Old School vs New School

Have you ever noticed how the little tools you use for writing slowly change as you go up each level in school? I'm not talking about the change from crayon to pencil to pen. I'm just talking about the pencil.

When you hear the word, pencil, you're probably thinking about a mechanical one since pretty much everyone uses a mechanical one. However, why do you use a mechanical one instead of a classic wooden one? Sure, there are several valid arguments that put the mechanical on top but what was your first reason for switching over? Was it the cool look it has? Or that clicking feature everyone loves? Or was it a friend showing it off? Despite all of our opinions and answers, I'm sure we all can agree that mechanical pencils took over quickly and quietly. There weren't any big announcements or debates. One day we had a wooden one. The next, we had a mechanical one. We didn't think twice about our decision. We kept it since almost everyone made the same one.

In our generation, we are probably assuming that wooden pencils are going to disappear since technology is quickly taking over. Who needs to write when we could just type? In reality wooden pencils are still alive and are actually still growing in sales. According to the article, "Pencils Survive and Sales Thrive, Even in a Digital Age," more people are buying wooden pencils than in previous years. Wooden pencils didn't disappear. We just hid them. One reason we use mechanical pencils is to fit in. But fitting does not give you the memories you had as first grader. I still use a wooden pencil for the nostalgia. I feel like I'm still connected with my years in elementary school every time I hold a wooden pencil. I would rather carry five wooden ones than one mechanical one everyday just to have that feeling. I do use mechanical pencils, but it doesn't feel the same as wooden pencils. With this being said, would you switch over to using a wooden pencil again if you don't already use one or would you continue using those new mechanical pencils?

Schools Need Uniforms

In our generation, bullying is a major issue, especially in school. Students are constantly judged on little details about themselves. One of these details is how students dress themselves. People instantly make assumptions of people they never meant based on how the person looks. Most of the time, theses assumptions are negative. Judgments like this occur in schools. Kids can make fun of another kid's shirt, shoes, pants, and basically anything that makes that student stand out. This bullying needs to stop and there is only ONE solution to this. That solution is a strict uniform policy.

Uniforms will stop diversity in clothes in schools and create a better environment for students. Students will not be able to judge others instantly and will be forced to interact with others before avoiding them. These interactions can give all students a better chance of making friends since clothes is no longer an issue. Students will be more unified and will be able to cooperate with others more efficiently. In addition, students will be more disciplined and can focus more on their education. Test scores will rise over time with the elimination of the distraction of diversity in clothes. A stable and judgment-free environment will eventually be created. This will give schools a better public picture and boost the excitement students have for schools.

To ensure schools remain stable, the uniform policy must strongly be enforced. Students will wear their uniforms on all five days of the school week. Uniforms should also be completely white. Any slight piece of color may cause students to disapprove of the uniform by simply saying "I don't like that color." This can cause the return of judgments and instability to that school. Students will target that student for having different ideas. Also, accessories should not be allowed in schools. A little colorful bracelet can cause students to question the dress code and go against school policies. This will damage the productivity of schools. Because of this, students should have only the exact school uniform on while in school without any deviation, including backpacks. Suspensions should also be enforced if these problems become frequent.

These simple ideas will cause a better learning experience for all students. Bullying will slowly disappear, students will have more friends, and test scores will greatly rise. In time these students who went through this program will lead our country and put America onto a better path because of a better school experience.