Citizens!

My name is Jessica T. Lopez-Otalvaro and as an American citizen I consider myself blessed and privileged to have been born and raised in this great country. Some will never have the opportunity to enjoy the chance, others take different paths in life that lead them to land of opportunity through immigration.  My husband German is one of those fortunate people.  He was born and raised in Colombia and went to Spain to do his Master's in biotechnology. I also found myself studying abroad during college and we met at the University of Salamanca. As they say the rest is history, but certainly has not been easy. After a lengthy and very expensive year long process involving, sponsorship from a current citizen, revaccination just as a newborn baby because he was unable to locate his vaccination records from Colombia and interviews in the American Embassy in Madrid he finally made it here. What seemed like the hard part was only the beginning. He dedicated his first year to study En

In my final research paper for my US History class, I examine the immediate aftermath of September 11th, 2001, and its psychological effects on the people of New York. 9/11 is arguably the most tragic single day in American history as approximately 3000 innocent Americans were killed by the violent and cruel acts of 19 terrorists. The horrific sites of watching the iconic Twin Towers collapse and seeing people jumping to their deaths has and continues to pull the heartstrings of Americans across the nation. There was a great sense of fear that took over the country as citizens were uncertain of what the future had in store for them, and the country as a whole. Although the events of 9/11 presented the city of New York and the country as a whole with major problems in regards to infrastructure, mental health, and security, we, the citizens of the United States, were able to overcome this tragedy because we stood by each other during this terrible time. As citizens, we put our

Marvel's latest film, Avengers: Endgame, hit movie theaters across the nation last weekend, and has been the main topic of conversation of superhero fans for days. This film brings an end to the first stage of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which culminates 22 different films over an 11-year span that include a countless number of our favorite characters such as Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and Spiderman. I get asked all the time by non-superhero fans why I care so much about these movies and get so attached to the superheroes who star in them. Not only do we love watching these heroes come out victorious (except in Avengers: Infinity War) against a seemingly invincible foe, but what makes superheroes so special to many people like myself is the fact that we can easily relate and sympathize with them. While most of us do not possess super strength, a suit of armor or have the ability to wield lightning, we encounter many conflicts within our society that leave us wi

This past Monday, I was sitting in the cafeteria eating lunch when I received an unexpected phone call from one of my friends from high school. It was during this conversation I received the saddening news that my high school prinicple Dr. Derrick Nelson passed away at the age of 44. He died after he donated bone marrow to a 14 year old boy in France who needed it. I was hearbroken to hear that one of my great role models and leaders in high school was no longer with us. In my expository writing class called Citizens, we have read and discussed about the values of American citizenship and what it truly means to be a good citizen. In my opinion, Dr. Derrick Nelson epitiomized the meaning of citizenship by the way he lived his life. Derrick Nelson honorably served in the Army Reserves for 20 years and was ranked a Sergent First Class. He was been deployed numerous times to foreign countries such as Afghanistan during his career in the military. His selfless  and honorabe se

In my last blog post, I discussed how high school students are pressured to attend college in today's society. This has caused me to reflect upon how and why I am in the position I am currently in today. While I wholehearted believe that college is not meant for everyone, I feel that it was the right decision for me. I am currently a student at the University of Oklahoma, and I’m loving every second of the experience. Being from New Jersey, I get asked all the time, “How the Hell did you wind up in Oklahoma?” First off, I am here at the University of Oklahoma because it is a place that feels like home. Being a devout Catholic, I prayed a lot during my sophomore and junior years of high school asking God to help guide me in choosing the right place to further my academic career. Once I visited the Norman campus during the summer of 2017 with my parents, I knew in my heart that OU was the place for me to grow as a student, and more importantly, as a person. My faith has

"What colleges are you looking at?" This question is constantly asked to high school students throughout the United States. My sister is currently a sophomore in high school and is constantly stressing about preparing for college. She has called me numerous times to talk about course selections for the upcoming semesters, as well as various other topics about college. From having these conversations, I can tell, as her older brother, that she feels an immense amount of pressure from her peers about topics relating to college. My sister is constantly told that she must take all AP and Honors level courses in order to get into and succeed in college. In the United States, young students are told that in order to succeed in life they must take all AP courses in high schools, then go to a top-rated college in order to obtain a high paying job. Well as someone who is currently in college, I think this perceived formula-to-success is complete bullshit. I believe that