My Final Blog

Who am I? I am my family, I am my friends, I am music, I am sports, I am Hollister, I am school. I've realized that I am who I because of my surroundings and how they have shaped me throughout my life. Because of my family I try to be respectful, I am full of emotion and expression, I am open-minded and I try to accept people for who they are. They have and always will be the best foundation I have ever had and keep me from being ignorant or selfish. My friends, some closer than others, have showed me how to trust and not trust, how to let loose and be myself regardless of what anyone thinks, and how to be even more open-minded to new experiences and ways of living. Sociology has opened my eyes to the ignorance in media, stereotypes, status, gender, and so many other important topics. So many of us have been controlled by the media since the day we were born and we don't even realize it. We make remarks about people of certain races because it's all that we see and know in the media, which makes it very hard to break away from certain stereotypes. After watching Crash it showed me that stereotypes are not always true and they can be very painful and insulting. Views on gender are also triggered by the media. Females as well as Males have certain standards that we are trained to think will make us more attractive and appealing, because after all, it's looks that count, right? WRONG! This class has helped me break away from these pretty much impossible expectations and just be able to sit back and laugh at all the weight loss commercials. I have also experienced the pleasures of positive deviance. Serving the needy, whether it's feeding the homeless at PADS, or packaging food at FMSC, or helping out with Habitat for Humanity, it's all empowering. When you know that you are being bigger than yourself and reaching out to several communities, near or far, it's a feeling that I can't describe. I feel accomplished, thankful for what I am fortunate to have, sympathetic, proud, and so many other things, which make my experiences so rewarding. I am still the person I said I was at the beginning of the semester, but now I have much more to offer.