Student Success Statement

"If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it."

-Marcus Aurelius

Reflection:

When something is wrong, then the correct thing to do is simply not do it. This can tie into getting offered drugs, for example. When you know something is wrong, then you shouldn't turn a blind eye and do it regardless, you need to stand your ground and refuse to give in to tempatation. Same goes for not saying something if you know it isn't true. Don't go and say, "if they do it, then it's okay for me to do it", when you're completely aware that it's not true. It's not true that something's okay when it's wrong and everyone does it. That's one example. Don't endorse wrong things, and don't justify your actions with someone else's.

Dental Assistant

Duties and Responsibilities:
Dental assistants have several responsibilities, from providing patient care and taking x rays to recordkeeping and scheduling appointments. Their tasks vary from the employer or office where they work.

Salary:
The average salary for dental assistants is $34,500 per year or $26.59 $16.59 per hour

Education:
There are several ways to become a dental assistant. In some states,you need to have graduated from an accredited program and passed a state exam. There may also be no formal education requirements in other states, however.



Reflection:
Becoming a dental assistant to me, isn't as appealing as becoming a dentist myself. Like I said when I wrote a reflection on becoming a dental lab technician, I'd more likely use a smaller career like this one as a stepping stone as I strive towards a higher career.

Dental Lab Technician

Duties and Responsibilities:

Dental lab technicians contruct, repair, and also fit devices that increase functionality in the patients' lives. Examples would include dentures, eyeglasses, and prosthetics.

Salary:
The annual salary for a dental lab technician is $33,070 per year or $15.90 per hour

Education:
There aren't any educational requirements to become a dental lab technician other than receieving a high school diploma or the equivalent. Most technicians learn their skills on the job.



Reflection:
I think that a dental lab technician's requirements are considerably low, so I don't think that I would ultimately aspire to become one. However, if I were considering learning about medicine in the dental area, then I think I would be a temporary dental lab technician as I strive to become a dentist.

Student Success Statement

"It may make a difference to all eternity whether we do right or wrong today."

-James Freeman Clark

Reflection:

This statement conveys a very powerful message and enforces the idea that an individual can change the course of destiny itself based on whatever small choice he makes today. It's kind of what like the "domino effect", where knocking one domino over triggers a whole chain of events that wouldn't have happened otherwise. The same goes for something often called the "butterfly effect" (this is usually in reference to book to movie adaptations where by omitting or adding an event that didn't occur in the original story can have dire consequences on the plotline later on). This can also apply to the idea of disrupting a time continuum where going to the past and making an event that didn't happen occur can mess up the future. I brought up these examples because these emphasize the importance of a single decision. You never know if cheating on that one small quiz will lead to cheating on an important exam or getting into a lawsuit and having that on your record for your life. What you do today, affects who you are tomorrow.

Veterans Day

Veteran's Day is a holiday specifically created to commemorate our past war veterans, it's a political holiday that is honored by schools and incidentally, calls for a day off. This holiday is probably one that isn't given as much attention; I mean, it's not Christmas, or Halloween, or even Valentine's Day. I believe it's safe to say that the general population doesn't see Veteran's Day as anymore than a day off of work. What is the difference to the kids between President's Day, Memorial Day, Martin Luther King Jr Day, and Veterans Day? None. What about the ones who do know the difference? They go on to shower endless praise on these war veterans.

I view this day differently.
There are many people (not unlike me) that have no right to this holiday, people who aren't veterans or aren't associated with veterans. War to me, seems like a horrible fantasy worlds away from the bubble of secluded ignorance and stagnating passivity that I live in. War to me, doesn't seem real. Despite this, I continue to read articles and draw conclusions on what type of holiday we're celebrating, what cause are these people putting their lives on the line for?
Veteran's Day to me, it seems like we are honoring respectable, noble people fighting for a worthless cause. Is a little bit of oil really worth our lives? I admire and respect veterans, and yet, I still wonder if our veterans are fighting and dying because they believe in what they're fighting for, or only seeking financial benefits.
I'm not saying that seeking economic stability through military time compensation isn't okay, but the fact that we have veterans that risked their lives for stupid reasons bothers me. Are we fighting any defensive wars? No, we're not.
We haven't fought for anything but our country's superficial interests.
Veterans Day is a consistent reminder that people risked their lives so that we could conquer more material goods, kill more civilians, and maybe get free money to go to college. I admire these people, but I also wonder what led them to fight a war.

Student Success Statement

"1. Have the courage to say no.
2. Have the courage to face the truth.
3. Do the right thing because it is right.

These are the 3 magic keys to living your life with integrity."

- W. Clement Stone

Reflection:
There are things that I don't know yet. I don't know if I'll always have the courage to say no, or especially to face the truth, as much as I hope I do.
But one thing that I know is that I'll do what is right, because it is right, because I say it's right, and not authority. I heard someone say once , "There is no such thing as right or wrong. The ones who draw the line between the two are the people with power, not the moral or ethical standards, like we tend to believe."
I don't know, I guess I'm rambling here...but what I'm trying to say is that what we conceive as right may differ from what the world conceives as right, and I never want to let the outsiders penetrate my ideals that are swirling in a kaleidoscope of disorganized opinions and information that are drowning me within my mind. Integrity, I don't know what it is entirely, but it'd be hypocritical for a cheater and liar like me to say she'd be capable of such a major feat like accomplishing true integrity. These 3 magic keys...ha, I'd have to be the mother of Jesus to be so perfect.

Integrity

Integrity is to follow your own ethical or moral standards.

Words similar to integrity would be:

    -rectitude

    -virtue

    -honor

I'd say an excellent example of integrity would be to resist the influence of people around you when their principles clash with your own. Let's say someone is telling you to do something that would be disobeying your own moral standards, and you refuse to do so, that is integrity. Let's say -like the picture below- someone is telling you 2 + 2 is 5, and you reply that it is 4 because that is what your standards tell you, despite people trying to convince you otherwise, you know that you're right and you stick to your personal belief. That, is integrity as well.