Class

I think that the movie in class about class was a little too particular. I think those who are super worried about what class they are in are those who pay attention to the details about who you date, what kind of bread you eat, and what kind of utensils you buy. There are many people, i think, who dont worry so much about that stuff. Around here everyone is pretty much the same class and we dont see the differences so dramatically. Besides, life isnt about how much money you make or who your friends are, its if your happy.

Free

American's believe in not the right to equality but the right to opportunity. This means not everyone should be equal in social class and wealth. This would be Socialism. We believe in opportunity to work harder to achieve more than our neighbors. This may seem harsh, but it is what makes this country so great. However, if you are born into a family t hat has this advantage already, you are already ahead and vice versa with poorer people. However, these people born on the bottom have the ability and opportunity to work harder. Some cases its harder than others, like in the story of Tammy. She has started way too late in her life to completely change things. Her son has the right idea though. He is going to dress, act, and try harder to fit in with the next higher class and achieve more for himself. Unlike his mother he has dreams and aspirations that he wants to achieve he no longer wants to be at the bottom of the social ladder.

Jail..

I have never realized how horrible, sad, and lonely jail is. As soon as you enter they bring down your self esteem. I guess this is for the jail's own defense, but if you want the prisoners to eventually leave and return to society they must be helped. Most of the prisoners go back to jail soon after they are released. I think jail should have some therapy to help these people and read into their minds; prisons should try to find the issues within the prisoners to help them as a person, not just punish them as criminals. I know someone in jail and after watching 30 Days I couldn't help but feel so horrible. These people are so lonely and their friends and family are sometimes not there for them. In my case, a relative of the prisoner wants nothing to do with them.. I think its so sad. In jail they are so lonely and need someone to talk to to and something to live for. If family isn't there for you, then who really is there for you?

Shut UP!!

My parents are easy going, just sometimes they need to shut up.
From a young age, my mom always said "if you want that then get a job. When you get a job, and make your own money you can buy whatever you want." Sure enough, I did. At 14 years old, I was working at a local pizza shop, Pizanoz. My parents like that I had a job because I made money. But as soon as I started getting paychecks and going shopping and buying ridiculous things, I was bugged about that again. Shut UP! First I need to get a job to buy myself things. Second when I do I get lectured. I just don't get it. And when I get a job, my mom keeps telling me that I should enjoy my life and not work so much- I have the rest of my life to work. Work has been a part of my life for sometime now and I cant just quit. Shut UP! So they tell me to grow up and I do and then they want me to be a child again. Too late.
When I started dating my boyfriend Freshmen year, I had to get picked up early. It was almost like ten o'clock would roll around and my parents would be on their way to get me. Sophomore year I had a car, so I was able to stay until curfew. Now I understood this that I need to be home by twelve for curfew. But when my boyfriend moved down the street Junior year and I'm allowed to be out after curfew just not with my car, my parents still want me home! Shut UP!! Finally, now that I'm 18 and a Senior, I have no curfew. Now my parents have no reason but I still get yelled at. I don't care because they are ridiculous but its just funny how they don't want me to grow up yet its happening, and its been happening for a long time. I'm very mature and it scares them. But it scared me having to get a job so young, so SHUT UP parents. Think about what you tell your kids before its too late. Once innocence is lost in our "real" world, its gone.

MEdia vs. school

The media has gotten us into a mess. Girls want to look their best, or what the media says is best. Girls crave to be extra thin, beautiful, and popular. I think that there is nothing wrong with wanting to look beautiful all the time, I just think its wrong when a pretty girl will look in the mirror and "ugh, I look like shit" because she doesnt look absolutely perfect. I have always been one of those girls, but I dont get caught up over it. Im not too focused on how people see me, especially at Stevenson. I think that all the girls are too caught up on how they look and trying to fit in that they have all formed to be the same person to keep friends. They laugh at stupid jokes, they talk shit about people they dont even know, and they live off the gossip they get during lunch. I have stayed as far away as I can from all of that, and I think that its worked. I have a better self image and I am genuinely happy with that. So the media does put pressure on girls, however there is more pressure from the girls at school to be thin, beautiful, and popular.

Socialization

Growing up with two brothers was a lot of fun. My older brother is 5 years older than me so he wasn't around a lot growing up. However, my younger brother is only 15 months younger than me. He has always been a trouble maker. Since fourth grade, calls home from teachers went from once in a while to everyday by his sophomore year in high school. My little bro chose to leave Stevenson where he is in class with other kids with behavioral or social problems. Sometimes I feel trouble just finds him. He is smart, he just doesn't apply himself. I feel like this puts a lot of pressure on me. My parents have him to worry about all the time that I don't want to give them any more worries. I learned this from a young age and I always wanted to be a role model to him. A major drawback of trying my best to be a good kid is that when you mess up, its not just a little deal, its parents asking you and bugging you about it all the time. I thing that because I try so hard to do my best that my parents should leave me alone, I'll make it. My little brother is who they should be worried about. Besides, they don't even know the half of it.