Monday, January 22, 2007

Here An Ad, There An Ad

I remember the good old days when the Facebook was not a place filled with shameless pandering. Sigh. As if I did not see enough advertisements during the day. For example, do I need to know that Victoria's Secret is having a semi-annual sale? Not really. To tell the truth it pretty much feels like they are ALWAYS having a sale. It must be because of the omnipresent ads and extensive sale length. Plus if you actually consider buying these cow print boots, we may have to have a fashion intervention for you. Unless you are trying to seduce a cowboy or work at a Western-themed bar I suppose.

The ads seem fairly pointless and bland. The next flyer I encountered was the “Cornell Ring Event” that was hawking school rings. This may be a bit different for guys, but I do not have the slightest inclination to spend money on a class ring. The vast majority of class rings are fairly unattractive. That is not the type of decoration my hand needs every day. Maybe if the ring had some sort of superpower attached to it… perhaps the power to walk in heels without pain. Now I would put up with an ugly ring for that bonus.

Then I was annoyed by a University of Phoenix ad. What is the purpose of this ad? Most Facebook users are current or former college students who are already attending school. (I know I am not including those High School kids. I’m sorry but they should not have been allowed on in the first place. It is the equivalent of inviting high schoolers to your next frat party. Bad news for all.) Anyway, the whole concept of an online school just bothers me. Not good enough for a normal classroom like the rest of us?

I just wish there was some area of my life that was a safe haven from stupid advertising. The Facebook obviously is not the place to turn. I just have to hope my email stays ad-free. Please?

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

You obviously have no clue what is involved in taking online classes. Before making senseless remarks, do some research.

Anonymous said...

You have also not researched University of Phoenix. UOP offers classroom settings at over 200 learning centers across the United States.

Blonde Belle said...

I might take those comments more seriously if you were not so obviously a "UOP" employee. Take your corporate propaganda to another blog please...

Anonymous said...

I am so not a "UOP" employee. I'm a proud, single mother that is working 2 jobs after being laid off from Ford. I have 3 kids and am barely making ends meet. UOP is giving me a chance to start a new life and take care of my family. It's tough, but I know that in the long run, I (and my kids) will be better by my decision. I attended other schools in the past, but it was going to take me over 6 years to finish school. UOP is giving me a chance to strengthen my communication and problem solving skills with classes that emphasize critical thinking and application over theory. This has been a blessing to me. I just take offense to people downgrading my progress because they don't feel that UOP offers a program that is acceptable. You may attend a school about book smarts, but try living my life and tell me that your education is teaching you more about life. I'm living it.

Susan Johnson
Proud UOP Student and Mother

Blonde Belle said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Blonde Belle said...

Susan- I am sorry I for labeling you an employee, I had noticed you were on a University of Phoenix server.

On my side, part of the reason I value my education is that I can learn from the life experiences of the students, staff, and professors I come into contact with every day.

Your life experiences have given you a wonderful, strong foundation. I am sure your hard work will pay off in the end. I know your children look up to you and are learning the value of dedication. Good luck with the rest of your coursework.

Anonymous said...

I am sorry myself. I take this very serious. I'm working in the lab at a campus. That is probably why you are seeing the UOP server. Until you have experienced the UOP model for learning, please don't chalk it up as a worthless degree. The education is quality and I am taking things back to my main job everyday from my classes. The UOP model is allowing me to share ideas with my day job that are getting me noticed. My communication skills have also increased. I never thought I would write so many papers. Good luck with your future as well.

Susan

Anonymous said...

I, too, am a UOP online student. My father just finished his Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice. He works 6 days per week, sometimes for 12 hours at a time. This was his only opportunity to complete his education. As a working mom, I found this was a viable solution to the "time crunch" most of us face between work, kids, and school. It's virtually impossible for me to attend school in a traditional environment and fulfill my responsibilities as a mother, wife, and working person. I assure you--the students are real, the work is real, the instructors are real, and the degree is as real as anybody else's. As a matter of fact, I just received an e-mail reminding me to register for graduation ceremonies on the main campus in Arizona. I can understand how you must feel, being that I had the same reservations before undertaking this degree. My feeling is that I want to have an education and show my children that nothing is impossible. I do not expect an apology, but as the previous poster said....do your research because there are more than a fair share of people that have had the online learning experience and can tell you it's the real deal. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

I am a UOP student as well, and I didn't have a choice but to take the online classes due to my full time job, my children, and the fact that we are down to one vehicle which my husband uses to go to work at night. I could not go to a traditional college. Most people think you wouldn't interact with your professors or other classmates in the online setting; however, you have to participate in discussion as part of your grade and it can be very challenging. You have to post a personal biography and read everyone elses on the first day of your class, and this allows you to know who is in "class" with you. It takes a lot of motivation to make yourself sit down and study without a professor or roommates, or anyone else looking over your shoulder. It is a great way to get an education, but if a person is not self-motivated or needs proding and continuous encouragement, then it probably insn't the best setting for them.