For our first blog we are supposed to comment on the rhetoric seen all around us in our everyday lives. I never realized exactly how much rhetoric there is around us. It’s everywhere we look, especially on a college campus. The people in charge of this school really like to make us feel like a family. That's why they give away all of these cool free things (shirts, coozies, pens, etc.) and put us in welcome groups and such. They want to make us feel as comfortable as possible. They also do things to make us feel like the best school in the country. The football shirts highlight that we won the national championship in 1981, and because of that it is our time again 30 years later, which we all know is a long shot. I’m not trying to be cruel, just realistic. Other rhetoric can be seen in the words on our Clemson shirts. “Go Tigers” or “Clemson Pride” are common phrases. These inspire school and team pride. I feel that a lesser form of rhetoric is how the cafeterias have the phrase “Real Food on Campus” on the walls and napkin holders. It’s there to make us feel more at home and think of the cafeteria like more of a home kitchen and less of a school cafeteria. We all know how much of a bad reputation the stereotypical school cafeteria gets. Rhetoric is literally everywhere in our lives. In a college town like this it is especially evident because of the immense dedication we have towards our school and it’s academic and athletic success.
