How Does One Be Civic?

We happen to be citizens of the so-called greatest democracy in the world.  A citizen according to the novel, Rhetoric & Civic Life “is a person who has full membership in a political community”(Schudson 2). One who is considered a citizen has many forms of legal identification such as a birth certificate, a passport, etc. But let's put aside the legal stuff and ask ourselves when we are born, do we just automatically become civic? Better yet, how does one even become civic?

Whether we realize it or not, we do many activities in our daily lives that make us civic.  Take for instance recycling.  As I walk around University Park every day, I come across mass amounts of blue recycling bins.  When, I recycle my plastic Berkley & Jensen Purified Water bottle, am I being civic?  As a matter of fact, I am.  In elementary school, as well as high school, every morning students must stand and say the Pledge of Allegiance,  This is a civic act.  Last summer, the ALS ice bucket challenge was a huge hit on social media.  Participating in the ALS ice bucket challenge or even running a five K race for breast cancer can all be considered a civic act.  After all, you're raising awareness for those in society who need support.

Many Americans attend church, go to the synagogue, the temple or the mosque.  Attending one of these places can make people feel as if they are connected with others.  After the attack on the Twin Towers, on September 11, 2001, George W Bush talked about citizenship in many communities throughout the United States.  Believe it or not, many Christian and Jewish women were taking Muslim women who were afraid to come out of their homes out shopping (Schudson 7). One who is civic serves a purpose in their community such as these women did.

One who is civic attends to the public agenda that is called upon by our nation's political leaders.  One who is civic asks what they can do for their country, not what their country can do for them (Schudson 6). One who is civic votes in primary, local and presidential elections.  One who is civic volunteers to work in the voter registration office.  One who is civic attends local rallies for their local representative.  One becomes civic by doing all these duties.  One who is civic does a majority of these things without realizing what they are doing is their civic duty.

                                                  Work Cited

Schudson, Michael. "How People Learn To Be Civic." Rhetoric and Civic Life. 2nd ed. Boston:

Pearson, 2013. 1-11. Print.

Food Critic, or Shoe Critic?

    Ever since I was a child, my mother made it very clear to me that cooking was not part of her motherly duties.  When my mom goes to the grocery store, which is probably once a year, she has to ask the grocery attendants where to find different items. If it were up to her, we wouldn’t have a kitchen in our house, due to the fact that it takes up way too much space and she hardly ever uses it.  When I tell people that my mother doesn’t cook, they usually say, “Don’t say that about your Mother, she probably is a great cook”.  However, she will be the first to admit that she’s never in the kitchen and that my father is the main chef in our household.

   Growing up, I was fortunate enough to have my father cook for my family most nights.  In addition, I was able to go to many different restaurants and this is how my passion for trying all different types of foods and being my own little mini food critic developed.  So I’d love to write a passion blog about the different places to eat around campus and the environments that they have.

   On the other hand, after only being at University Park for a week or so, I’ve come to the conclusion that navigating the campus requires a lot of walking.  By the time I get back to my dorm in East Halls, I can’t feel my calves and several blisters have developed on my feet.  It’s safe to say that I walk an average of six miles a day.  It's very interesting to see all the different types of shoes that students and faculty wear around campus.  As for my second blog, I would like to write about the different types of shoes that I encounter, as well as where you can buy them and how much they cost.