First Report-third draft

“Tyra Banks 161 pounds and overweight?” This was the question posed on the last cover of People magazine. Former Victoria Secret model Tyra Banks is being harassed by critics for gaining a few pounds over the past couple of years. What’s the big deal about Tyra gaining weight? The fact that she is a female and she is famous.

The difference between girls and guys is not a physical difference. Instead, it has more to do with the characteristics and a certain mind set that each gender carries. In my research, this mind set is connected a lot with the physical aspects of males and the physical aspects of females.

To decipher the real difference between guys and girls, I would have to research and observe more than just the students at St. Johns. However, I wanted to get an idea of what goes on in the heads of my peers here at school. Before I started my research, I had the idea that girls care more about things like looks and weight. This is my first research question I want to answer. My second question asks who is more competitive with their peers when it comes time to the subject of appearance. To help answer my questions, I conducted a survey that was given to 5 females and 5 males. We all here rumors as to why girls care more about looks and why girls are more competitive than guys when it comes to the subject of appearance. In spite of what we may assume, do you think there is really another answer to these questions? This is exactly what I set out to find.

On the question of why do girls care more about things like looks and weight, I discovered in the surveys that guys may care just as much as girls, but they don’t openly admit it as well or as much. For one thing, it isn’t everyday that you read in the tabloids that Brad Pitt has lost a lot of weight or has gotten fat, but on the front cover, you may discover how his wife Angelina is anorexic thin or has gained 35 pounds. In any case, on the survey, when asked if they heavily care about their appearance, all the girls said it depends on where they are going and who will be there. One girl even mentioned she is ok with being late to class as long as she is “properly” dressed and looking good. The guys, on the other hand, were not so concerned. One said he does care about his appearance, but the others said no, it doesn’t matter to me. Why don’t they feel the need to dress to impress?

On the subject of weight, I wanted to see just how these teenagers were dealing with their weight. I wanted to see how many of them ate healthy, or thought they were eating healthy to maintain a certain look. Only one of the girls said she ate healthy, and all the others did no consider themselves healthy eaters. When I read the girls portion of this survey, I was surprised, until I turned to the guy’s surveys. Three out of five of the guys considered themselves healthy eaters, yet when they answered the next question, do you indulge at dinner time, most girls said yes, while a few said they watched portion sizes. It was all of the guys who said yes. Guys said they ate healthy, yet they said they indulged. The girls who indulge said no, I know that’s not healthy…why do guys think it’s healthy to eat that way, but girls do not?
This struck me as funny. I would also like to mention that one of the girls put on her survey that she is concerned with portion size because she is afraid of how people will judge her based on how much she eats. However, she didn’t fail to mention that other people eat more than her. In other words, as long as people eat more than her, she has nothing to worry about. This proves one of my points that girls care more about things like appearance, even when on the subject of food.

One last point I would like to make is about weight. This seems to always be a touchy subject when girls talk about it, but less when guys do. Four out of five of the girls said they would like to weigh less than they do now. One was even concerned that she was getting extremely heavy due to stress. A girl who took the survey emphasized my point and wrote that not many girls want to be gain more weight these days. It’s all about losing weight. Before I have the survey out, I thought I would read that the guys wanted to gain more weight because this is what I have observed in the past. However, only one said he would like to gain about 20 pounds and the others didn’t worry about their weight…so they say.
So the big question still stands: why do girls care more about things like looks and weight? I was not surprised to read the answer on all of these surveys. Every survey mentioned that girls stress more because of what’s in the media. They see things in magazines and on TV that say you have to be skinny. In today’s society, there is a certain “ideal” look and if you don’t have it, then you won’t be the “it” girl. I read in one survey that “Girls definitely stress more because there is a greater pressure on them from society.” Another survey mentioned that “Women are expected to live up to expectations that are unattainable and therefore are more concerned with unachievable goals.” These are pretty powerful statements, and surprisingly, they were quotes from two boys.

Magazines might mention that a female celebrity has gained weight or even that a celebrity has lost too much weight and the critics are mocking her for it. Either way, this is saying that looks matter. You have to look good to the public eye. The pressure is on. When people read this, they assume it’s about them as well, and that the only way to look good is to be perfect. But what is perfect? That is a whole other subject.

Are girls and guys more competitive when it comes time to the subject of appearance? I believe they are both equally competitive in their own ways. Boys may care about different things, but they still care. Guys approach the subject one way and girls go about it another way. That could all be a part of life. I discovered however, perhaps why girls care more about being skinny and why guys care more about being “big.” Most people said the media and I think they may be true. Both girls and guys on this survey said girls worry about those things more, but based on their answers, I think they almost care as much as the girls. A few guys mentioned they don’t talk about other guys weights and appearances but they talk about girls—maybe that’s one reason why girls feel the way they do. It’s weird how that works out. Girls talk about girls and guys talk about girls.

As I mentioned before, the competition between same the sex is almost as equal, based on my survey. However, guys are quieter about it. You can tell from their one word answers on the survey compared to the long answers on the girl’s surveys. One girl even mentioned that if guys did openly admit it, they would probably be made fun of. They may not be honest about it, but they probably go through the same thing. They always turned it around to talk about the girls, never themselves. “People stress because they are insecure, and girls stress because guys talk about them. It’s true, we talk about girls appearances.” This is one of the answers I received on the survey.

Considering the fact that not all my results came out the way I predicted, I think it’s only fair to switch things up and look at things from a new perspective. As I mentioned before, and as the main theme of my paper states, woman are portrayed in the media as having the “it” look. Therefore, they feel the need to fit this idealism because they assume that’s how society will judge them. I also made a surprising discovery in my research that perhaps guys do think like girls, but they are better at hiding how they feel. I decided to go outside of my original research plan and use more than just primary sources. My focus in this half of the paper will deal with how men are portrayed in the media, and how the media affects the way people think.
According to medialit.com, people are stereotyped in the media, and men are no
exception. “Media stereotypes have extra impact because they create images based on these assumptions, helping to shape men's own views about how they should act and how successful they are as men.” Ah yes, this is exactly what I observed in the surveys. Perhaps some of the guys who answered my survey felt they needed to act “manly” so they didn’t really write how they felt. Not even one guy wrote how men are portrayed in the media, or that guys can also feel insecure when it comes to things like appearances. In

“Bravery, adventurousness, being able to think rationally, being strong and effective, for example, are all "manly" traits that are usually encouraged. So is the ability to think independently and take the initiative.” This makes complete sense to me now. Why would any of the guys want to admit to having issues with their weight, or that they feel like they have to watch their portion size if they have been taught to act manly? While woman are encouraged to have a certain type of beauty and sex appeal, men are encouraged to be “strong” in more ways than one.

“Males are discouraged from pursuing many positive traits that are perceived as unmanly. These include the ability to feel a range of emotions, including fear, hurt, confusion or despair. Even talking about these feelings is considered unmanly. Men are also not encouraged to learn to work cooperatively without the need for control…” This single quote can be used to support the reasoning behind the guy’s answers on the survey. How in the world can they admit to having competition with their friends when they have been told that it’s their job to always be in control? That’s exactly right…they can’t.

America's Next Top Model

Tonight was the season premier of America's Next Top Model. So of course this meant that I would plop myself down in front of the TV and for two hours I would gawk over beautiful models, wishing I could be in their shoes (high heels to be more specific!) After judging and mocking each girl that went down the runway, I began to realize that I was one of those girls. I mean, I always knew I was, but it was just something I never expected myself to admit! No no, I don't mean one of those girls, like the models, but instead, one of those girls who looks at every other girl and compares herself to them. It's funny how much I can connect this to my research paper. Throughout my report, I referred to those type of girls as just "those girls", and never ME like I should have been doing!

Then something even more amazing happened. For the first time in 8 years, there were two plus size models who made it onto the show and through the first round. Whoa, this was just too much. I'm not one to look up to actresses and models as role models (like I said before, I only look at them to gawk) but I was seriously intrigued by this. These girls truly were inspirations. It takes a lot to be a little on the heavy side and stand side by side with a stick skinny girl, and still have complete confidence in yourself. To have this type of poise is just astonishing. In a world like ours, you don't find too many heavy set girls who love their bodies.

I for one have never had confidence in myself. In fact, I have always had really low self esteem. I think this is why tonight I was so happy to see these girls on TV. Ok, so it's not like I am overweight or even close to being overweight, but weight seems to be a BIG issue in today's society (no pun intended). It's just hard not to judge yourself and tell yourself you're not good enough. Lets admit it, we all go through it at one time or another. In reality, it's just not healthy to think this way!

To be honest, it's sad to know people think they have to be super thin to be healthy or to fit in. America's Next Top Model is totally proving these people wrong and I am super excited! And everyone says reality shows are pointless..HA!

The power of one

After we graduated, most of my friends decided to stay close to home and attend a college that is only 45 minutes away from our house. I, obviously, came to New York City, which is only 5 hours away. Believe it or not, I actually went the furthest from home. Anyway, it's really hard to keep in contact with all of my friends, so I usually make phone calls to my best friends and just talk online with the others. As I'm sure most of you do, I always find myself constantly checking away message. To be honest, it is quite ridiculous the amount of times I get on AIM just to see what everyone is up to. Ok, I promise I am about to get to the point of this blog entry. I have one friend who, for the past two and a half weeks, has hadthe same away message up. It makes me feel bad because it's so depressing. But hey, she is a teenager and she is a girl, so of course her issue is with a guy, right? For all of you who are about to close this entry, my point gets better! For weeks now, she has been upset about this ONE guy..yes, this ONE guy...hmm, dwell on that for a minute...


.........


I'm not sure how true this is, but there is probably like, what, 7 billion people on this earth? Yet, how silly. She has spent two weeks (which can also be called 14 days, 336 hours, etc) of her life worrying about this ONE person and from this, she is becoming despressed. Now, the point of this entry isn't to talk about teenage relationship issues, but something a little deeper than this: the power of one person. Now I just noted the amount of people on this earth, and it may be true that I don't know that many people, but that sure is a lot of people who dwell around us. Why is it that we tend to focus and choose to live our lives thinking about that one person? I don't want to get into a whole thing about love and why we choose to be with one person, because that is not what my intentions were at all. I just starting thinking about how much of an impact one person can have on our lives, whether good or bad. I often find myself getting upset over one person, but now that I think about it, why bother? If ONE out 7 billion people upset you, you are bound to find at least ONE other person who does not. In fact, I can almost guarantee you will find more than one person who will make you the happiest person on earth!

Living is like tearing through a museum...

"Living is like tearing through a museum. Not until later do you really start absorbing what you saw, thinking about it, looking it up in a book, and remembering - because you can't take it in all at once."


Reference: Audrey Hepburn

Dislike, loath, abhor, detest, etc...

Ever wonder why we have so many words in our English language? Well, ok, me either, but this thought occured to me just 2 minutes ago when I found myself getting very annoyed (annoyed, aggravated, infuriated, irritated, etc) with my roomate. Why/how she upset me for the 100th time today, however, is beside the point. She really got me thinking. What do I really think about her? I mean, honestly. I keep telling myself that I simply dislike her. Yes, that's it! I have very strong negative feelings toward her, and I don't see them becoming positive anytime soon.

Then it occured to me. We've always been told that hate is a verrry strong word and we shouldn't use it unless we really mean it. Up until 5 minutes ago, I really believed this. However, when we dislike something, we are saying we don't like it...correct? Well when I hate something, I don't like it! I completely understand that maybe hate comes off as a strong word, but that's only because this is what we have learned in the last. Well, I have some news for you! If you don't like something, you just don't like it. That's the way it is. Sure we think we have different levels of dislikes for things, but the fact of the matter is, you either like something or you don't...end of story!

After thinking of this for a few minutes, I ponder the question of why we use all these different words to describe one feeling. My first thought was that we all just want to be English scholars so we use lots of vocabulary, but that's totally irrelavant, so I disregarded that one. My next thought made a little more sense. I don't know about the rest of you, but I use words like dislike to replace words like hate only because they make ME feel better about saying them. "Of course I don't hate anybody. Hate is a very strong word. I just dislike them." This is one of my favorite quotes...by me that is. I never liked saying I hated someone because that would be just plain mean. Dislike, on the other hand, sounds a bit less pessimistic (nagative, cynical glum, etc), don't you agree?

First Report-second draft

The difference between girls and guys is not a physical difference. Instead, it has more to do with the characteristics and a certain mind set that each gender carries. In my research, this mind set is connected a lot with the physical aspects of males and the physical aspects of females.

To decipher the real difference between guys and girls, I would have to research and observe more than just the students at St. Johns. However, I wanted to get an idea of what goes on in the heads of my peers here at school. Before I started my research, I had the idea that girls care more about things like looks and weight. This is my first research question I want to answer. My second question asks who is more competitive with their peers when it comes time to the subject of appearance. To help answer my questions, I conducted a survey that was given to 5 females and 5 males. We all here rumors as to why girls care more about looks and why girls are more competitive than guys when it comes to the subject of appearance. In spite of what we may assume, do you think there is really another answer to these questions? This is exactly what I set out to find.

On the question of why do girls care more about things like looks and weight, I discovered in the surveys that guys may care just as much as girls, but they don’t openly admit it as well or as much. For one thing, it isn’t everyday that you read in the tabloids that Brad Pitt has lost a lot of weight or has gotten fat, but on the front cover, you may discover how his wife Angelina is anorexic thin or has gained 35 pounds. In any case, on the survey, when asked if they heavily care about their appearance, all the girls said it depends on where they are going and who will be there. One girl even mentioned she is ok with being late to class as long as she is “properly” dressed and looking good. The guys, on the other hand, were not so concerned. One said he does care about his appearance, but the others said no, it doesn’t matter to me. Why don’t they feel the need to dress to impress?

On the subject of weight, I wanted to see just how these teenagers were dealing with their weight. I wanted to see how many of them ate healthy, or thought they were eating healthy to maintain a certain look. Only one of the girls said she ate healthy, and all the others did no consider themselves healthy eaters. When I read the girls portion of this survey, I was surprised, until I turned to the guy’s surveys. Three out of five of the guys considered themselves healthy eaters, yet when they answered the next question, do you indulge at dinner time, most girls said yes, while a few said they watched portion sizes. It was all of the guys who said yes. Guys said they ate healthy, yet they said they indulged. The girls who indulge said no, I know that’s not healthy…why do guys think it’s healthy to eat that way, but girls do not?

This struck me as funny. I would also like to mention that one of the girls put on her survey that she is concerned with portion size because she is afraid of how people will judge her based on how much she eats. However, she didn’t fail to mention that other people eat more than her. In other words, as long as people eat more than her, she has nothing to worry about. This proves one of my points that girls care more about things like appearance, even when on the subject of food.

One last point I would like to make is about weight. This seems to always be a touchy subject when girls talk about it, but less when guys do. Four out of five of the girls said they would like to weigh less than they do now. One was even concerned that she was getting extremely heavy due to stress. A girl who took the survey emphasized my point and wrote that not many girls want to be gain more weight these days. It’s all about losing weight. Before I have the survey out, I thought I would read that the guys wanted to gain more weight because this is what I have observed in the past. However, only one said he would like to gain about 20 pounds and the others didn’t worry about their weight…so they say.

So the big question still stands: why do girls care more about things like looks and weight? I was not surprised to read the answer on all of these surveys. Every survey mentioned that girls stress more because of what’s in the media. They see things in magazines and on TV that say you have to be skinny. In today’s society, there is a certain “ideal” look and if you don’t have it, then you won’t be the “it” girl. I read in one survey that “Girls definitely stress more because there is a greater pressure on them from society.” Another survey mentioned that “Women are expected to live up to expectations that are unattainable and therefore are more concerned with unachievable goals.” These are pretty powerful statements, and surprisingly, they were quotes from two boys.

Magazines might mention that a female celebrity has gained weight or even that a celebrity has lost too much weight and the critics are mocking her for it. Either way, this is saying that looks matter. You have to look good to the public eye. The pressure is on. When people read this, they assume it’s about them as well, and that the only way to look good is to be perfect. But what is perfect? That is a whole other subject.

Are girls and guys more competitive when it comes time to the subject of appearance? I believe they are both equally competitive in their own ways. Boys may care about different things, but they still care. Guys approach the subject one way and girls go about it another way. That could all be a part of life. I discovered however, perhaps why girls care more about being skinny and why guys care more about being “big.” Most people said the media and I think they may be true. Both girls and guys on this survey said girls worry about those things more, but based on their answers, I think they almost care as much as the girls. A few guys mentioned they don’t talk about other guys weights and appearances but they talk about girls—maybe that’s one reason why girls feel the way they do. It’s weird how that works out. Girls talk about girls and guys talk about girls.

As I mentioned before, the competition between same the sex is almost as equal, based on my survey. However, guys are quieter about it. You can tell from their one word answers on the survey compared to the long answers on the girl’s surveys. One girl even mentioned that if guys did openly admit it, they would probably be made fun of. They may not be honest about it, but they probably go through the same thing. They always turned it around to talk about the girls, never themselves. “People stress because they are insecure, and girls stress because guys talk about them. It’s true, we talk about girls appearances.” This is one of the answers I received on the survey.

Considering the fact that not all my results came out the way I predicted, I think it’s only fair to switch things up and look at things from a new perspective. As I mentioned before, and as the main theme of my paper states, woman are portrayed in the media as having the “it” look. Therefore, they feel the need to fit this idealism because they assume that’s how society will judge them. I also made a surprising discovery in my research that perhaps guys do think like girls, but they are better at hiding how they feel. I decided to go outside of my original research plan and use more than just primary sources. My focus in this half of the paper will deal with how men are portrayed in the media, and how the media affects the way people think.

According to medialit.com, people are stereotyped in the media, and men are no
exception. “Media stereotypes have extra impact because they create images based on these assumptions, helping to shape men's own views about how they should act and how successful they are as men.” Ah yes, this is exactly what I observed in the surveys. Perhaps some of the guys who answered my survey felt they needed to act “manly” so they didn’t really write how they felt. Not even one guy wrote how men are portrayed in the media, or that guys can also feel insecure when it comes to things like appearances. In

“Bravery, adventurousness, being able to think rationally, being strong and effective, for example, are all "manly" traits that are usually encouraged. So is the ability to think independently and take the initiative.” This makes complete sense to me now. Why would any of the guys want to admit to having issues with their weight, or that they feel like they have to watch their portion size if they have been taught to act manly? While woman are encouraged to have a certain type of beauty and sex appeal, men are encouraged to be “strong” in more ways than one.

“Males are discouraged from pursuing many positive traits that are perceived as unmanly. These include the ability to feel a range of emotions, including fear, hurt, confusion or despair. Even talking about these feelings is considered unmanly. Men are also not encouraged to learn to work cooperatively without the need for control…” This single quote can be used to support the reasoning behind the guy’s answers on the survey. How in the world can they admit to having competition with their friends when they have been told that it’s their job to always be in control? That’s exactly right…they can’t.

What a good boy

"When I was born, they looked at me and said: 'What a good boy, what a smart boy, what a strong boy!' And when you were born, they looked at you and said:'What a good girl, what a smart girl, what a pretty girl!"


Reference: "What A Good Boy," The Barenaked Ladies

A forty day journey

As I was sitting here in my common room thinking about what I wanted to write in my blog that wouldn't be totally boring (only slightly), I remembered what season it was! Lent! (that is kind of considered a season, right?) Last night I attended church for Ash Wednesday (going to church more was part of my NEW year's resolution; shout out to Jello!) and Father Charlie said Lent was like a pilgrimage that we were all on for 40 days. He kept emphasizing that we had 40 whole days to do something new, and to be become someone different (well technically we had 39 hours and 4 hours, but we got the point). I thought this was soooo cool. I had never thought about Lent in this way. What's with all these journeys lately? Between English class and church, I am going to be all traveled out and maybe even a bit homesick (HA, that was my sad attempt to me funny...no more, I promise).

Of course I want to become a better person and do something fabulous in well, 38 days. But doesn't that mean I have to give something up along the way in this journey? Isn't that what Lent is all about? I feel completely selfish because I cannot think of even one to give up. My mom suggested I give up gum, but gum is like my cigarette...I chew about a pack a day. Giving up gum is NOT an option. So my roomate suggested I give up tea because I drink about 2 cups a day, but why would I want to give up something that is completely healthy for me? Yeah, silly, I know. Then I got thinking, who says I have to give something up? Why not try that whole being a better person thing...yes, this just might work!

I asked my roomate (the church expert) if I would be able to do something within these 40 days, rather than give something up. I came up with a brilliant idea. I thought why not set a goal for myself. Yes, I am well aware that this sounds selfish, but read a bit more and you will see. I absolutely love doing community service, but lately I have been slacking. In the next 38 days, I would like to complete 20 hours of community service. And you know what's funny, I feel like I am setting a new years resolution all over again..but luckily, this one is only 40 days, not 365! Phewwww...and I decided to give up candy as well..just to inform you all...

The difference between boys and girls--First report, first draft

The difference between girls and guys is not a physical difference. Instead, it has more to do with the characteristics and a certain mind set that each gender carries. In my research, this mind set is connected a lot with the physical aspects of males and the physical aspects of females.

To decipher the real difference between guys and girls, I would have to research and observe more than just the students at St. Johns. However, I wanted to get an idea of what goes on in the heads of my peers here at school. Before I started my research, I had the idea that girls care more about things like looks and weight. This is my first research question I want to answer. My second question asks who is more competitive with their peers when it comes time to the subject of appearance. To help answer my questions, I conducted a survey that was given to 5 females and 5 males. We all here rumors as to why girls care more about looks and why girls are more competitive than guys when it comes to the subject of appearance. In spite of what we may assume, do you think there is really another answer to these questions? This is exactly what I set out to find.

On the question of why do girls care more about things like looks and weight, I discovered in the surveys that guys may care just as much as girls, but they don’t openly admit it as well or as much. For one thing, it isn’t everyday that you read in the tabloids that Brad Pitt has lost a lot of weight or has gotten fat, but on the front cover, you may discover how his wife Angelina is anorexic thin or has gained 35 pounds. In any case, on the survey, when asked if they heavily care about their appearance, all the girls said it depends on where they are going and who will be there. One girl even mentioned she is ok with being late to class as long as she is “properly” dressed and looking good. The guys, on the other hand, were not so concerned. One said he does care about his appearance, but the others said no, it doesn’t matter to me. Why don’t they feel the need to dress to impress?

On the subject of weight, I wanted to see just how these teenagers were dealing with their weight. I wanted to see how many of them ate healthy, or thought they were eating healthy to maintain a certain look. Only one of the girls said she ate healthy, and all the others did no consider themselves healthy eaters. When I read the girls portion of this survey, I was surprised, until I turned to the guy’s surveys. Three out of five of the guys considered themselves healthy eaters, yet when they answered the next question, do you indulge at dinner time, most girls said yes, while a few said they watched portion sizes. It was all of the guys who said yes. Guys said they ate healthy, yet they said they indulged. The girls who indulge said no, I know that’s not healthy…why do guys think it’s healthy to eat that way, but girls do not?
This struck me as funny. I would also like to mention that one of the girls put on her survey that she is concerned with portion size because she is afraid of how people will judge her based on how much she eats. However, she didn’t fail to mention that other people eat more than her. In other words, as long as people eat more than her, she has nothing to worry about. This proves one of my points that girls care more about things like appearance, even when on the subject of food.

One last point I would like to make is about weight. This seems to always be a touchy subject when girls talk about it, but less when guys do. Four out of five of the girls said they would like to weigh less than they do now. One was even concerned that she was getting extremely heavy due to stress. A girl who took the survey emphasized my point and wrote that not many girls want to be gain more weight these days. It’s all about losing weight. Before I have the survey out, I thought I would read that the guys wanted to gain more weight because this is what I have observed in the past. However, only one said he would like to gain about 20 pounds and the others didn’t worry about their weight…so they say.
So the big question still stands: why do girls care more about things like looks and weight? I was not surprised to read the answer on all of these surveys. Every survey mentioned that girls stress more because of what’s in the media. They see things in magazines and on TV that say you have to be skinny. In today’s society, there is a certain “ideal” look and if you don’t have it, then you won’t be the “it” girl. I read in one survey that “Girls definitely stress more because there is a greater pressure on them from society.” Another survey mentioned that “Women are expected to live up to expectations that are unattainable and therefore are more concerned with unachievable goals.” These are pretty powerful statements, and surprisingly, they were quotes from two boys.

Magazines might mention that a female celebrity has gained weight or even that a celebrity has lost too much weight and the critics are mocking her for it. Either way, this is saying that looks matter. You have to look good to the public eye. The pressure is on. When people read this, they assume it’s about them as well, and that the only way to look good is to be perfect. But what is perfect? That is a whole other subject.

Are girls and guys more competitive when it comes time to the subject of appearance? I believe they are both equally competitive in their own ways. Boys may care about different things, but they still care. Guys approach the subject one way and girls go about it another way. That could all be a part of life. I discovered however, perhaps why girls care more about being skinny and why guys care more about being “big.” Most people said the media and I think they may be true. Both girls and guys on this survey said girls worry about those things more, but based on their answers, I think they almost care as much as the girls. A few guys mentioned they don’t talk about other guys weights and appearances but they talk about girls—maybe that’s one reason why girls feel the way they do. It’s weird how that works out. Girls talk about girls and guys talk about girls. As I mentioned before, the competition between same the sex is almost as equal, based on my survey. However, guys are quieter about it. You can tell from their one word answers on the survey compared to the long answers on the girl’s surveys. One girl even mentioned that if guys did openly admit it, they would probably be made fun of. They may not be honest about it, but they probably go through the same thing. They always turned it around to talk about the girls, never themselves. “People stress because they are insecure, and girls stress because guys talk about them. It’s true, we talk about girls appearances.” This is one of the answers I received on the survey.

The results are in!--Survey results for the first report

I decided to elaborate on this journal entry because I believe it is a subject that everyone can relate to, whether young or old! “The difference between boys and girls” is a research topic that is meant to inform all of you just what goes through the minds of teenagers (and possibly even adults) when it comes to things like weight and appearances. I conducted a survey that was made up of nine questions. I gave the survey to five boys and five girls. The survey looked a little something like this:

Survey
English 1000C

Please circle one: male female

1. Does your appearance matter to you? (For example, are you more concerned with getting to class on time or getting to class looking good?)

2. For the most part, would you consider yourself a healthy eater?

3. Do you exercise daily?

4. When you go to Montgoris, do you usually “indulge” or watch your portion size?
-If you do watch portion size, is it because of the people around you? (In other words, are you concerned with people judging you based on what or how much you eat?

5. Are you concerned with your weight? Do you wish you weighed more or less than you do?

6. Do you ever feel like you have to compete with your friends or peers based on looks?

7. Do you and your friends talk about weight and appearances often? (Whether it’s your own or someone else’s)

8. Why do you think people stress over things like weight and appearance?

9. Who do you think stresses out more about weight and looks, boys or girls? Why do you think this is?

Needless to say, I received a variety of answers on this (and I must mention that with some of the irrelevant answers I received from those boys, I could produce a whole other research paper!) However, despite the varied answers, I noticed a big difference between the boy’s answers and the girls. It was pretty much the result I expected. Although, some of the answers suprised me...especially when it came to the girls.

FEMALE:

1. -Yes, I make sure I have enough time to get ready so I’m not late for class
-It doesn’t matter when I’m going to class, but it does if I’m going to a party or club
-Depends where I’m going. To class, I have no one to impress I could care less
-Depends on where I’m going. Here, I don’t have anyone to impress
-It depends on what class. If it’s a class that doesn’t care about attendance, then I’ll spend an extra minute adding mascara

2. -Yes, although on occasion I do splurge
-Nooo!
-Not really, down with the celery sticks
-Not really
-For the most part--I don't really snack in between meals

3. -I try, usually I end up doing 4/7 days
-If walking to class counts
-No, I try 3 times a week; never happens
-Every other day if I have time
-If going up and down the stairs counts

4. -I ask the servers for small portions
-Indulge
-I try to watch what I eat
-Try not to go--food is nasty--If I am hungry I will eat
-I def. watch my portion size

5. -I am more concerned with my shape. Muscle weighs more than fat
-I'm not that concerned, but I wouldn't mind putting on a few pounds
-Yes, I wish I weighed less
-Probably less, not a lot of girls want to weigh more
-I'm extremely concerned with my weight. I am the heaviest I've ever been and it's hard

6. -Sometimes, but I keep it to myself
-Only if they make a big deal about looking good or say stuff about how other people look
-Hell no, I'm fly! We all have out best features
-No
-Ha! Never! That's why I love my friends--we're so completely different that there's no competition

7. -Yes, all the time
-A lot of my friends
-Once in a while, when we go to the gym
-No we talk about liquor. We talk about people when we go to the gym
-Most definitely--what group of girls don't? My friends are always complaining about their weight, but they're a size 2

8. -Hollywood. Everyone in Hollywood is glamorous and thin, and rich. People wonder, who wouldn't want to be them?
-Because everyone makes a big deal about it and it's all over TV and in magazines
-Because of skinny models
-Media, models and famous people are always skinny
-Yes, that's why people put on more pounds

9. -Girls definetly. I think it is genetic in a way. Girls usually want to lose weight, while guys want muscles and build
-Girls it's just the way society is right now. If guys admitted they were concerned about it, they probably be made fun of
-Girls. There is a lot more pressure on them to be "pretty" and weight is put into that picture
-Girls because media emphasizes more on female appearance than male appearance. if a girl is big she is "fat"--if a guy is big he's healthy
-If I knew the answer, life would be perfect

MALE:

1. -I'm more concerned with getting to class
-I don't go to class "on time" so I look good by default
-Sometimes, it depends on my mood
-Class on time
-Yes

2. -Not at all
-Montgoris--hell no
-Yes
-Sure
-Somewhat

3. -No
-Running through your mind
-No
-Twice a week
-Yes

4. -I indulge
-Indulge in portions
-I indulge of course
-I watch the portion size
-Indulge


5. -Not really concerned
-Yes, gain about 20 pounds
-Um, a little bit more, but for the most part, I am content
-I think my weight is fine, but I wouldn't want to gain anymore
-no

6. -Yes
-No, I am me. I don't give a ****
-Not at all, it's insignificant
-Not really. For the most part one cannot change their looks without time and patience. I don't think looking better than someone else is worth my time
-Sometimes

7. -Not about ourselves, but we talk about other people
-Girl's bootys and ***** mostly
-Yes, but not often
-Nope
-No


8. -Because they are insecure
-Girls because guys like big butts
-Because of the pressure from the media on what is "in" and "good"
-Insecurity
-They're worried about what other people think

9. -Girls because there is greater pressure on them from society to be skinny
-Girls. When honestly considered the daily degradation of females in today's culture is utterly appalling. Women are expected to live up to expectations that are unattainable and therefore are more concerned with their unachievable goals
-Girls, because TV, magazines, and other forms of media plaster the "it" girl images everywhere and force girls to feel insecure
-Girls, sorry
-Girls because they feel they have to conform to a certain ideal

Before I get ahead of myself...

I am about to embark on my first real vision quest! That’s right, I am about to begin researching for my very first research paper in English 1000C! I am quite excited to say the least (but a bit nervous as well). This is the first paper I have been told to write by a teacher without first receiving a hundred rules on what to do and what not to do. For the first time ever, I am writing a paper based on a topic that interests me and for once, a teacher trusts me to perform to the best of my ability without setting boundaries. Ah, I feel relieved already!

Now to the important stuff: my research topic. I have decided to write a paper based on my blog entry entitled “The difference between boys and girls.” I am going to ask that you disregard the obvious physical differences and focus on what I am trying to accomplish. I want to inform/teach (and also do a bit of learning myself) people why boys and girls think differently when it comes time to weight and appearance. I myself have an idea (if you read my journal entry you too will know) but I want to “check” myself by finding out what my peers are feeling.

Based on what I have been observing, girls seem to care more about the way they look than guys. I’m sure if you ask anyone, they will tell you that girls care more about looks because they always want to impress people. What are the girl’s take on this answer? That is exactly what I want to learn and share with everyone. Will girls openly admit they care more, or will boys openly admit they just don’t give a damn? Another question of mine is are girls or guys more competitive when it comes time to the subject of appearance? As of right now, my guess is that girls are more competitive. Who knows, maybe these things aren’t true, but that’s my goal for this paper.

If you couldn't fail...

"What would you attempt to do if you knew you couldn't fail?"


I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't believe I have ever asked myself this question. It really gives you something to think about!


Reference: A poster at a store in the Seaport shopping mall

To support our vision quest theory...

"Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself."

-I don't want to elaborate on this quote as of right now, but I think this quote is a perfect example of our "vision quest."


Reference: A poster in a store at the Seaport shopping mall

Oh the choices!

To be honest, I am a bit stumped as to what to write my research paper on. Of course I am carious about a lot of things in life, but I don’t really acknowledge them! I don’t know if the things I am interested could be considered a good research topic for a school paper. This kind of goes back to the good or bad student blog. I am not interested in reading writing about this or anything, but what I’m asking is, is there a certain topic that is more acceptable than another for an English class paper? I mean, I might have written a blog based on the party I attended last weekend but will my English teacher really want to read about it? Perhaps I could do research about this type of party, and maybe do a survey on the types of kids who do party on the weekend (who knows, it was just something I brainstormed).
Anyway, I was just reading through my blogs trying to find one I really enjoyed writing. I ran across my Good student or bad (only because people have commented on it) so maybe that would be a good one to go off from. You guys left decent comments that could really help me to start a paper (Thanks for that!). However, the last one I wrote about being a tourist for the weekend is kind of interesting…to me anyway. Everything I wrote in it was completely true because New York City is such a splendid city and I love every moment that I am in it! There is so much one can learn from living in a place like this. This could definitely make for an interesting story. The other one I liked was the way we do research. This would make for an interesting topic considering I would have to research to talk about research...hehe…I liked this one mostly because it focused on us as teenagers and the way we research and write. As we discussed in class, there are many ways in which we write but we don’t even realize that we are doing it! For example, I just sent out a text message to someone, so therefore I was writing. As the lady at the writing center pointed out, everyone is a good writer in their own way. This is completely true. Everyone has their own style of writing, and we all have a special way in which we do research.

Guys and girls

"Guys have to play good to feel good, but girls have to feel good to play good."


Reference: St. Johns softball coach, Red Storm website

Research: our social life depends on it

I think the education system has thoroughly screwed us up as human beings. Of course it has done a lot of good, but when it comes time to research, we are all wrong about everything! If someone was to mention the word research to me (or when someone does, I should say) it pretty much makes me gag. All that comes to my mind are the horrible memories of the hours I have spent in my lifetime slaving away in the library. I recall those times that I have been assigned a topic for a paper that I swear to God, didn’t really exist (one of those topics that no one has dared to write about because it’s that bad. Therefore, you can’t find a book or even web site that provides you with enough information to even help you write your opening sentence). No, my research experience in the past has not been a pleasant one.
However, if you think really hard about it, we spend our entire lives researching. Ah yes, that’s right. Everyday as we set out on our journey (or in other words as we drag our feet out of bed and stumble to the elevator) we begin a day of research. Everything we engage in consists of research. When we go to Montgoris for breakfast, we are forced t scope out something edible. We are, at that moment, doing research. I don’t think it necessarily means we have to read anything. In my eyes, as long as we are searching and discovering, we are researching!
The most evident kind of research we engage in is in school. As I mentioned before, we are forced to write papers which unfortunately means we must go on the internet or go to a library to find the answers we are looking for. We may not realize it, but there are other types of research we do without even realizing it. Our social life, as teenagers and young adults, depends thoroughly on doing research. C’mon girls, I know you know just what I am saying. Your friend calls you up crying because she thinks her boyfriend is cheating, so she depends on you to find out. What’s the first thing you do? You start talking to other people who might know something, or you even confront that person to see just what the deal is. See, you are researching, all for the sake of helping a best friend out.
Another way we research is by using facebook. Whether we are using it to talk with friends, or to stalk other people (yeah, don’t deny, we are all guilty of it) we are looking for answers and reading. This, according to our Vision Quest book, is research. Who would ever think gossiping would ever be research? More importantly, who would ever think research could be so fun?

A love of reading

As I reading our Vision Quest book tonight I ran across the question of “how many books do you own?” I happened to like this question only because it proposed a possible blog topic. Oh yes, and of course it made me brain storm a bit, so I suppose that’s always a good thing.
I personally loved to read as a child. I wouldn’t say I had a specific genre, but anything I could get my hands on, I would read. Actually, to be honest, I owned, and read multiple times, every Lurlene McDaniel book. My parents were really worried about me because her books were about teenagers who had different kinds of diseases (mostly cancer) and someone would always end up dying. They were supposed to be a tear jerker, but being the “cold hearted person I am” (this is what my family calls me because I don’t show emotion..ha) I absolutely LOVED to read them and I could never put them down. As I grew older, I turned to different kinds of books.
All through elementary school, my dad would take me to the library and I would check out three or four more books. By the end of the week, I was ready for three or four more books. This brings me to my first point. You cannot determine if one likes to read based on the amount of books they own because of places like the library. Just recently, I applied for a Queen’s library card and a New York City library card. When they came in the mail, I couldn’t stop smiling because I figured now that I had a NYC library card, I was a real New Yorker!
I’m not exactly sure where my love for books came from, but I had a friend in 5th grade who read the coolest books. They were all about young teens and I remember liking them only because I was young and that sort of stuff was “juicy.” Once I reached High School my taste for books changed (thank goodness). I took AP English classes so I was reading more literature books (like Ernest Hemingway and such). I discovered I loved reading this stuff, but I couldn’t explain why. I think at first I just liked to tell people I was reading these books because it made me sound smart, but then I started truly liking them.
Once I started school (here at SJU) I stopped reading so much, which was completely silly on my part. I figured that I would have enough reading in all my other classes and juggling another book on the side might not be a good idea. My roommates were reading books called “Gossip Girls” but these didn’t interest me because I felt like they were too childish. Then I discovered something grand! At Barnes and Noble I was browsing through the Literature section and I ran across a section called Fiction Literature (who ever knew such a thing existed?!) On this shelf I found “girly” books but with a little more of an adult touch to them. I absolutely fell in love. I bought every book I could get my hands on (I have tiny hands so that didn’t work out too well). The week before Christmas break I read 6 books. Ever since then, I have been reading none stop. My goal, however, is to complete The Iliad and the Odyssey by the beginning of next semester!

The difference between boys and girls

I am assuming that when most of you read the title of this particular blog entry, you immediately clicked on it, in hopes of reading something juicy. Well, as a fair warning, you will be disappointed if this is what was running through your mind.
What I’m about to talk about is an occurrence, or maybe a characteristic I should say, that we, as human beings, observe everyday in other people. Sometimes the signs are obvious, but other times, they are hidden. We know that the differences exist (if you don’t then there is something seriously wrong with you) but they are simply human factors that we unconsciously know about: there is a big diversity between boys and girls.
Ah yes, I have just stated the obvious, but my differences go further than just physical difference. I was at the gym this afternoon when I overheard four guys talking. They were all standing in front of the scale waiting for their turn to weigh themselves. The first guy got on and all I hear is “Oh dude, there is no fat on you what-so-ever.” Then the rest of the guys laugh. The next guy in line stepped on and a similar comment was made, except this time, he was being praised because he weighed a lot more than the first guy. As I sat there, I overheard the rest of the conversations as the situation progressed for a few more minutes. I didn’t think about it too much at the time, but what I was hearing was a big distinction between guys and girls. I will get back to this in one moment.
Following the gym I went to dinner (good combination, ay?) I sat with my roommate and soon after, a few guys sat down with us. For dinner, I chose to have a salad with egg, croutons, no dressing, and a glass of water. My friend had a sandwich. To me, this was a filling meal that would pretty much satisfy my appetite for the rest of the night. I looked over at one of the guy’s plates and I could not believe my eyes. On the tray in front of this guy (this guy, mind you, was about 5’8, maybe 170 pounds, in any case, not a huge football player kind) was two cheeseburgers, a sandwich, fries, two glasses of soda, and something else. There was no doubt in my mind that this guy would be eating ice cream as soon as he devoured everything else. I was amazed at what was going on. Guys and girls think so differently on many levels, but this one is just crazy in my eyes. As a girl I can honestly tell you that I watch my weight, which is why I eat healthy and work out. Guys, on the other hand, work out, possibly watch what they eat, but they do it for different reasons. The guys at the gym were picking on one another when they weighed LESS than someone else. Why is it that if it was a bunch of girls one of two things would be going on: either the girls would be hiding their weight, or it would all of a sudden be a competition of who weighs the least or who is thinner. I’m not about to go into the whole media thing that talks about why girls act the way they do, but this is just a comparison I have been noticing a lot since I entered college.

Class connection

I started to share this *cool* information with my roomate, but the disgusted look on her face made me realize that she didn't care. So I thought, hmm, I want to tell someone about this neat discovery but who will listen to me? Then it came to me...I'll write about it in my blog. That way, I'll be able to get it out of my system, and if people choose to read it, that's their problem (ha!).
It all started this weekend when I was being a *good* student and doing my reading my teachers had assigned for the weekend. I began reading my history book and at this point in the semester, we are learning about The French Revolution and a lot of things that were going on in England. In the past few chapters, we have also gone over poets and philosophers of that time. When I was done reading History, I started reading my Physics. In this class, we are discussing all the physics people, (what do you call them?) like Newton and Galileo (I'm sure I am not spelling this correctly). I discovered that everything I was reading in my Physics book I had just read in my History book. Being the intellectual kind of girl I am, I was amazed by this. When Physics was all over, I pulled out my British Literature book. As the name states, we are learning about poetry and literary works from the Romantic Literature point in time (Which took place in England). In class, we are learning about the history of everything that happened in this time, which was the French Revolution. If you remember what I was learning in History at this time, you should be gasping with disbelief at this time. Yes! I discovered yet another connection. Last but not least, I started reading my Vision Quest book for English. Although I couldn't find a direct connection, I decided that if it weren't for this blog, I wouldn't be able to write about my new discoveries! Whoa, it feels good to finally have someone listen to my thoughts...

Tourist for the weekend

My first visit to New York City was a 6th grade trip with my classmates. Of course I had never been more excited to be going to such a fabulous place. No matter where you are or what you're doing, you always here about NYC. It's always on the news, you read about the wonderful celebrities who live/visit NYC and it never fails to be mentioned in a hollywood film. When I packed for my trip to the city, the only possession I knew I needed was a camera. A camera captures moments you just can't explain to other people. I truly believe New York is unexplainable. I haven't been here very long, but I just know that people who have lived here their whole lives still have hundreds of places they need to see in the city. It's impossible to experience everything the city has to offer. The point is, a camera is the one thing you must always keep by your side when traveling through Manhattan!
My best friend Kristen arrived to NYC Thursday night to stay with me for the weekend. Believe it or not, this was her first trip to the city, and obviously, she was excited. I, however, was more excited to finally have the opportunity to play tour guide. As I mentioned before, I haven't lived here very long, but finally getting the hang of the subway system is an accomplishment which needs to be celebrated! Anyway, when she arrived, I immediatly began my duty. "To the left is..." Well, you get the point!
On Friday I took Kristen into the city for the first time. We started at Central Park and worked our way down Fifth Avenue. Of course, we stopped in Tiffanys (it was my first time) and a few other stores we can't afford. After passing some more tall buildings, we jumped the subway to 42nd street, and made our way to Broadway/Theater district. I swear, no matter how many times you visit Times Square, it just doesn't get old. Every two seconds I would scream out "Oh my gosh, Kristen stand in front of that and let me take a picture!" I felt more like the tourist then she did. It was quite ridiculous! Do you know how many pictures of MTV studios I have? Too many, I don't mind telling you, but to me, it really isn't too many.
After the theater district we went to Canal Street and attempted to purchase some fake Prada bags (which, by the way, be succeeded in doing). Our last stop was back on Broadway where we ate at Ellen's Stardust Diner...mmm mmm...the waiters and waitresses are made up of people who got rejected from Broadway, so needless to say, the meal is quite entertaining! Once again, although it wasn't my first trip to the diner, I had my camera by my side and was snapping pictures at every chance I got. When I got back to my room, I loaded my pictures onto my computer and I couldn't believe my eyes. I had a whole album full of tall buildings, funny billboards, and parks I have traveled through many times.
I realized that no matter what, you will always be a tourist in New York City. Whether you are on your first or hundredth trip on the subway, you will always find something new you have never seen before. I guarantee you will never meet the same people on the subway you did the day before. There is always something new to discover in the city.

Superstitious being

Well first off I would like to just mention that I read everyone's comments they left on my blog (I will admit, I was very excited when I saw I had four whole comments...yay!) and I saw that someone was "inspired" from my writings. I'm sure everyone has this same feeling about their own blogs, but I think my entries are pretty boring. If I was to read my own entries, I would not be impressed what-so-ever. In no way are they interesting or have any point to them. Don't get me wrong, it's very flattering some of you "understand" and "get me," but now I feel like I'm going to lose this little touch of mine. Maybe I'm just being superstitious, but it's like when someone tells you that you are doing great at something and all of a sudden you're not good at that particular thing anymore. It's weird how it happens. I don't like when my mind plays games on me! I guess the main point of this blog is to warn all of you (especially those who enjoy my writings) that they are about to go downhill. I'm not trying to have low self esteem or anything like that, but if they all of a sudden become boring and unreadable, don't be suprised! I am going to try really hard to write some inspirational and meaningful entries. I hope you all enjoy!

A 'good' student or 'bad'?

The question “How would you describe yourself as a student?" is very vague. If someone was to just come up and ask me what type of student I was, I would probably respond with "I believe I am a good student." It's funny how much this English class makes me rethink everything (don't get me wrong, it isn't a bad thing!). To me, a good student is someone who goes to class on time, completes assignments on time, participates within the classroom, and most importantly, one who follows the professors orders. Now, for the 100th time in three weeks, I am figuring out that based on my description of a good student, I am technically being a bad one.
In a sense, these characteristics that I have listed to make up a good student aren't really bad, but they are too typical I guess you could say. It doesn't take much for someone to go to school on time, complete assignments, do the readings, etc. I am now learning that a really good student is one who thinks outside of the box. To be honest, I have never been that type of student. I would much rather have someone tell me what to do...in this class, that is going to be quite impossible. For once in my life, I am being asked to be creative and to think for myself. It's hard telling if I'm going to like this! Ha...I would not consider myself lazy by any means, but in the past, these are the things that have made a good student. Back in high school or middle school, someone who came up with their own "assignments" when assigned a different one got in trouble. It was like thinking for yourself was a bad thing. You weren't allowed to alter the rules...once they were set, you could not break them.
"What else are you in addition to a “student” in college writing class?" is another question I have never been asked...and I don't just mean because I have never been in college either. I normally refer to myself a student, because technically, that's what I am. In this class, we aren't supposed to think technically, we are supposed to think outside of the box. So, here is my best attempt. In addition to a student in a writing class, I am someone's best friend, I am someone's daughter, I am someone's worst enemy (I'm sure of it!). I consider myself a friendly person. I am not exactly outgoing, but once you get to know me, I tend to open up. Up until this English class, I was a good student and a hard working one as well (I am still a hard worker...but in a few weeks I am sure Pro. Marsh will convince me otherwise). This isn't something I like talking about, so I am going to end this here!

Description of a college student: true or false?

I just posted a quote from our reading in my section labeled CBook. The quote was by W.L. Garner and it was his description of the way he percieves college students to be. I'm not going to lie, some of the words I was forced to look up and find the definition, but after I did, it made me think a little. I'm going to relate back to some of the words he used to describe people like us that really stood out to me: "self-centered, restless, striving, discontented, hedonistic, insecure, scatter-brained, emotional, imbalanced, and unpredictable. Whoa, where to start. I'm not exactly sure if he was trying to be insultive toward college students, but I for one did not mind what he said. In fact, I'd have to say I agreed.
As freshman, we are entering a whole new realm of life. Most of us have never been away from home for long periods of time, nor have we had to learn to fend for ourselves (yes, I realize that this is a general statement, but I suppose I might be refering back to myself). In any case, college is a new experience, and we are bound to go through things we never imagined possible. This is possible where the words emotional, scatter-brained, and imbalanced come in. Of course we are emotional...in high school, we were told to read pages 1-25...it wasn't posted online for us to discover on our own. In college, not one told us we would be forced to give a presentation about it the next day. Things like this tend to be stressful, thus making us emotional and confused (Once again, I am aware that there are much more stressful things I could use as examples, such as our social crisis', but I chose to relate to school).
When we experience such challenges in our college career, we assume everyone else feels our pain or at least wants to hear about it...wrong, again. Our self-centered, egotistical minds are, once again, wrong. Life is tough, we soon learn, and sometimes we don't want to endure the pain anymore. We would rather go back to life where things were done for us...We become "restless" otherwise. When we don't get our way, of course we become aggitated. Isn't that pure human nature? Part of our intuition? When life gets stressful, complain about it (hey, works for me!)
Here comes the serious part: striving toward our goals. We all set goals for ourselves, and of curse we set out to make them happen. Isn't that what we are supposed to do? We've always been told to follow our dreams and make things happen. We work hard to figure things out and when we aren't able to do so, we become discontented, and unsatisfied. Once again, I stress this whole human nature thing. It's beyond frustrating when things don't happen the way we want them to or the way they should. Isn't everyone hedonistic at one point or another in their life? What would be the point of living if we weren't. Whether or not you want to believe it, we devote our lives to pursueing pleasure and being happy.
My conclusion is pretty much the fact that everything a college student is described to be comes from human nature.

Description of a college student

In our Vision Quest book, I ran across a quote in a passage about college students that I thought was interesting..."--“W.L. Garner described college students as “self-centered, restless, striving, discontented, driven by glands, hedonistic, insecure, volatile, idealistic, scatter-brained, emotional, seething, imbalanced [and] unpredictable.”—page 77 “Students”

Hmm, could this possibly be true?

A quote I thoroughly enjoyed!

If you happened to read my last entry, I wrote down a quote that we learned in class today. We were told to write about what we thought the quote meant. I decided to share with all of you just what I interpretated the quote to be saying. Obviously in life, we have many burdens we have to endure. Everyday, whether a good day or bad, we overcome new challenges. A challenge doesn't always have to be a bad thing. In fact, they help us grow and they help us learn the "rules" of life. Some days we get up, most days in my case, and we pretend like we can predict just what will happen to us that day. For me, my day starts with waking up, getting dressed, eating breakfast, going to class, etc...I think you get the point. I feel like I know what my day is going to be like...but then it happens. I get to class, the professor walks in and all of a sudden, you hear those two dreaded words: "pop quiz." Did you know that was going to happen? No, probably not. This is just the start of your day. You will most likely be awake for another 15 hours. That leaves plenty of time for life to alter in more ways than one. Although everyday is different, it starts to become the same. You get used to these suprises and unexpected delays.You learn to deal with them and you even start to learn from them. What would happen if you woke up one morning and all of a sudden you could predict the day? No more suprises, no more unexpected challenges. Your day would continue on and you would be able to predict just where your next step will take you. The challenges we overcome and the suprises we come across are just chains we wear everyday. We start to miss them because they are no longer a "burden" to us. We realize they were never a burden at all; just life as we know it.

The Chains we wear

The quote that Pro. Marsh had us write about in class today was a really cool quote. For those of you who don't remember, it went a little something like this: "We get used to the chains we wear, and we miss them when removed."

For some reason, I really enjoyed elaborating on this quote :)