Guess My Race

In class this week we talked about race. Sal went on this website and the class tried to guess everyone's race. It varied from white to black; to Asian to African American. I realized that everyone actually tries to guess what everyone is. Whether it's about religion or race, people as a society judge people based on the color of their skin. Everyone is the same. We all want to have a good life and be successful but race sometimes can get in the way. I remember watching an episode of "That's So Raven" and the Raven was applying for a job and the lady who was hiring her, ripped up her application because she was black. This is completely shocking to me because to think that this actually happens in the real world is pathetic. Who cares what color your skin is. Everyone is their own individual and we need to stop classifying people based in the color of thie skin.

A Quarter has more value than a Dime

In class we watched a video of Morgan Spurlock working on minimum wage for 30 days to see if she could make a living. It gave me a real reality check because that actually happens in the real world. People depend on money to get them through the day. No on can go anywhere without spending some sort of money. It really gave me a wake up call personally because I couldn't imagine working on minimum wage while trying to pay for not only rent, but also food and if you have a car having to pay for gas. Our society as a whole has been depending on money for over a decade. Money is valued as a success.

"Let's go piping"

In class last week we watched a movie about social class. It focused on the wealthy and the poor. I thought the movie was funny because in one section of the movie, there was a woman who was giving lessons on how to act and talk like the wealthy. Also, there was one particular guy who was talking about being rich and the things that "rich" people can do over the poor people. It's sad to think that the wealthy people are going to be stuck up while the poor people are timid and nice. The poor people in the movie don't have really anything. In our society, we judge people based on their social class. We assume that if you're poor, you don't shower and your a bad person; but if your wealthy, you can afford wine and dine service and people look up to you. In my opinion that's stupid. People shouldn't judge you based on your social class, you should judge them based on what their personality is. But in our society, that will never happen. We as a whole are so focused on getting the next best thing. We need to figure out a way to make our society a better place.

Solitary Confinement

In class earlier in the week, we read an article "Courtroom 302" and it was about the way that the men and woman being held in the Cook County Criminal Courthouse, were being treated by the police officers and other people working there. It was so degrading to read the nasty things that the police officers would say to them, like, "shut the f**k up". The funny thing is, that the people that are being held in the Cook County Criminal Courthouse, haven't even been proven guilty yet. In my opinion, that's not the way tom treat these people, because what if they are innocent? Another thing, there are far more worse inmates who have committed more severe crimes then the inmates in the Cook County Criminal Courthouse, who have committed drug crimes and other things along those lines. Just because they are being held until they post bind, they shouldn't be treated like a wild animal.

Life Changing

On Sunday I worked at Special Olymics and had the most amazing experience ever!  The morning of S.O, I said to myself that this would be a good time, I could get to bond with some of the athletes, and that it would be just like working at NWSRA; and it was.  I worked with some of the most amazing athletes and they were all so positive.  If the they weren't winning, they would keep a smile on their faces and try their best to win.  In the real world, people tend to stare; at least that's what I have noticed working at NWSRA. The camp that I work at is for special needs kids.  When we would go bowling, swimming, or even go see a movie, there would always be people staring and whispering things.  What people don't know, is that kids who have a mental disability have feelings too and are probably just as smart as you are, or maybe even smarter.  See that's what people tend to forget.  They are just the same as you and me; except they look different and process things different too.  But I love working with them because if I am having the worst day ever, they will make me smile and laugh because they just love life and love making new friends and having fun!

Degrading Woman

In class on Wednesday and Thursday, Sal showed us a movie on Feminism and how ads, movies, television shows, and basically everything in society degrades woman and makes them look weak and not perfect.  In my life, I grew up watching Disney movies like the Little Mermaid, Cinderella, and my personal favorite, Beauty and the Beast.  Growing up watching these movies, you don't really pay attention to masculine parts and feminine parts.  Children mainly focus on fashion, how beautiful the character is, and how pretty her hair is.  I babysit for a 5 year old girl, a 3 year old boy, and a 5 month old.  The 5 year old loves to sing and dance, and in the feminine world, singing and dancing is what all little girls do because that's what everyone else is doing.  The 3 year old is very loud and wanting to always play with his trucks and toys.  Babysitting for these kids makes me see how different girls are from boys, and it's crazy to think that the only reason why we are like this is because we have seen it ever since we were growing up and we don't know any better.

Child Play

This week in class Sal brought up how different baby boys and baby girls are different from each other. When a baby girl is to cry, the parents normally say, "Oh honey don't cry. It's play sweety.". But if a baby boy was to cry the parents would normally say, "Come on tough guy, don't cry.". In my life I have always been surrounded by little kids my whole life and I have all little cousins who are girls. They are all sassy and cry over things that aren't a big deal but to them it's like the end of the world. My best feiend's nieces and nephew all young and always cry and throw fits. My friend's sister, their mom, treats them all the same when they are crying which is completely different then what Sal said in class this weekend. I love kids and treat boys and girls all the same!

Neglect

In class on Friday we talked about the story about Jennie, the girl who was strapped to a potty chair and locked in a room for 13 years. I was in Psychology first semester and we watched a movie about her story and I couldn't believe my eyes. A child who was forgotten about, abused, never learned how to walk, or even speak was never payed attention too. I couldn't even imagine that happening to someone. Scientists and doctors were fascinated about her story and how she behaved around males and females. Most of the doctors and scientists also became very attached to her and the progress that she was making. It's so awesome to see that people are open to adopting her to make her life better.

Nothing

During the afternoon on Saturday, I went to the mall and did the "Nothing" activity that Sal had assigned us the week before. The assignment was to stand in place for 10 minutes, and do absolutly nothing. It was very awkward. You could see that people were staring at you but you could move or say anything to them. There was one particular couple who had a young daughter, probably five or six, and she kept asking her mom and dad why I was just standing there and not moving and the parents kept on walking. I was findingnit very hard to do nothing for ten minutes because it's not something that you do everyday so it's out of the norm. After I had finished the ten minutes I left right away because I felt so awkward and felt like I was being judged. I thought it was a very cool assignment.

Death in American Society

Americans view death as a bad thing. No one ever wants to lose the one's that they love; but in reality, it's the circle of life. In my life, death is a scary thing because I am very close with my immidiate family and my distant family. Seeing someone who is so tired and weak but still striving and living out each day as if it were their last. I love spending time with my grandma, I feel so lucky. She always gives me advise and I always ask her what she would have done. I asked her one time three or four years ago if she was afraid to die; and she said, "No. Because I had a good run. I have a wonderful family and it I'm so happy to have been around this long! I mean come on!? What 93 year old grandma do you know who can still walk and has all of her marble's"? Watching the movie during class made me realize that when older individuals are sick, dying, or elder; the people that they want to see the most is the family and friends that love them.

Needs vs. Wants

Being raised in an environment that always is wanting the next best thing, can get competitive.  Growing up my parents weren't the type of people who always needed their children to have the best toys or the best looking clothes; they wanted to teach my sister and I that material things are always going to be there.  Once I got into middle school, I realized that everyone wants the next best thing, like Uggs or Northface jackets.  Going to a high school where everywhere you look there is a new brand name, is hard for me because I was never raised on buying something new, I was raised on appreciating what I have.

Shocking Culture

This week in class we learned about the different cultures and how they are completely different but also similar to Americans. We played this card game, and Sal taught each table a different game and who every won the most games would rotate to a different table. But when the winners got to the new table, they came to realize that they were playing a different game. In my group, our game was you needed to match up the different shapes with each other and an Ace would beat all of the other cards. But when we had a new member come tonite group and she thought that you could match up the numbers and it didn't matter what shape it was. I thought that was a great activity to show how individuals deal with culture shock.

All Abord!

In class on Friday, we played this game. We had originally 16 people on a boat and there would only end up having 9 people left on the boat. I feel that there were certain people that were thrown off that shouldn't have been thrown off and vise versus. I beloved that the reason why some were thrown off and others were not is because the students went directly down the line and decided whether or not they are strong enough to stay on the boat. I also feel that if the student chose who should stay on the boat, based on strength, stamina, age, and occupation.

Making a difference

In sociology this week we talked about the community service hours and I definatly kearned a lot. I learned that there are so many opportunities for me to help other individuals make their lives better. I'm super excited to have the chance to work with children and adults who have special needs. I'm planning on helping out is because I want to major in Special Recreation and help individuals with special needs. I have volunteered with things like this before and I loved it. It really makes you value so much more when you meet these people. They are possivtive about everything and anything. If you are having the worst day ever, they know exactly how to put a smile on your face. I 100% enjoy working with kids and adults who are special needed. By doing this assignment, I want to teach people that these individuals are just like you and I but they work differently and look different. I can't wait to finally get started with this!!

A New Beginning

The first day of Sociology was very awkward.  Salituro sat in the back of the room and was silent. You could hear a needle drop, that't how quiet it was.  Being in a class with some people that you have never met before can be nerve racking, but when Salituro started the class in silence, he was breaking our class out of our normal routine which is having your teacher stand in the front of the classroom and begin speaking, but he wanted us to do the talking.  Eventually we started talking.  Salituro made me feel uncomfortable at first when everyone was looking around the classroom and not knowing what to do, or whether or not we should talk but I think that our class learned something that not everything is set in stone and that anything can change in a split second.  When applying Sociology to my own life, I think of breaking your normal routines, stepping out of your comfort zone, and learning new things.  Taking each day one at a time and not looking back at the past and no regrets. 

All About Me

Who am I you ask?  Well, I don't even know who I am yet.  But I'll start with the main point.  My name is Kels and I'm a senior in high school.  I enjoy writing.  I love expressing myself in a way that no one can understand.  I also am planning on going to college next year.  I will be a double major in English/Writing and Psychology.  Besides writing, I love dancing, singing, and being outdoors.  I have been singing ever since I was a little kid, but when I was growing up, my parents put me into dance classes and I stopped dancing at 11 because I was too hyper of a child to focus.  Once I got to high school, I found out that my high school had a dance program and I decided to join my junior year.  I used to play softball ever since I was 5 and I loved it.  Everything thing that I did revolved around softball.  I stopped playing sophomore because I realized that I didn't want to play in college and it eventually started to take a toll on my body.  I love spending time outside during the Fall.  I love it when the colors of the leaves change.  I always like to spend as much time with my family as I can.  My family is very close.  The biggest influences in my life are my mother and my grandma.  My mother has tought me everything that I need to know, and always knows what advise to give me.  She is my best friend and i can talk to her about anything.  My grandma is the most wonderful person that I know.  She is 93 years old and still going strong and enjoying life.  She is why I enjoy everyday as much as I can.  Like my grandma says, "Live out each day, like it is your last."  My goals in life are to of course go to college and major in English and Psychology and then figure out the occupation that I want to go into later.  I want to be successful, but I don't want to be unhappy.  I just want to be happy in the long run.