Tag: LB Poly

  • An FAQ Focused on College Degrees

    With the end of every school year comes the idea of uncertainty of what’s next, and how you might get there, epically for the seniors of the 2020-21 school year. Steps can be taken to complete a college application or file for student aid or loans, but choosing what to do for the rest of your life is a strenuous decision that will have an impact on the rest of your life. Questions fly through the air and, sometimes it’s hard to find answers.

    Listed below are ten general questions that might help you choose which degree you might pursue to get the job you want:

     

    1. What are the levels of college degrees?

    College degrees have four major categories for degrees: Associate’s, Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral. The degrees on their own can take two to eight years to complete depending on the degree you chose, and the field you’re going to study. Associates Degrees usually take around two years to complete. Both Bachelors and Masters Degrees can take anywhere from two to a cap of six years to complete, and a Doctorate or Ph.D. takes at least four years to complete.

     

    2. Which college degree should I get for my field of study?

    The college degree you get is based entirely on what you want to do with it, and how far you think you’ll be able to go with it. Some are content with an Associates Degree, and the limited knowledge that might come with it. Many, however, would recommend a Bachelor’s Degree at least, to gain the basic knowledge of the field you’re studying. A Master’s degree is also a decent choice to achieve for any field of study, and would only require an extra year or two of study. A Doctorate of Ph.D., however, is usually reserved for medical degrees and those going into the intensive or extensive field of study, and would not be recommended by many to achieve.

     

    3. Is it good to get a Doctorate degree?

    Of course, you can get a doctorate degree, but whether you should is an entirely different matter. By getting the credentials you affirm that you know exactly what you’re talking about, but in most cases, while you’re working on getting your doctorate or Ph.D., your peers who only went for a bachelor’s or master’s degree may have already advanced and established your careers. All-in-all a doctorate or Ph.D. is not recommended. For many medical professions, however, and professions like researchers and college professors, a Ph.D. is mandatory.

     

    4. Can/Should I Double Major?

    Double majoring is a popular choice if both majors you want to obtain are close to are nearly the same profession, Like a Finance and Accounting double major, or the majors for Engineering and Mathematics. Having this extra knowledge for your field can help with gaining an internship or a job. 

    Many colleges have a chance of double majoring as well, as well as pre-made schedules for classes and possible internships to allow students to complete a double major within four/five years. Double majoring is a good idea if there’s a second major that you may need to make it further into your career.

     

    5. What is a Minor?/Should I Get a Minor?

    A minor is a second, smaller degree that you can achieve along with your major. If there is a second topic or set of classes that you may want to take that does not pertain to your chosen major enough to consider double majoring, a minor is a good choice. On its own, it’s possible to gain a minor in three years, but it is impossible to obtain a minor without simultaneously participating in a degree program of some sort. A minor cannot be obtained on its own. You can, however, obtain multiple minors as long as you’re actively working towards your major.

     

    6. What happens if I drop out of my degree?

    Dropping out of a degree program can have a very selfish or selfless reason, but regardless of why, not many hear about the aftermath unless they drop out themselves, or they hear it first or second hand. If you drop out of a degree program, you still have all the credits of any classes you finished and passed while getting your degree, but under no circumstance can you claim that you completed your program. It also might be a small scuff on your academic record, but if you dropped due to personal or familial reasons, it doesn’t matter why you needed to drop. However, getting back into school to finish your degree may be difficult, and transferring your degree to a different school may be even more difficult.

     

    7. Can I get a third Major?

    There is no limit on how many degrees any person can get, regardless of what they are or what they may be used for. The pursuit of education is a noble goal, and no college can bar you from getting as many degrees as your heart desires. However, after you fulfill graduation requirements for a bachelor’s degree, you will no longer be eligible for federal education grants.

     

    8. How would my degree be useful?

    The main goal of getting a degree would be proving to your employer and your peers that you understand what you’re talking about and that you can be trusted with the part of you job that pertains to your degree What you get your degree for, or the broad ways you can use your degree, can also be useful. If you get a degree that can be used for a wide variety of jobs, it gives you the option to choose which job you want to do. 

     

    9.  Can I continue to the next degree if I stop at an AA or Bachelors?

    If you stop at an AA or Bachelor and take a break from schooling, it’s possible to go back and advance your knowledge or the degree and your knowledge to a Bachelors or Masters. Each degree is a type of “stepping stone”, meant for the knowledge you earn to lead you to the next step. It’s always a recommendation to advance your degree to your own desire. Though the time you may take between getting one degree and taking the step to get the next degree may hinder the knowledge you remember and can affect how fast you may be able to obtain a Bachelors or Masters. It can also make it harder to go back to school because in the time off you might get a job, get married, or have kids, all of which makes it harder to go back to school!

    10. Do I Have to get a degree if I want to take college courses?

    Some colleges and universities may require you have the main goal of earning a degree to take classes at their school, but many community colleges have no requirement of getting a degree to expand your pool of knowledge, though not an ivy league school, any Community college or university is a good source of higher-grade classes for young adults wanting to take leisure classes, adults who want to expand their knowledge, or elders who want to get back into studying.

  • New Dog in Town

    New Dog in Town

    Kelly Rodriguez, center, with Zion, left, and King, right.

    This is Zion, my dog. The small dog is my sister’s dog, named King. We are going to talk about King first. We got King when he was two weeks old. My mom got him from my grampa for $50. We have had him for two years now. He´s really smart and we don´t have to put a leash on him. Also, we never trained King or Zion.

     

    Zion is a really good dog. We got him when he was two months old. Zion was my brother’s dog at first. My brother’s name is James. He paid $400 for Zion he was supposed to pay 800, but my tia’s girlfriend was friends with the girl who sold Zion to us. James and I agreed that I would take care of Zion when he’s at work.

    Zion when he was a puppy.

    So I took care of Zion and my brother would come home and not give him any attention because he was tired and Zion would make a lot of mess, so my brother decided he wants to sell him and my mom was okay with it because she doesn’t want him. After all, he’s going to grow big but I told both of them no I’ll keep him since I take care of him more than my brother since he’s always working. My mom said no I can´t keep him but I begged her to let me keep him and she said okay.

     

    Now Zion is seven months. He’s a husky mixed with a   german shepherd. Zion still makes a lot of mess. I walk him every day for like 30 minutes or less. I take him everywhere with me because my mom doesn´t want him in the house. Sometimes when I try to go somewhere I can´t because of him since my mom doesn´t want to babysit him, so I just stay home or try to figure out something.

    Zion is in the festive Halloween spirit.

    Zion is an indoor dog because I live in an apartment and my neighbor has other dogs outside and they don´t want Zion close to their dog because he’s big so I try to take him out when I go somewhere.

     

    Zion loves meeting new people and kids, he is so nice to them. One day we went to the dog beach and he lay down next to someone and tried to hug them – I got a little jealous.

     

    Zion is my whole world, the only one who makes me happy. Also, dogs are better than people.

     

    Kelly Rodriguez with Zion.

  • My New Normal: Kelly Rodriguez

    When I first wake up I get my Chromebook to start my first period without getting ready. Sometimes I sleep in my class or watch youtube when my teachers are not talking or when I am done with my work. My son (dog) always wants to play while I’m in class so I go outside with him while I’m in class and let him run around or just throw his toys so he can get it.

    Also, I have some reasons why I don’t like online school. One of them is I have a lot of siblings in the house. There is nowhere in the house that you can be by yourself. Also, my mom tells me to pick up my son’s (dog’s) mess or to clean up or help her with the kids because she doesn’t know how to work the Chromebook. It’s just hard to learn when there are a lot of people in the house. A lot of my teachers don’t know how to give examples of how things work online or how to work some of the apps they tell us to get on. Sometimes I don’t feel like being on zoom with them.

  • Humans of Quarantine: Chilling, Exhausted, and Not Missing the Beach

    Humans of Quarantine: Chilling, Exhausted, and Not Missing the Beach

    “Lately I have been feeling extremely exhausted and overwhelmed by not only school and distance-learning, but from my community being torn apart and all over the place from past/recent tragedies.”
    —Mahogani Sogules-Corbin

     

    “Quarantine just means I don’t have to worry as much about wearing sunscreen.”
    —Sophia DelBello
    Reymar Santos, High Life Staff Writer: “This is my Uncle Eddie, he’s been chilling and pushing through this quarantine and he said, ‘Make the most of the time spent with your family because that is all that we can do. Enjoy life that’s it.’ “
    “Life WAS like a box of chocolates, but now its as uneventful as a Kit Kat Bar from the 99¢ store.”
    —Christian Gisborne

  • We’re Just Friends!

    If you’re creative enough, those same gifts that are originally made for a significant other can easily be turned into gifts for your friends. However, here are some gift ideas you can also make or buy for your FRIENDS (this one’s for all you single people out there).

    • Sweets- There’s more to this holiday than just chocolate, treating your friends with a gift basket filled with all of your friend’s favorite snacks.
    • Plushie- Teddy Bears are also not the only hype of the day, a small plushie could always make an old pal of yours feel nice.
    • Inside Joke Gift- Make your buddy laugh by bringing up a memory only the two of you share by turning it into a gift.
    • Appreciation Letter- The name is self-explanatory, but of course some appreciation does not hurt in relationships, even friendships.
    • DIY- Take this opportunity to be creative and come up with anything you think your friend might enjoy (such as a coupon book, or a “10 reasons why I love you”) keep it platonic!

  • Polytechnic History Channel

  • Daisy Lane Parade

    Daisy Lane Parade

    LB Poly’s Marching Band, colorguard and JROTC participated in the Daisy Lane Parade on December 14.

  • The Death of Mainstream Rock

    While the rock music genre may be alive and well today, its existence on the charts has all but become extinct. With bands like the Jonas Brothers and Ariana Grande topping the charts as of 2019, it is evident that rock has been occupying less and less spots on the charts. Not only that, but most of the artists who gained traction in their careers through rock have as of recent years evolved into a sound more pop or electronic than anything else. There is no better example of this than Brendie Urie and Panic! at the Disco. The band made a mass hit in popularity back in 2005 with their first album, A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out, but come the new decade, half the band left the project, and the rest of them left in 2015. At this point, Panic! has been left to a solo project instead of a band. Death of a Bachelor (2016) wasn’t a bad album, though it did depart from the band’s roots, but the following, Pray for the Wicked (2018) wasn’t worth more than a trashed vinyl you found on the side of the muddy road. It felt so mechanical and fake, as if it were written by a computer instead of a human.
    Hailing from England, Kaiser Chiefs had their brief period of popularity hit the US during the previous decade, probably due to the second British invasion that occurred in the 90s with bands like Oasis, Kasabian, and Blur. Their second and third albums hit the US top 200 charts at 45 and 55, respectively, but with their third album in 2011, it was nowhere to be seen. Two records later, frontman Ricky Wilson decided he wanted to switch from writing Brit-rock or Brit-pop to writing dance music. Stay Together (2016) is the worst album they’ve ever released by a long shot. With every song framed by electronic synthesizers and bombastic choruses, the band even flat-out admitted at the start of the seventh track, “Press Rewind,” “This is pop music/We’re writing and recording pop music.” The easiest song to stomach would be “Indoor Firework” because the lyrics were at least somewhat meatier, but not by much.
    But then come their latest, Duck (2019). An album for which was widely criticised for its failed attempt to please both critics and fans alike. The record had a few tracks that were enjoyable, including the catchy “Don’t Just Stand There, Do Something,” but the majority of the album seemed as if it were written to sing in stadiums, especially the irritating opener, “People Know How to Love One Another.” Duck was a sigh of relief compared to their previous record, but after two consecutive albums of mostly junk, there is almost no hope left for Kaiser Chiefs.
    Sure, we still have Jack White and The Raconteurs with Help Us Stranger (2019) being arguably their greatest record yet. But as for White’s solo projects, not only do they live in the shadow of the greatness that was The White Stripes, but Boarding House Reach (2018) strayed far from the mark of anything we have come to love about White, incorporating more elements of funk, experimental, and gospel music rather than rock. Maybe there is some hope for rock in the future, but as of 2019, it is unlikely that we are to see a big rock band stand out in the mainstream industry in the near future.

  • Goodbye 2019

    I know at the end of the year we say, “this was the worst year ever,” but… 2019 was literally the worst year ever. I don’t know if it’s because I got older and I have more responsibilities and I am much more aware of how much the world hates me… but my goodness. I won’t do an entire recap of how much the world showed me that it didn’t like me this year but I will say this one was definitely one for the books. Now it wasn’t completely bad. Some good things did happen. I got a new job, moved to a new house, started saving money. But the emotional strain that this year had on me was hard. I lost friendships that I truly thought would last forever. I cried more this year than I have since I was a fetus. I felt so much stress and pressure this year from so many different things but this year taught me that I am truly resilient. Every time I fell, I got right back up and continued moving forward. All the friends I lost, good riddance! Every bad thing that happened was to prepare me for something later on. A reminder for anyone who reads this, you are resilient! This year has tested everybody but we’re still here, growing!! So be proud. This decade was something else but here’s to the 20’s! Good luck!

  • PAAL Hosts “Lost in Art”

    PAAL Hosts “Lost in Art”

    On November 6 Poly Academy of Achievers and Leaders (PAAL) hosted its second annual art showcase event featuring artists from Poly and PAAL. The stage never failed to have a presence, as spoken word artists, rappers, singers and dancers all came together to ensure entertainment was always provided.
    While performing artists showcased their talents outside on the stage, visual artists’ work was displayed inside the gallery. Artists were given total creative liberty with their work, and a diversity of styles and subjects were present throughout the gallery room. Among the types of art displayed were paintings, drawings and sculptures. Topics present in the art often included Poly, society, and mental health, among others.
    Attendees were not only able to immerse themselves among the art created by others, but also to take a chance and create art of their own. With stations like “Paint a Tree Ring” or “Paint a Canvas”, adults and children alike were provided the tools such as acrylic paint and brushes to create their own masterpieces.
    One of the students behind organizing this event was senior Jessica Cubias, student council co-president at PAAL. Cubias said it was her favorite event of the year as it allowed students to connect to the paintings, the artists, and the music.
    “Painting brings out what people are afraid to let out,” said Cubias.
    The night’s line up consisted of performing artists such as Aermoongi, Mac, Money Traxx, KDI, T-Lost and many more.
    “Not many schools give student artists a chance to present their art,” said Mac Harris, spoken word artist and PAAL alumni. “Art is everywhere and this event becomes an outlet which elevates that.”
    “Lost in Art” was an event student council voted to keep and lead artist Ivan Rojas and PAAL seniors, as a class, collaborated together to ensure the night was a success.
    Art can help cope and manage emotional pain, one of the reasons Activities Specialists and Restorative Justice course teacher Marisol Ibañez-Tintorer feels this event is important.
    “It’s about giving everyone a voice,” she said, “everyone’s voice matters.”
    PAAL hosted events are open to all Poly students and it is important for Poly to support its sister campus.
    “We are a part of Poly and they’re a part of us,” said Ibañez-Tintorer.

  • Stadia The Google “Console”

    Google is launching a new streaming service that will allow people to play their favorite games via a cloud service. They plan to debut their system on November 19 this year, and it will be called Stadia. The upcoming cloud gaming service operated by Google is said to be capable of streaming video games up to 4K resolution at 60 frames per second with support for high-dynamic-range, to players via the company’s numerous data centers across the globe, provided they are using a sufficiently high-speed Internet connection. Misconceptions of this project say they are working to make new console, but Google says they are not making a console, however a new way to stream and play games. It will be accessible through the Google Chrome web browser on desktop computers, or through smartphones, tablets, smart televisions, digital media players, and Chromecast. “There was a lot of speculation that we were going to be making a console, but that’s actually [not]part of our strategy, we want to be completely screen agnostic,” Phil Harrison, a vice president and general manager at Google, told CNN Business, “We don’t want players to be spending hundreds of dollars, sometimes thousands of dollars, to create a gaming rig in their home.”
    Why is it so hyped? This is beneficial to the gaming community because it is made by Google and it is an easy way to stream games on YouTube and create videos for their audience. Google might not be known as a gaming company, but people watched more than 50 billion hours of gaming on its YouTube service in 2018. And every day, 200 million people watch games on YouTube. Gaming has been on the rise and many major corporations have taken notice. Adidas a popular sportswear brand sponsored a very well-known Fortnite streamer known as Tyler “Ninja” Blevins and this is a major step towards recognizing gaming as a sport rather than a hobby or past-time.
    Stadia is not similar to Netflix, in that it requires users to purchase games to stream via Stadia rather than pay for access to a library of games. While the base service will be free, a Pro tier monthly subscription allows users to stream at higher rates for larger resolutions, and the offer to add free games to their library. Another option lets viewers join the person they’re watching live. “One of the great things about Stadia is the power of linking the world of YouTube and game play together,” said Harrison. “If I’m on YouTube and I’m a creator talking about NBA 2K, the latest basketball game, I can invite my fans, my audience [and] my subscribers to join me in that game.” The next big step in gaming debuts on November 19, 2019.
    How it is ranked by critics?
    “It’s getting there,” according to Wired.
    Reviews so far: IGN 6/10; Wired 6/10; TechRadar 4/10.

  • The End of the F***ing Season

    “End of the F***ing World” was released on Netflix in 2017. The show follows the adventures of two lonely teens, James and Alyssa. James is convinced that he is a psychopath and wants to transition from killing animals to killing people and his first target is Alyssa. Alyssa, a new student at James’ school, feels as though she does not fit in and she befriends James. Alyssa and James embark on an adventure to find Alyssa’s dad while James plans to kill her. Over their journey, they begin to like each other. Their adventure is filled with many events, each one becoming more and more violent. In the end of the first season, James and Alyssa murder a professor and James is shot by the police.
    In the beginning of the second season, James and Alyssa are older and they have been apart for several years. However, a student of the professor killed in the previous season sets out to kill the two as revenge for taking away her “lover”.
    Now my thoughts on this season are pretty simple. I kinda loved it, kinda hated it, (a loving type of hate though).
    However, this did not answer a lot of the questions I had from the previous season. For one, what happened to James’ psychopathic tendencies? Did they just disappear once he realized that he was in love with Alyssa? This season was pretty ominous and quiet and the death scenes in this season were far more gory. Season 2 was also much sadder than the first season (for obvious reasons) and it kind of altered the effect that the show gave me. It was almost too sad to watch.