Ana Billotti - Round Table opinion editor

Sometimes in life people have to do things that they dislike rather than things that they love. This can be doing anything from working, to homework, going to school, or even attending meetings that the person is utterly uninterested in.

Life can’t be all fun and games there are times when people need to buckle down and get what needs to be done, done. Sure, it is probably more fun to go hang out with friends or get on Facebook for a couple of hours in the evening but what does a person actually get out of that in the end? A few hours of enjoyment?

It is not always the most enjoyable activity but sometimes working is the best option for a high school student. A person might not want to get a part time job while in high school but that job will not only be providing them with their own income but it can also provide a strong sense of individualism.

A student that learns the value of having a job at an early age will have a better chance of having a more successful future. They will understand that a job not only provides a source of income but also a necessary sense of responsibility.

Responsibilities such as working, doing homework  or even babysitting a family member may not always be able to be classified as a thing a person loves to do, but these current responsibilities help build a person’s character.

When a person does something they like to do they get a sense of satisfaction out of it and it can actually benefit a person’s health; hanging out with friends has been proven to lengthen your life expectancy, Facebook can fuel a person’s self-esteem, according to a study by Cornell University, and watching TV can reduce stress levels.

Balancing life can be difficult, but a person cannot disregard things they dislike to do, but need to do, in favor of doing something they enjoy. Students especially need to remember that school and work come first; being responsible now will result in being better prepared for the future.

This doesn’t mean that students should be serious all the time. They need to relax, and this can be by getting on Facebook, hanging out with friends, or watching TV can all provide that and have been proven to be beneficial but just remember balance is the key to a well-rounded and happy person.

Ana Billotti - Round Table editor

On Nov. 21, Emma Sullivan, a senior at Shawnee Mission East High School in Kansas tweeted, “Just made mean comments at gov brownback and told him he sucked, in person #heblowsalot.” Thus, Sullivan unknowingly sparked a firestorm about freedom of speech and social media networks.

Sullivan was attending a Youth in Government Program in Topeka, Kansas where Governor Sam Brownback was speaking at when she sent her tweet.

Brownback’s office monitors social media networks for postings that include the governor’s name and when they saw Sullivan’s tweet contacted the youth program coordinator who then contacted Sullivan’s principal.

Sullivan was called into her principal’s office and told that she needed to write an apology to Brownback. But in a strange turn of events, Brownback is now finding himself the one to issue an apology.

“My staff overreacted to this tweet, and for that I apologize. Freedom of speech is among our most treasured freedoms,” said Brownback in a statement released Nov. 28.

Sullivan, who’s followers on Twitter went from 62 to over 15,000 people, has been using the social media site to continue to bring awareness to the topic; tweeting, “I’ve decided not to write the letter but I hope this opens the door for average citizens to voice their opinion & to be heard! #goingstrong.”

This public example of freedom of speech is a great tool to teach others about the protection of their First Amendment rights. In a day and age where anything and everything can be posted for the public to view and comment on, it is important to teach not only teenagers and children, but adults as well about freedom of speech and the use of technology, when it is combined.

Sullivan’s tweet, regardless of how harsh it may sound, is protected under the First Amendment.

Under the First Amendment, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Freedom of speech does not just protect a person when they say something to a person’s face. It means that, like Sullivan, they can tweet an opinion, or post a status and as long as their actions don’t put others in danger their freedom of speech is protected.

Freedom of speech has always come under fire, from freedom of speech in films (Joseph Burstyn, Inc. v. Wilson; 1952) to preventing a school district from disciplining a high school student for giving a lewd speech at a school assembly (Bethel School Dist. No. 403 v. Fraser; 1986).

Freedom of speech is granted to every citizen in the United States but as society becomes more involved with online social media, freedom of speech is sure to be targeted more frequently.

Sullivan is well within her First Amendment rights and, although she may receive some dislike for what she said, she is protected and allowed to voice her own opinion.

High school students across America should take note about freedom of speech and the use of the internet because it is easier today then it was twenty years ago to get in serious trouble for comments posted online.

Caitlin Ortiz, a college student, got in trouble with her softball coach, in June, after posting a picture of herself and lyrics from Big Sean and Chris Brown’s song, “My Last.” She reportedly lost her scholarship and was kicked off the softball team at her school.

Sullivan, just like Ortiz, is doing the right thing by taking a stand and making a point. Sullivan didn’t do anything wrong, but tweeted her own opinion and yet she got in trouble for it.

Taking a stand and promoting the protection of First Amendment rights is important and it takes strong individuals to do that.

Twitter on Dec. 15 will be holding an event called “Free to Tweet”. They invite students ages 14 to 22 to tweet their support for the First Amendment with the hash tag #freetotweet. This will enter them in a competition to win a $5000 scholarship.                                                                                                         

However, anyone is welcome to tweet and show their gratitude for the first amendment rights and Twitter is already getting big name celebrities to join in, such as, Ke$ha, Blake Shelton and Brad Paisley.

The First Amendment needs to be protected because it is essential to the freedom of every citizen in the country. If it comes to making an individual’s story public to help bring awareness to a cause than that may just need to happen.

As Sullivan tweeted, “”First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” –Gandhi.”

Ana Billotti- Round Table editor

Eleanor Roosevelt once said,  “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” Those 10 words can provide comfort and strength to people going through difficult times.

When people are told that they are not good enough, not strong enough or not smart enough, it lowers their self-esteem and makes them doubt themselves, but why do people allow themselves to believe that they are lesser than others. People let other’s words tear them down and make them doubt themselves. But in the end there is only one opinion that truly matters and that is their own. People just need to realize that.

A person addicted to an illegal substance or alcohol will not get help until they themselves realize that they do, in fact, need it. Regardless of what other people encourage them to do, the only opinion that matters is their own.

Not seeking help when it is blatantly obvious that the person is in need of it is not recommended, but people with addictions do on a certain level not accept other people’s opinions of them. Yes, they could benefit from the help of others, but their opinion of themselves helps them not feel inferior and compare themselves to others.

But that was negative image of not listening to others’ opinions. Let’s try a positive example.

When someone is being picked on, being told that they are stupid, short or ugly, those words can make a person feel worthless. If that person lets those words get to them.

Eleanor Roosevelt got it right when she said those 10 words. Feeling inferior can only be brought on when people themselves believes that they are inferior.

No one is worth less than anybody else; everyone is equal, so why should people listen to others’ negative comments about themselves?

No one knows somebody better than a person knows themselves. Yes, the other person can probably judge a person’s skills and abilities better because they see that person from the outside looking in. But the individual’s own true thoughts and feelings are that person’s and that person’s alone. When a person has confidence in themselves and a secure knowledge of their skills and abilities, then what other people say about them shouldn’t have any affect on them, unless it is in a positive light.

Being confident in the fact that what other people say doesn’t matter and allows the person to realize that no one can make them feel inferior without consent from themselves. When people are being teased and picked on, they should just keep in mind Eleanor Roosevelt’s words and remember that their opinions of themselves are the most important thing.

Ana Billotti- Round Table editor

Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion;  it is a basic human right – freedom of speech. But oftentimes we run into problems when we share our opinions on a topic; people reject our opinions, disagree with them or even openly mock them.

Opinions are a tricky thing. Every person has an opinion about anything and everything, and that is normal. If we didn’t have any opinions on anything, then we would probably be walking through life not fully enjoying or experiencing it. People wouldn’t know whether or not they liked the weather outside, what food they wanted to eat or even whose company they chose to keep.

Having an opinion about something is an important right of human life; it allows people to get to know each other - their likes and dislikes and what are hot-button issues to them.

When a person first starts working, her or she learns that there are certain topics that should not be discussed with coworkers – religion and politics, along with personal life and finances, but that’s getting off topic.

The reason that religion and politics should never be discussed at work is because most people have an opinion about whether they believe in God or which Presidential candidate or party they support.

Stating an opinion on those particular topics can often lead to arguments and animosity between one another because, let’s face it, no one will readily agree that the other person is right on an issue they feel strongly about it.

In the end people need to accept that everybody is entitled to his or her own opinion: whether Twilight stinks, what teacher is not as nice as the others or which is the better computer system, Mac or PC.

Of course, this is just my opinion; feel free to have your own.

Everyone messes up once in awhile, it’s an unavoidable part of life, although when you do mess up you aren’t happy about it. Many people just brush off their mistakes instead of doing something about it.

You fail one quiz and say “It was only ten questions, the next quiz I’ll do better on.” But the next quiz you fail too, then your grade starts to slip, and life doesn’t seem as great as it once was. So my question to you is simply this: When do the small things become the important things? After how many failed quizzes do you really, truly realize that each quiz matters and can affect you?

I, myself, have been there. I’ve failed quizzes and done poorly on tests. I always seem to tell myself that I will just study harder, ask more questions in class, and do better on the next assignment. Yet that isn’t always the case, and I know the situation is the same for a lot of high school students as well.

Each quiz, class work, homework, and especially the tests are important. You need to do well from the beginning or else you will be playing catch up for the entire semester and that is not a good position to be in.

If you miss a day of class and talk to the teacher on the next day, ask what you missed and if there is any work that you can make up. If you miss a quiz or test then make arrangements at your and the teacher’s earliest convenience to make it up, that way you do not forget information that will be on the assignment.

Always ask for extra credit. I know a lot of teachers do not give out extra credit and if they do it is usually incorporated into assignments throughout the semester but it never hurts to ask. You never know, you might be able to do an extra credit project that will only take a weekend of your time and it can help your grade.

Putting in the extra effort for your grade is worth it, for in the end you are the one who benefits. You get better grades, your parents and teachers are happy, and life seems great again. That is, until you learn you’re having a math quiz coming up…but, don’t worry, you know what to do this time.