This Is How We Live

I agree with what Ellen DeGeneres says in this writing. Certain technology really does make people lazy. I thought it was funny when she mentioned the breath strips that dissolve in peoples mouth, and why cant people just chew gum. Certain technology does push it sometimes and is unnecessary, but other technology is really necessary.  I also liked the part when she talks about the automatic sinks. I agree that this is being lazy, but it does help with germs. Technology should be meant to make a certain purpose easier to do, and a lot of it is unnecessary.

Hip Hop Life

I can relate to this story because I also like Hip-Hop. Music influences people very much, and especially teenagers. The music you listen to shows a lot about you as a person. Hip-Hop can provide different things depending on the person. To Walker it is a lifestyle, but I believe it is not a lifestyle for everyone. I listen to it because I enjoy how it sounds, not because I live that kind of life. I also like how Walker talked about how it's not all about the "bling bling" that MTV portrays. Because MTV really does portray the riches that come along with music genre hip-hop.

Practice Observation

For my practice observation I observed Starbucks. I noticed many people were using laptops, and tablets. Many of them looked like students getting work done. This place seems like a community of students. Also, everyone is very quiet, and doing their own thing, not worrying about people around them. Everyone seemed like they were relaxing. Coffee is also a imporant part of this community. I don't usually get Starbucks so that is why I decided to observe this community.

Found Notes

This reading was very enjoyable for me. I was laughing out loud at the notes people leave. I related to this because my Mother leaves angry notes around the house sometimes. My dog tries to get into the trash a lot, and my brother and I always forget to shut the door so he cant. My mom will write angry notes to remind us to close the door. It takes a lot of anger for someone to actually write a note instead of confronting people about it. The image of the note left on the bathroom door was the most funny to me. When I go out to restaurants I will sometimes see these angry notes. I feel that notes can be more effective because they're right in your face, and a constant reminder not to do something. These notes in the reading all try to remind people of a particular standard of being a part of a community.

It Takes a Tribe

After reading this essay I agree completely on what the reading discusses. Once a person attends a certain college they become competitive with other groups within their college. The reading uses the term "us-verses-them." College sports especially become this way, and this group could be considered a "tribe." Once you enter a college you now belong to that community, and then can also become a member of a group within that college. When I think of groups at colleges the first thing that pops into my head are sororities. This "tribe" divides up college kids into their own group, and creates a hierarchy in the college. Different tribes in Bridgewater definitely compete with one another. I notice this among professors of different subjects as well. They compete with one another.

Collage

I enjoyed making my collage because my family and friends mean a lot to me. My family has shaped a lot of who I am today. I even consider my two dogs part of the family. My friends are always there for me, and especially my two best friends that I have known since kindergarten. If it was not for my family and friends I don't know how I would get by. When I have a bad day I can go to them, and they make me feel better. I know that a lot of other people agree that without the help of their family and friends their life would be more difficult. I separated my family and friends in my collage because I see them as two different things. My family is my blood, and my friends are not. I go to my friends for different things than I go to with my family. They are not the same, but they are two very important groups of people in my life.

Identity

        There are three assumptions given in this reading about your identity. I believe that your identity is  what you're born with, but only when you're younger. You are born with a name, and who your parents are. Those two things are what make you, but as you grow older your identity becomes more of a personal choice. The older a person becomes the more they can make their own decisions, and basically create themselves by these decisions. When you are younger your parents basically control your identity to an extent. A lot of your identity is shaped by culture. I believe this assumption is true for your whole life, and it doesn't matter what age you are. The people you surround yourself with can change how you act, dress, and even speak. Also, different families have different cultures, and a persons identity can be shaped by these different cultures. All in all, these three assumptions all have a sort of truth to them.