Petty journalism

I got home from college for the summer about a week ago and was very disappointed in a newspaper article that I read in my hometown paper. It seems that the paper hadn't been the first to release some information about the local school district that they had assumed they would have the jump on. As "revenge" the paper printed an article listing the salaries of certain district employees, including the superintendent, principles, and teachers, with the headline "They make HOW much". Now along with the long list of numbers and employees, and the obviously biased headline, there was essentially no article to accompany it. There were no statistics to compare the salaries to those of similar sized schools. The readers only have the headline to process the meaning of the numbers. Now this makes me mad for several reasons. First, that is a blatant abuse of the power a newspaper has on the opinions of their readers. The article gave no comparisons or counterarguments only: this is what we think, that's what there is. Now, a lot of people are just going to trust the newspaper because the community trusts that the writers are going to supply correct, unbiased information. In this case, that obviously didn't happen. They could have simply changed the headline to: "They make ONLY how much" and the article would have been read in a completely different way because there was no other information. Second, these are educators for God's sake! If anyone deserves peak salaries it's doctors, police, and teachers! And the numbers that were being printed were far from peak salaries. Shame on this publication for suggesting that out taxpayer's money is wasted on these people that, often, spend more time with the younger generation than their own parents. They more than teach, they advise on personal problems, they comfort in difficult situations, and they encourage and inspire growth. I'm not saying the newspaper was wrong for printing the salaries, it is the public's money and we have the right to know where it's going. However, the way the information was presented cast a giant negative glare on the district with nothing to back that up. Anyway, I know this rant may seem out of the blue but as a journalism major this is something that I feel very strongly about and it makes me sick to see. Carry on with your day!

Stay beautiful,
Toto

College survival: Toto edition

I'm coming to the end of my first year at the University of Texas at Austin (HOOK EM) and let me tell you, it all feels like a blur. So I wanted to give some advice to soon to be college freshman:

• BE BOLD! You aren't going to be around the people that you've grown up with and had in the same class since kindergarten. All it takes is turning to the person sitting next to you in class and introducing yourself and who knows! You may have just met your future best friend or soul mate. Also, don't limit the people you meet to the normal "type" of person you're friends with. Branch out! It's amazing the things you'll learn about yourself and the world just from meeting different kinds of people. The amount of times I've been passing someone and wanted to compliment them on something they were wearing is crazy. And after every time I wish I had.
• Still call your parents! Yeah, yeah, I know, "But I'm a grown up now! I don't need to call my mommy!" Yes. You do. I'm not saying sit in your room every night chatting with them instead of meeting other people (see above tip). Just check in with them every week or so. It will make the very abrupt and weird change from seeing each other everyday to seeing them every few months much easier for everyone involved. 
• No matter what town your college is in, get off campus sometimes! I happen to live in the beautiful, vibrant town of Austin, Texas and I didn't do this nearly enough. It's so easy to just do things on campus because there's always something going on. However, you should always experience the place where you live. There's always new, exciting things to do right outside the university walls!
• In between all of the events, campus and otherwise, that you'll be doing; make time for yourself! College is stressful! If you don't have a night for just you, Netflix, and a large pizza you will go crazy. It's so important to not run yourself down because if you do that then nothing will get done and you won't enjoy the crazy experience that is college. 

That's all the wisdom (that's right I said wisdom) that I have for you lucky incoming freshman. Honestly, just be true to yourself and you'll be fine. College is supposed to fun behind all of that studying.

XOXO
Toto

Better the world, starting with you

I found this on Pinterest and it really touched me, so I thought I would share it with all of you lovely people!

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living,

I want to know what you ache for. 

It doesn't interest me how old you are,

I want to know if you're willing to risk looking a fool for love,

for your dreams,
for the adventure of being alive.
I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine.
It doesn't interest me where you live or how rich you are
I want to know if you can get up after a night of grief and despair,
weary and bruised to the bone,
and be sweet to the ones you love.
I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and
truly like the company you keep
in the empty moments of your life.

-Oriah

Please take a moment everyday, whether it's right after you wake up or while you lay in bed waiting to sleep, to remember that how we judge ourselves should be based not on "status" but on how you treat others. Strive to be the person that your present or future children will be proud to look up to. 

I know this post was kind of serious but all this studying for finals has got me looking for inspirational quotes daily to get through the day! 

Stay beautiful; inside and out,

Toto