Why Do I Still Have to Read This Book? :(

You remember the This I Believe book? The one we handed you at orientation? The one you were supposed to read this summer? The one with the chair on the cover?

Yeah, that one. Oh, yeah, and also the one you were referring to when you asked:

Why Do I Still Have to Read This Book?

Or maybe you asked, "What happens if I don't read this book?" or possibly, "Why did we get a book?" or conceivably even, "Do I have to read the whole book?" You also asked a BUNCH of questions about the essay required for Rhetoric & Composition, but I'm going to assume you got that worked out between you and your teacher,so..... moving on.

The First-Year Reading Experience (FYRE) program is responsible for getting you that book and the assignments that accompanied it. Here's why they say they do what they do:

• To provide a common experience for first-year learners to facilitate the transition into UTC’s academic community;
• To build an intellectual community among first-year learners, returning students, faculty, and staff;
• To help students make connections between classroom and out-of-classroom experiences;
• To engage students in discussions surrounding current societal issues.

One of the ways they make this happen is by incorporating the FYRE book into our annual Convocation address, which is - by the way - today. At 12:15 at Roland Hayes, you will have a chance to hear (in person or watch it on the live stream here) our very own Will Wade (CHAOS, BABY!) read his very own This I Believe essay. Chancellor Steve Angle has one too. Go read it. I'll wait.

photo credit: randomtimeisrandom

 

Did you get that? HE BELIEVES IN YOU! In fact, we all do, you sorry sacks of shit. So, quit complaining about how tired you are, and how late you stayed up, and how much you wish you were outside instead of in class. WE BELIEVE IN YOU! WE KNOW YOU WILL DO GREAT THINGS! 

Seriously. We really do. Despite the all-capsness of my message. 

 

Because we do, I have a challenge for you. I challenge you to answer one (or more) of these questions in the comments below or on twitter (use the hashtag #fyrechallenge).

1. If you went to (or watched) Convocation, what did you think?
2. What did you think of the FYRE book?
3. Did you even read the FYRE book?
4. Did any of those things listed above happen for you? Did the FYRE program get its wish?
5. What do you believe?

Cheers,

Dr. Y

PS: You totally didn't have to read the whole book. Suckers.