your teachers and/or administration, or posting every photo, whether it is from their phone or a camera. The use of Facebook has been used to procrastinate whenever the workload has become too much or if the workload is too little. Facebook is also utilized by people who wants to know confidential information. I will admit that I have used Facebook for every and all purposes. I like Facebook; it is not the greatest means of interaction but in college, it will become essential to your daily living. You never know- Facebook can save your life or it can ruin it. Of course, it is all up to you to use it correctly.
For me, Facebook can help me in various ways. For instance, I am a Blogger. If I post a picture via a cell phone with a camera installed in it, I can transfer those pictures to a folder and copy them in this blog. Sometimes, it doesn't work out (like in my case, otherwise you would definitely more photos and possibly lost entries ready to be typed into my blog- look out for this at a later date). Anyway, Facebook's usefulness would increase tenfold for someone like myself. Another way Facebook has helped me is that some of the information I want to send out needs to be kept confidential so that people outside of who I want to send the information will not find out. With the use of Facebook, you can send messages out to the recipient without outside sources reading your information. I like this because confidential information STAYS confidential. The biggest factor that Facebook has helped me out with is interacting with people. Normally, I am a work first, meet second kind of guy. With Facebook, I can easily do my work without having to have it interrupted by some random "I want you to meet [insert random person's name]", then chat with someone in that network (which is normally OWU or Cleveland). Work is very important to me especially since I need to keep my scholarships so conversation can wait until a more convenient time and place. You dig?
Some of the negatives about Facebook are easily identifiable. Since Facebook has become so popular, virtually anyone can get a account. Even your RA, RLC, or campus administrator may have an account. Don't believe me- type in OWU staff and find out for yourself. This is lightweight a scary thought. Facebook is like an open book into a person's life. You could be a good person in general but if they found out you have posted a picture of yourself being at a place with alcohol or doing something "out of the norm" from what they expect, then their views of you WILL change. No matter how many good things you may do from the next day to your graduation, you will not be seen in the same light as you were before that incident. I know from experience even though it wasn't from posting a less-than-worthy picture on Facebook. This is why I caution incoming OWU freshman and students anywhere to be careful of what you and my friends post or do in their time at college. In addition to this, you may have students or alumni you are recruiters for big name employers (Fortune 500 ring a bell, anyone?) In this case, having a picture of you and some half-naked women in provocative positions may not give the potential employer the right impression of you. You may be blowing away thousands of dollars and a job offer right after college. Your pictures are a reflection of you as a whole even if you were completely oblivious to that the night before. I had to realize this as well.
Truthfully, I believe Facebook has an equal combination of good and bad for the college student. However, Facebook is the truth. Facebook shows all sides of people's character and people are constantly judging you even though they should not do so. In a way, Facebook is the new version of Big Brother from '1984'. Watching me, watching you watching me, over and over and over again. I know this example is a little extreme but I really think that Facebook is taking over college. Facebook is good now but if abused has the potential to manipulate a person's sanity and destroy their reputation. I say to all Facebook users particularly college students, monitor your use of Facebook at all times. Take a vacation from it, if necessary. I know I do when the time for work overrides everything else. I feel like I have to vent my concern about Facebook since I do use it usually once a week. I can go over on another three thousands about the pros and the cons of Facebook but I know there are other pertinent issues that I need to attend to. There you have it... my testimony on the use of Facebook for college students.

Trying to take precautionary measures,
Hasani Wheat
Class of '10

Let me talk a second about my present state of mind

Wow. Stuck in the middle of summer. I have an internship that pays well and rewards me with the experience I need to go into the computer science and management and information technology field if I want that to be my career. I am also in the middle of summer which tends to leave me in a mode of frustration and anxiety despite not being in a classroom setting. Working a forty hour week is no joke. I can maintain my mind in a work-related environment but when I leave that area for the day, I think I go temporarily insane. My mind starts going everywhere, my thoughts are often discombobulated and I want to just rest my mind to relieve it of its agony. Even when the work day has been uneventful, I find myself at a loss of self-consciousness. When a forty hour work week is compounded with problems ranging from lack of work to waiting for a job to run to fixing printers from their numerous jams, my week has become a lot longer.
I often find myself not wanting to go home. I want to stay in the workplace for as long as possible, hoping to find more work to do and more time to learn. When I arrive at my house, I try to avoid my parents and their various comments, whether it is about the buses I catch to get to work, how is my day, or the several thousand other comments they say as they stare at me when I come through that front door during the six o'clock hour. As much as this is welcoming, it is also quite troubling for me. Generosity and curiosity are good for a person to have but sometimes I want to see absolutely NO ONE. I want to be alone; no words or faces, just the accompaniment of my own silence. I know- I am crazy- deal with it. I have a method to my madness.
To avoid this issue, I always get my freedom from the workplace and my home by going to a shopping mall and spending some quality me time. Once again, I know it sounds crazy but it is the truth. I think that by spending some time to myself, I can cope with the various ways that I feel about my work and my home. I reward myself on each Friday, usually heading to Tower City (downtown, baby!!) and spending in stores that I would normally think of going in (e.g. Brooks Brothers). I am not a guy who is a spendthrift (believe me, I had a C.D. that I opened freshman year that stored some $$$$$!!!), but I like to build my repertoire once in a while. I like casual and business clothing so if I see something that looks good and is in excellent condition meaning no holes, tears, rips, or anything suspicious that would take away from the quality of the clothing, then I may just get it at a reasonable price (something that fits what I am earning weekly). I am not a big shopper so I usually buy two (or if I am feeling extra generous three) articles of clothing a week. That is not bad. I don't think most guys are big shoppers anyway, it is just something we have to do especially if you are a trendy person. This shopping soothes any pain, anger, or frustration I had within the past 120 hours. Then, I can go home a happy man. IN YOUR FACE STRESS FACTOR!!!!!!
So, as I sit behind this computer, relish the free time you have because once you begin to work and especially doing your passion, you will probably need to balance that with a little R & R. That is how I cope at least. Well, it is turning dark and I am becoming more heavy-eyed. I better do some tasks that I have before I nod off and forget about them.



I love my internship and my R & R,
Hasani Wheat
Class of '10

P.S. - I get my new camera soon so you can see all of my excursions.

Summer Vacation has officially picked up!

Well, well, well. I think it is time to talk about my whereabouts and how the summer has been good to me. Lately, I have started my internship at Parker-Hannifin Corporation in Cleveland. I have been working here since May 29 and I felt at home with the job. This job has been planned a year in the making. You see, I was a student at John F. Kennedy. I had an interest in computer science and information technology at the time and I was on the robotics team (can you believe that an urban school had a robotics program?) Well, my interest took me further sooner than I expected. During the time that I had become involved in robotics, a group of people from Parker decided to help out with the project. I felt confident in the project because the J.F.K. team that previous year took home 3rd place, which I found quite impressive. Unfortunately, our robot stalled during my year and I was frustrated with the overall project from the construction of the robot to the programming portion of the project. I later found out in my senior year that the husband of the principal of J.F.K, Charita Chockrom, worked as a human resource manager in the hydraulics division. What I didn't know was that he would be coming to J.F.K. to give out scholarship to individuals who were interested or majoring in a computer related field. I was one of two recipients to receive a five hundred dollar stipend along with a paid internship to Parker. I was ecstatic, to say the least.
Fast forward to a year later after my first year at Ohio Wesleyan. My grades are all right but my interest for computers have lost some steam. When I got the letter actually stating that I could work for Parker this summer, I wasn't sure I was the person who had that same drive and determination to have a career in a computer-related field. I was weighing the pros of the job and I knew it would be decent whether I was to go into that field or another one; I took a chance and accepted the job offer. Two weeks in my new job and I am back to how I felt at the end of that awards ceremony back at J.F.K.- excited and hungry to learn more about computers. I am ready to lay down any failures and prejudices I have and start anew. I realize that I want to be able to tell everyone that this job has elevated me to believe in myself and in my dreams- that I can achieve anything I want at any given time.
My occupation is systems operator. Currently, I am working on the mainframe computers, the systems that run the data center. I already have several responsibilities and I am constantly learning daily on the job. I have to think quickly on my feet and work quickly in order to learn more responsibilities. There are some days where I feel like my day will never end because there is always a job needed to be done and there are days where I can rest a little more than usual so I can learn more on the mainframe that I handle. The working atmosphere is not as intense as I initially thought; actually it is relatively sedate as I see co-workers joking with each other often. My job is one of a very serious nature but it is not one where you cannot smile and relax. To me, those kind of jobs are unrealistic. I am so glad this job has people who are real and not just wearing a smile because that is what they are told to do.
Why have I not been writing more often? My job consumes nine hours a day and it is not like I am sitting around waiting for a reply from a computer or a supervisor. Usually, when I arrive back home (out of all that rush hour traffic), I have a routine: iron clothes, eat food, read paper, maybe watch a little television, fall asleep, and resume the work day until Saturday. That has taken all my time so I sincerely have not had much time to myself except for the most essential of things. Hey, it is the real world and I am virtually married to it nowadays. I have said my peace for the time being. Hopefully, I can catch up with a couple of people on Facebook and enjoy my weekend before heading off into the working world on Mondays. I am glad to be writing right now.



Being faithful to my job as a Blogger,
Hasani Wheat
Class of '10