January 2012 Chatterbox - Ruston High School

Editorials/Opinions ChatterboxRuston High School January 19, 2012 Page 12Why Grammar is Important… no really, it’s Importantby Emma JonesEducation ReporterHave you ever been in a situation where you accidently made yourself look stupid? It happens to all of us: we’ve said or done somethingthat degraded our actual intelligence because in the heat of the moment because we didn’t have the decency to think twice. Now,have you ever intentionally made yourself look stupid? If you are in the minority of people who answer yes, please take your disgracefuleyes off my article. I’ll check up on you in a good ten years to see how that’s going for you.As for the most of you, doing something to make yourselves look stupid / unintelligent is embarrassing and you probably want toavoid it at all costs, but what if I told you that you might be among hundreds of thousands of millions who intentionally and unfortunatelymake themselves look like their IQ is the same as those in a sanitarium. This is due to the dwindling presence of correct grammar. It’salmost disgusting to look at my Facebook news feed and see more people use incorrect grammar than correct. What people don’t care tounderstand is that grammar is simple and a habit to be formed just like any other, except it’s probably one of the easiest concepts onwhich anyone can pick up. It’s all about looking twice to make sure you’re not making your intelligence appear so minute that it’s basicallyobsolete.Grammar has basically become a lost art; it’s a novelty that society views as an indication of astuteness and intellect. While I do not oppose the idea that grammar is generallyonly used among the bluestockings of the world, I will contend that it should not be that way. Grammar should be an everyday concept that people should utilize withoutgetting worked up. The reason why most people don’t bother with grammar and view it negatively is because they feel as though it’s too meticulous. While I am awarethat in some cases, there are grammatical concepts that are just too pedantic to acknowledge, I would concede not every individual concept is that way. Most grammaticalrules apply to using one verb, adjective, pronoun, etc instead of another.So now to answer the ultimate question: why is grammar important? In our generation, most of us communicate in an informal setting, leaving us to believe grammardoesn’t really matter. But the danger is when you leave your informal setting of communication and must communicate in the real world. Not using correct grammar, to mostpeople at the top of the corporate food chain, is an indication of laziness, and diligence can often be what separates the successful from the unsuccessful. In your Englishclass, if you’re writing an essay full of incorrect grammar, you’ll get a bunch red circles on your paper and a few points knocked off. In the real world, if you’re filling out anapplication full of incorrect grammar, or your résumé is the same as well, you won’t get the job. So, consider this article a giant red octagon telling you that whether you likeit or not, using incorrect grammar may seem to be cool or relevant or whatever, but when you think about it, it will stunt your success and ultimately deter you from gettinganywhere in life, so STOP USING INCORRECT GRAMMAR.Great Ways to "Academically" Start the New Year Off!by Polly Michelle GwanAcademics ReporterMillions of people start the new year off in hopes of achieving something or reaching a goal they could not the year before. Many people haveresolutions ranging from losing weight to learning how to ride a motorcycle. On the other hand, some people fall short when it comes to decidingwhat to do. As students of RHS there are many great ways that you can start off the new year to better yourself academically. One way is by aimingto just to make better grades by studying more, texting less, and also staying awake during class. Another great resolution for students driving toschool, could be getting to school earlier. There are a variety of academic resolutions students can take. Like any resolution though, it takes timeand dedication but can be achieved with hard work!Still Rooting For No Uniforms!A girl with killer determinationby Sarah Kay BlaylockArts ReporterI was annoyed after reading one of those signs that the teachers like to put up in their rooms. You know, the ones that are meant to stimulateand boost our minds such as: “Just because you are not good at something does not mean you should not try; it only means that youshould try harder.” This is an extremely useful badge for my Algebra teacher’s wall, for me!I’ve read many signs that I have liked. However, this particular paragraph of false encouragement made me cringe. It says: “30 yearsfrom now, it will not matter what shoes you wore, how your hair looked, or what jeans you bought. What will matter is what you learned andhow you used it.” Okay, that was pretty awesome when you first read it, right? I totally thought similar, until I pondered the thoughts that ifit does not matter how I look now, then why are we forced into uniforms every day?Some will say that I over thought the poster but I think maybe teachers who support uniforms need to consider taking such things down,because keeping those things tacked to walls creates a false impression of Ruston High because we have a uniform policy. I understand thatthirty years from now only our education will be important to most of society, but wearing uniforms limits and shelters kids that may needfashion knowledge. Should our motivational signs not match our idea, Ruston High?