Closing Ceremonies....

Wow, ok so my first blog was pretty boring. It basically was a listing of random facts about me. All about the activities that I do that define me. But since taking Soc. I've learned that I am a straight up product of my society. I'm involved in extra- curriculars, I'm taking four AP's, I have a part time after school job. Like, that is all because my environment fosters that type of behavior, that is what is expected of me. If I had grown up in another district or town or state or whatever, my life, the things that defined me could've been totally different. I mean I don't know how I would change my answer, I certainly don't want to define myself as a upper- middle class white girl, but at the same time I know that is what driving what I do describe myself with. Through this class I have learned what a HUGE role society plays in my life, and how it won't be easy but I could help change that. I could change that by being deviant and more open to the constraints we are taught from the day we're born. I learned that some things, like your race aren't set in stone, that if I wanted to I could go to a court house and get it changed. I learned that men and women don't have to act a certain way, they are just expected to because that is what society tells them to do/ say. I've learned a lot from this class, It wasn't math, it wasn't science, it was better. I learned things I can use in the real world, things I can use to make our world better and more open and understanding to all of the individuals out there being told No by just an idea. Thanks Sal for a really great semester!

Well this is uncomfortable.......

*This picture is of Ludacris from the concert!!!*
Race is such a tricky subject to deal with, this is now my third attempt at starting a blog on race because honestly I don't want to offend anyone. Everyone gets so testy when it comes to race, on statement and you're a racist. And really no one wants to be racist, but seriously everyone is a little (yes my heart started to race a little when I typed that). It's not their fault, it's just the society that we're all brought up in, you are taught to be a little weary around african- americans and totally comfortable around whites, although I'm sure whites are just as equally as likely to jump you and anyone else from another race. But the thing is, although people tip-toe around the subject of race, they really don't have much of an impact or are really doing it in the right way, everyone keeps categorizing the other. For example, I recently went to a Ludacris concert (he was in Crash which on a side note was AMAZING!!!!). Between one of his songs he randomly yelled "Where my white people at?" at which the white people went crazyy yelling, the other people of different races just kind of stood there. He then yelled "Where my black people at?" to which the black people went crazy, every other race just kind of stood there. First off there are two problems- what about the other races anddd why do we have to be categorized like that why not "Where all my fans at?" I mean that would be so much better. We've come a long way in equalizing this country with race, but we still have a long way to go.

Race

I found this unit to be really interesting because it was really eye opening. I never really thought as race as something that could be changed because I think I just associated it with skin color. I mean when you think of the different races they are usually associate with how they look. But I think it's really cool how your race can change with just a plane ride. I'm basically a "mutt" when it comes to nationality so I've never really identified with a "race" or ethnicity. I guess I'm mostly Scandinavian but I don't look it at all- In fact I'm the opposite- green eyes and dark brown hair...nice. So, the fact that it can change when I don't really feel as though I have one is totally awesome.

I find it really interesting how race is such a big deal and yet it seems to be kind of a taboo subject. I think race is important because it helps people identify themselves as much as heritage, class and religion, but it also seems that it can be kind of a sensitive subject for some people. I don't know why, perhaps because of America's rocky relationship with different "races", but it shouldn't be such a big deal. I mean it can change, so why do people cling to it so tightly.

I thought this unit was really interesting because it kind of revealed how race isn't something you're bound to for your entire life and that it really isn't the big deal that everyone makes it out to be. I wish everyone knew that.

Here is a really cool book, Race (The reality of Human Differences) that was written about race and the complexities it entails, I only had the chance to read the first couple of paragraphs but it seems like a good supplement to what we've been discussing,

High School Never Ends......

4 Years you think for sure
That's all you've got to endure
All the (total *****)
All the Stuck-up Chicks
So superficial, so immature

Then When you graduate,
Ya take a look around and you say "Hey Wait!"
This is the same as where I just came from,
I thought it was over, Aw that's just great.

These are lyrics from Bowling For Soups "High School Never Ends". And I think it's totally appropriate for this blog. I've always heard that life is just like High School. In school you've got the athletes, the rich kids, the brainiacs, the goths, the druggies, the loners etc. etc. In the work force you still have some of those groups- it's all still very cliquey and you can't really stop it. Our school is so big that there really isn't a "popular group" but there are definite cliques. You can still look at a group and say they're athletic, they're rich, they're druggies. I think there is just a lot more groups within each category so no one group can prevail. I think high school is where you learn your place and I don't mean that in a rigid way, but I think that's where you gain your sense of self. People that are, for lack of better term, the "hotshots" are going to go into the workforce with that kind of cocky confidence that will probably get them quickly promoted and on their way to success. But the kid that's sort of socially awkward, that doesn't really have too many friends, will be more passive, have less confidence when walking into a job and will probably be overlooked. It's just the sad reality, that starts in high school. Think back to the Beavis and Barbie- who's going to get the passing grade- Barbie because she is nice, smart, pretty, comes from a good family, etc. She's not that way on accident, that is something that is affected by class.

I don't think moving up in class would bother me as much as moving down would. I mean we are always looking up, so it is obvious and I'm pretty sure I speak for almost everyone when I say I wouldn't mind moving up in class. But moving down, that would bother me for sure. I have an example too. I work 12-18 hours a week and I've always loved making and having my own money to spend. I had a pretty good amount of money but after the holidays my bank account took a hit and I haven't really been able to recover. I was so used to spending my money without a care, but now I think twice before I go out to eat with friends or before I go shopping or whatever. And yes I know, I have the cushy comfort of my family behind me so I'm really not going down in class, but not having as much money as you once have is difficult, you have to change some of the choices you make.

Class isn't going away, yes everyone says it's against the American Way, but is it really? I don't really think so, I think being elite is the American way, so isn't that basically what Class is. It's one group that is more "elite" then the other. Class in the real world and class in high schools isn't going to change- high school is only the beginning.

Your Social Class is what you eat......

So as I type this, I type this from my pretty Mac laptop computer. I'm listening to my nationally recognized teachers talk about the AP Government test I will be taking tomorrow in my own room surrounded by all my stuff. Yeah, I'm apart of upper middle class. Everything I do and say reflects the class I'm in, I'm not afraid to say it. Do I wish it was different, yes, but it's true. Now I don't really want to get into specifics about what my family owns and how that represents ( I don't really want to cross a line and reveal too much) but I can tell you the places we eat, the cars we drive and the decor of our house reflects our status. Our cars a pretty modern, when we eat out we go to sit down restaurants and we may or may not have a flat screen... or two. Sal said you can tell a lot about a person about the bread they eat. I guess I could see how that is true. Here's something exciting for all you reading my blog, I eat Ultra thin 100% whole wheat bread, it costs roughly $4.50 per pack. Yeah kinda expensive, but it's good for you. And my family is willing and able to pay a little more for healthy food. I can't remember what class it was, I think it was soc. where the family had to sacrifice their health for food. I remember we were watching Food Inc. in AP Environmental Science, and this family could only afford Burger King, and now the children were overweight and the father had type two diabetes. So i totally think it's true, the bread you eat does reflect what class your in. They were lower class and they ate fatty, greasy hamburger buns. I, apart of upper middle class, eats 100% whole wheat bread. The little things are the biggest indicators.

Please ignore the giant elephant in the room.....

So, I found the roughneck article very interesting. I thought it was the PERFECT portrayal of our school. It made me think back to the school newspaper articles and the book the security guard wrote. We love to portray ourselves as the perfect school. I think, our school would like us to go to school, take 47 AP tests, go home, do our homework all night long and go to bed. On weekends we like to spend our time doing extracurriculars, community service work and studying for our tests. In reality, we're still a bunch of teenagers (as much as that sounds like a cop out) and we're not perfect. I think that's why the administration freaked out when the above mentioned publications came out. Now, the book had very little truth (or correctly spelled words) out of my four years I have never seen kids doing coke in the bathroom or blatantly groping one another (ok not like he explained it haha). But still, it was a dent in our perfect reputation. Same with the newspaper articles, nobody's pregnant, we don't drink, we don't steal. Yes, yes some of us do. But the thing is we can kinda get away with it because of who we are. We are upper- middle class, suburban kids that go to a good school. We can be a little sneaky, we can sweep things under the rug because of who we are. On some levels we can be worse because of all the opportunities and money and parents as lawyers. Our school, as a whole, is a bunch a of saints.

*I would like to note that not everyone at school is a "saint", that is not everyone drinks or does drug or engage in promiscuous activities in their free time. I was just saying there is a population of kids that do and that our school does not like to recognized their behavior.

Me: "I'm 18!" Mom: "It's your bedtime!"

I've always thought having a set age for things was weird. I mean I get that some people aren't mature enough to handle something before a certain age. But really what's different about me between Nov.3 at 11:59 and Nov. 4th 12:00? Nothing really, I don't wake up on my birthday and feel more responsible or look older- in fact I don't feel anything new really. So how come on Nov. 4th I could stay out as late as I wanted on and not on Nov. 3rd? I just don't get it. Ok, let me take that back, I get it. This is America, the land of fairness and equality. Sure I was probably responsible enough to drive a car when I was 15, but Joe Shmoe sitting next to me was FOR SURE not. So who gets to decide how responsible I am? And that's where the gov comes in. And it's helpful, don't get me wrong. But how am I supposed to learn how to handle my new responsibilities when just a minute ago, they weren't granted to me? There are ways you can get around the law, ways you can practice before it's legal. That's why we need to log a bajillion hours behind the wheel with a parent before we can get our license. But I feel there would be a lot less teen accidents if we could've built up to driving on our own with cellphones, friends and other distractions. Because once you have that little piece of plastic, you're free, you're parent won't be there to tell you to slow down at that yellow light, to focus on the road and not the people on the sidewalk. Because of these rules, I need to become responsible overnight, I need to learn how to make good decisions at midnight. I see how our rules solve problems, but I see how strict we are with following and realize we need to ease everyone into maturity, I think we could solve a lot of problems.

Low Fashion

One of the things Sal brought up in his blog (and the girl in the Strength to resist video) talked about how you dress. Is it how you want to dress or how you feel you should dress? I totally get what they're saying. When I get up in the morning all I want to wear are sweatshirts and sweatpants. But I rarely ever do. I never wear sweatpants, I don't know why, I just don't like to wear sweatpants in public. And when I do wear a sweatshirt, I tend to regret it. I see what everyone else is wearing and immediatly regretted wearing it- why hadn't I taken the time to look put together??

But I don't know, maybe it's me maturing, or maybe it's seniroitis, but I've started to just do what I want. I don't really look around and think about how messy I look, or how people are thinking of the way I'm dressed or sitting or how my hair looks. I just doing what I want, when I want and how I want. Now, I may wear a tshirt four days a week and maybe even *gasp* sweatpants (that's right kids I wore sweatpants TWICE this week) and I'm comfortable, I like it.

I'm not saying I don't care, because I do. But I think circumstances have a lot to do with it. Now, I just don't care anymore. We're getting down to the craziest and most hectic month of the year, and now that we're seniors and we all almost know where we're going but we still have APs to do well on. Well motivation is in short supply. But I'm sure after APs I'll go back to caring. It all just depends.

"I'll never be like my parents" "You already are.."

It is freaky how much I'm like my parents. I've noticed it more and more as I've gotten older. I see it the most between me and my dad. I think it has to do with the fact that my dad was the one who mainly took care of me for the first year and a half while my mom worked. Some of the things I can't explain like we're both quiet people that make quick assumptions and have a small group of friends. We're both most likely to hang out in the corner and observe before jumping into a party and love to just be with some one- we don't have to do anything fancy. It's interesting how this has happened. He didn't teach me these things- he didn't tell me to start off a little shy and gradually warm up to people or to only have a few close friends- I just did. Both of my parents have taught how to be a loyal friend and that when I make a commitment I need to stick to it, no matter how much I want to do something else. Some of that has been through demonstration and some of it has been through constant reminder

Something they've taught me-directly- is how to drive. I know every parent teaches their child how to drive. But I've become a combination of the two- a hybrid- and that has lead to many arguments. After I got my license I would volunteer to drive but when I drove with my mom and pulled a move like my dad- she'd get pissed and vice versa. When I drove with my dad and pulled a move like my mom he'd yell at me. So now I NEVER NEVER EVER EVER EVER drive with my parents. Another thing they've taught me is that I'll never (again with the nevers I swear they've taught me things I will do) pick up a hammer. When we moved into our house it was basically stuck in the 70's, so to save money they redid the ENTIRE house by themselves. Every weekend they were working on one room or another and while the house turned out fantastic I hated the construction. I had to live with my brother for two weeks while they put wood floors in my room and his. I saw how stressful it was and hated going to Home Depot every weekend as well. If I'm ever going to redo my house- A professional will be called.

My parents have influenced me a ton- whether I like it or not- somethings have been taught directly with constant reminding but other things you can't teach. You just pick it up and I think they've passed on some pretty good things to me. Thanks mom and dad :)

Ghost in Your Genes

So I watched the "Ghost in your Genes" video and it is so fascinating. I mean it's easy to see how the choices of your parents affect you; where they chose to live, if the mother takes car of herself when she is pregnant so on and so forth. But to think what your grandparents do, what your great- grandparents do can affect you is really cool. In the video they talked about Epigenetics- its when certain things attach to your chromosomes to turn them "on and off". Kieran, the child that had Beckwith Wiedemann syndrome could have gotten that because his parents used IVF (IVF increases the chances of Beckwith Wiedemann syndrome by 3-4 times). There is a possibility that it could be passed onto his children, so decisions Kieran's parents made could effect their grandchildren. They also discussed in the video how malnutrition in developmental times for a female can prevent the body from growing. When she becomes pregnant, they think it may affect the size of the fetus which could theoretically make every generation smaller and smaller. It's interesting and kind of freaky. The things I do now could change future generations. At first scientists thought that once genes were created, that was it they were set in stone. But now they're beginning to learn that they could be subject to change. I wonder what things my grandparents and my greatgrandparents did that shaped my genetics???? It's too interesting.

My Name is American Culture...... And I'm afraid of Emotions

Tuesday's With Morrie was an awesome movie. It totally reminded me of the things we talked about in class and I could see Sal saying some of the same things as Morrie- "What's wrong with being number two?"

The part I found particularly interesting was the part about love and emotions, how afraid of love Mitch was and how unafraid Morrie was about loving people and showing his emotions. I have no idea how or why or when America thought being emotionless is the way to go. Now before I begin discussing this I would just like to put up that I am a hypocrite- when Morrie and Mitch were essentially saying their goodbye and Mitch was getting all emotional I couldn't help but get a little teary-eyed. But instead of letting a tear or two drop I held it in- looked up at the ceiling and composed myself- I WAS NOT going to cry in class. So yes, I am mildly (ok maybe more then mildly) hypocritical- but I recognize I have a problem, It's the first step. Anyway back to what I was saying I don't understand how we got this way- maybe because we want to see our men be manly and our women be composed (I can't help but think back to the fifties when the wife had to greet her husband at the door looking like she hadn't been totally busy raising the kids, working on the house and slaving over a hot stove- she need to like completely poised) but I don't know- I think it's one of those 'which came first, the chicken or the egg' type things. How did we get like this? Have we always been like this? Why is everyone so afraid to show emotion?!?!? I don't know and I don't think we are heading in a more emotion free time either. Emotions, especially love, take time and they're confusing and scary and I think, no I'd be bold enough to say I know, people do not want to deal with those- to take the time to figure them out and act on them "Yes I'm going to pencil in emotions between going to the gym and doing homework- that should give me about two minutes". But I think that it probably (remember I'm a little bit hypocritical) takes practice because who really knows you better then... you!

Jam Baby...

Right now, as I type this blog, I am awaiting the premiere of the new Office episode, It's the one where Jim and Pam have their baby. I'm pretty stoked. Right now it's 8:05 and we are five minutes into the episode, ok maybe WE aren't because it's paused. Every one is in their respective corners finishing up what they were doing before. I had been up in my room doing homework, my brother was in his room doing homework, my dad was making dinner and my mom floated between the computer and the family room. But 7:55 came around and we all scrambled to finish up what we were doing, the Office would soon be on. As I thought about it, especially because I knew I needed to blog still, I realized how different this was from other cultures. For example, in Spain they have three hour dinners with multiple courses every night! Places like Italy and China where they place a strong value on family and meals are totally different from us. We find ways to connect with our family through different ways. For example,t onight for dinner, I quickly shoved food in my mouth so I could rush back to my homework, I had a lot to do. There was nothing drawn out, no long conversations, just eating and going back to what we were doing. But now, it's 8 and the Office is starting and we're drawn to the TV like a moth to a flame (cheesy I know, I just couldn't think of another way to say it), all of us coming together to watch this momentus, played by actors moment. Yes, maybe it's a little sad- a bond over a common television show, but that is sometimes where families here in america spend their time together. I know, especially in my family, people are constantly running around- I work three days a week, my brother plays basketball and travel baseball both of which my dad is a coach, me and my brother have school, my parents work full time and on and on- it's hard to find a time we're all together. But tonight we're all together sometimes in silence but not always- we do talk about our days and what's been going on, we just make sure we're quiet by commercial.

Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore

Sarah's presentation was really interesting. Studying abroad has been something I've always wanted to do and I've often thought that after college I would go teach in England. Ok, not really a stretch, but I've always wanted to live there and I think it would be cool. Anyway, just hearing about the culture was shocking so I couldn't imagine how weird it would be to actually live it. I mean, yes, she prepared for an entire year. She learned all about the culture there, but you can know something without truly understanding it and I feel you can't really understand a culture until you've lived it.

I keep going back to my trip in Spain, it's the only time I've been out of the country, but if fits perfectly. The way they live there is totally different. In class we discussed time and what it means to different cultures. In Spain, like Brazil, time isn't really something to take into consideration. We stuck to a schedule on our trip because we only had ten days to take in an entire country, but as I observed the people around me, I realized they didn't really seem to be in too big of a hurry. It was 10:00 on a Wednesday night and no one seemed to be too concerned with going home. Here in America, on a wednesday, you don't really go hang out in town until late at night, you do your homework or work or clubs or sports... it goes on and on. I just find it so interesting how time is such a subjective thing, I mean how did it get that way?!?Here in America it is not in any way subjective.... "You arrive five minutes early, you're on time. You arrive on time.... you're late" (Drumline 2002).

Then again, I'm just a teenager...

Wow, that just destroyed all images of marriage and love and I haven't even left high school! Wow, I mean I'm not going to say I was totally disillusioned, I know that the love and passion doesn't last hence the phrase 'honeymoon phase', that wasn't just invented for fun. While I agree with some of the things that she said, I just can't bring myself to buy it. Settle? I don't think that's the right word and I don't think that's the right attitude. Granted, like I said, I'm young, I'm not even close to that point where I'm looking for someone to marry *shiver*, but she took something that is supposed to have some sort of romanticism and stripped it down to something unrecognizable, something corporate and cold. I agree that Mr. Right probably doesn't exist (damn you Disney and Stephanie Meyer for putting the thoughts of the 'perfect man' in my head), but there has to be someone that is close to mr. right. Right? I think that part of my ideas of marriage do have to do with the fact that I grew up in America where at a very young age we are taught to idealize marriage and think that the perfect man is out there, we just had to eat a poisoned apple or leave our glass shoe's laying around. I mean think about it, when you're little, did your parents fight around you? or did they save it for after you went to bed? At the end of a fairy-tale does the princess find that her prince charming has a weird obsession with soaps and burps after every meal? No! In fact you don't hear much from the men/ princes at all, they don't even get you to the wedding. So they build it up to something unrealistic, something wonderful and magical, and while I know that's not true, I also think that there is more to marriage then just 'oh they look like they'll be a good father, there has to be more then that because after eighteen years, what's left? You're just left there staring at a stranger you settled for, that you don't have much in common with and might not actually like (depending on the situation). I think marriage should be more about respect, you should respect them and (almost) everything about them. I think a lot about what the author was saying has some validity to it, but I also think she's OVER settling, which in the long run, will end up just as miserably. But then again what do I know, I'm just a teenager.

Who stole the cookie from the Cookie Jar.......?

So, the end of the cookie poem was hilarious- the poem was great because honestly who hasn't had that moment where you're like 'wow that person is super annoying' and then something else happens and you realize 'wow, I'm a jerk'. It happens ALL THE TIME. This could be a good thing but this is also a bad trait that I have, I very quickly judge and make decisions about people, I can't help it. I would like to change it but I'm not really a 'social butterfly', I'm very low key, I like to be by myself like whatever, I'm cool with that. So I only have a few people that I spend my time with, but to those people I like to think I'm fiercely loyal (I hope they feel the same way!). So it does happen a lot that I make up my mind without really getting to know that person, but I'm working on being better (it's a process), because I know I'm wrong and I could be missing out on some really awesome people. (I hope the above paragraph doesn't make me sound too awful!)

I think I have been stereotyped wrong before, I just recently learned that back in sixth grade, two of my best friends hated me because I was hanging out a lot with one of their friends (In their eyes I had essentially stolen her). They didn't take the time to get to know me, they just hated me because of what was happening. Now though, due to communal friends and having classes together (and them finding out just how awesome I am..... :)...) we have been friends for four years now, it's funny how things turn out.

The episode of 'This American Life' was hilarious, I love (LOVE LOVE LOVE) that series and it was the perfect demonstration of what happens when people jump to conclusions and stereotype. I think overall, due to society and their beliefs and expectations, it's hard not to judge right away, but it doesn't take much effort to go in with an open mind and find out about the person and their circumstances. Everyone should do it!!!

Snap Back to Reality

Today's lesson was really interesting because it really made me think about my life and how I do things that in certain situations are acceptable and in other situations are not. The spit one (although it grossed me out to no end) made me realize how kinda hypocritical I was being. Although you couldn't pay me money to spit on that spoon in class, I spit sunflower seeds (where you put the seeds in your mouth, crack the shell, take out the inside and then spit out the shell) at my brother's baseball games all the time. I would never do this with my friends, but at his games it's acceptable. I think besides the whole mentality of a baseball game, it also has to do the with the people I'm with. I don't really care what twelve 13 year olds or parents think, but doing it in class would def. be super embarrassing. When you're in the circumstance, you don't really think about how you would never do that one thing, like seeding, at a different environment, it's appropriate for that situation and that's all that matters. You need to take a step back and think about things, I know for sure I'll be looking out for things like that whenever I'm in doing certain activities.

Sal also brought up how culture can affect what you do and how you behave. Over the summer I had the chance to visit Spain through SHS. We stayed in Marbella, a town on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, and were lucky enough visit the beach. Little did we know (GIANT culture shock) there were a bunch of women there without their tops, just minding their own business, like they weren't just sitting there half naked, like that wasn't totally weird. And it took me awhile to realize for them it's NOT weird (we were clearly not in Kansas anymore) it's normal for them. Here in the US we go to the beach with all parts of our suits on out bodies. I didn't know at the time it was sociology or the Circumstance of our reality, but I mean I see it now. I really think it's so cool how we can all be so close but view the world differently, and how the circumstance of the envrionment you are in, can affect your behavior. Things you THINK you wouldn't do in a million billion years, you DO do. It's awesome.

Giving Back

So, I'm actually really excited about doing more community service. I was apart of Peer Helpers last year and felt that it was underutilized and that I could be doing more to help my community, which is one of the reasons why I quit. However, life got in the way. It's bad to say that I'm forced to do it but now that I am, I can finally get to what I've wanted to do. So, really, I'm excited and looking forward to the experiences I'll have.

Like I said in an earlier post ( I Think) I'm apart of students helping soldiers, well every year we do an event called WACO, it stands for Woodfield Area Community Organization (I'm Pretty sure) and every year they take underprivileged kids to a local wal mart where they get to pick out presents. I had been wanting to do it for years now and this past year I was able to. It was hands down one of the coolest things I've ever done at SHS.

They literally hand you a kid in a cart and send you off. The have little envelopes around their neck with their names and the things there families want. Since I speak spanish (and when I say 'I speak Spanish' I mean I can understand some of it) I decided to go into the bilingual like because most of these kids speak spanish. It was very nerve wracking waiting for a kid- what if you got one that cried the entire time? Or was super quiet? Or super out of control? When the kids got there is was mass chaos. There were hundreds of kids and hundreds of volunteers, in a matter of seconds these kids (who ranged from ages 3-6, I think, they were really young is my point) where taken off a bus into a store with hundreds of people they don't know, picked up and put into a cart and then handed off to a stranger, I'm sure it was overwhelming.

The little girl I got was named Isabel, she was roughly 4 and only spoke spanish. She was such a sweetheart. We shopped for about an hour, we got things for her mother, father and older sister. When we finished we got in line to get our gifts wrapped. It was a crazy long line and since I didn't know too much spanish it was sort of hard to ask her many questions, she was also very soft spoken so it was hard to hear. So she got this one pen that played under the sea when you pressed the button and so without thinking I started dancing (why not it's a good song) and she started to smile, especially when I started dancing with her. I'm sure I looked like an idiot to other people but I was having just as much fun as I was. After about 20 minutes of waiting in line (and dancing) we went with her to have pizza that was provided. It was kind of smushed to she had to sit on my lap, it was so cool how comfortable she was with me.

When she finally had to get back on the bus, I was really sad to see her go. Before she left she gave me a big hug and a little kiss on the cheek, it was the CUTEST thing ever!! I think that she really did have a good time and I felt like I had helped make a difference for her and her family.

Next year my brother will be entering SHS and students helping soldiers so he can do that again (he was with me and was just as affected by this little girl and helping make her christmas better) and I have already told him I'm coming back from college to do that again.

This story is just an example of why I'm so excited to do this community service, it's so easy to get lost in your little SHS bubble, it's nice to step out and help other people.

Growing Up Online

Technology has been around my entire life. Starting in third grade, I started going to classes on how to type and how to avoid predators. However, back then, technology (the internet and emails) were only for adults, it's how they communicated with one another at work and how they got their work done. Now though, it's started to become the way teenagers interact with each other. It's become an escape for them, it's a private place away from their parents, where they can talk or basically do whatever they want, without having parental knowledge. And it's great, I know I'd much rather post something on someone's facebook wall or text them then call them. It's great for working on projects and getting to know new people. The thing is, that this is ALL the new teen's are doing. They are only interacting with their peers online and in turn aren't able to interact with people face to face. New video games allow you to talk to someone while they're at their own house. There is no need to go to their house, to see them, to interact with them, and I fear it will only get worse. I think people my age are at the very end of those that have not really grown up with technology. Yes, it has always been there, but not the way it is today. Growing up online is convenient, it's an easy way to get things done, to have your privacy and even reinvent your self. But when it starts to become all that you do, you lose social skills you need to have to succeed in life.

Who Am I?

My name is Beth, I'm a senior at a local High school. I live at home with my parents and my brother. I'm easy going, fun, and just generally enjoy the company I keep. I cannot believe this is my last semester of high school, it's about time, right?!?! I work a couple days a week at a Physical Therapy clinic where I'm a rehab aide, however, I have no intention of becoming a physical therapist (Science is not my strongest subject). I'm on the leader board of Students Helping Soldiers and was in Future Educators of America for three years, I decided to become a sub when the girl I had been tutoring went to middle school. My biggest influences are also the people that have shaped who I am today. My friends, family, classmates, school and job have all made me who I am today. I'm excited about going on to college, although as of right now I have no idea where I'm going. I think I want to be an english teacher, but I really think broadcast journalism would be really awesome. I don't know, I'm just kinda going with the flow.