Last blog post of this semester :( #12

• What difficulties did you have when we started in August? Do you still have trouble in these areas? How has this changed?

Research papers were my weakness. I was nervous to start research essays, because I hate researching. I feel like I got better at researching. It changed with getting a lot of practice, peer review and help from Lisa :)

• How do you think you'll be able to better tackle writing assignments in the future? 

Take my time, be in an atmosphere that I can focus, and always ask a lot of questions if I don't understand something.

• Which topics did we cover that you found interesting: Coddling of the American Mind, Technology, Happiness, etc. 

I love researching about happiness. It's something helpful for me to read about when I'm doing this research.

• What did you like about keeping a blog? What were the negatives?

I liked this blog activity because it kept me organized! It was super easy, and convenient for everyone to use. I can also read everyone's blog which is interesting.

• Overall, what do you think worked well about Comp I and Comp II this semester?

I loved the idea of having the two classes combined. It was such a great idea, because what we talked about in the first semester, tied into the second semester.

• What could be improved upon?
• The only thing that would be helpful is that if we got to choose our own research topics. 

Blog Post #10

Most people can agree that jobs are the reason why we are depressed, or not satisfied. many protests are going on with people getting paid more. I can agree that money equals happiness, and msot people will disagree with me. I have a good point because if you have a good job that pays you well, you will live a fun, healthy life. You will have money to support yourself, support your health, and go on vacations, and enjoy yourself. To me, that equals happiness. I think Dan did the right thing by raising the wage to 70,000 yearly. By being paid more, people will find the comfort of being hard workers, because they know they're getting paid good for what they're doing. Dan is a wise man for realizing that by raising the minimum wage for his company, it will benefit the workplace and the workers. People will be more happier, creating a better atmosphere to work in. They will look forward to coming to work, and getting their job done. I know for a fact that if I got paid more for what I do, I'd have more motivation to come to work.

Blog Post #11

Denmark is the happiest place on Earth because people are living life. Thinking about taxes, bills, job, and being on the go, will decrease happiness and increase a stress hormone called cortisol. People in Denmark live life to the fullest because they don't know when their last day on earth will be. If we all lived every day like it was our last, we would be much more appreciative. From personal experiences, Europeans live a more relaxed life. They like to spend time with their friends, and family, not thinking about their work 24/7. It's hard to focus on life when we(Americans), are surrounded by work and worries at all times. This is why America is known for being the country with most diseases. Since Denmark has a reputation of being the happiest country in the world, why would they let that reputation be ruined? People live in that country with the mentality of not worrying, not being anxious, and just living life. If we all did that, we would increase our happiness. In the article, The Secret To Danish Happiness, Jessica Alexander states that happy people are more connected. People in Denmark like to be social, and that's how they maintain their relationships. If you notice, people in America love being anti-social. They either have social anxiety or a fear of talking to others. In Denmark, thoughts like that don't even exist.

Blog post #9

People don't really appreciate happiness until it's gone. The movie did a great job of explaining how happiness is getting taken advantage of. People around the world have it so much worse than us, yet we still are never satisfied. I think we should open up our eyes, and realize there's happiness in pretty much everything. I definitely agree with the video that people are born with 50% of happiness, and the rest, they have to build it upon themselves. This means that anyone can be happy, and spread positive vibes to other people around! I always surround myself with people who are positive and happy! I think in my other paper I will write about how little things makes us the happiest! For me, it's winning radio contests, and going shopping. Even talking to other makes me feel happy.

Blog post #8

The most outrageous app of 2015 is an app called Pocket Heat. Pocket heat is an app used to warm up your hands when someone gets cold. The iPhone overheats and is used to drain battery. Pixels and sound waves are being used more than they should be, causing the phone to turn very hot. This is so dangerous, and not worth the consequences. Many people have reported iPhones blowing up due to overheating. This can cause serious consequences such as major burns, and the spilling of chemical C-4 plastic explosives. This can cause serious reactions to the skin, and the eyes. Instead of taking the risk, and hurting yourself, buy a hand warmer, or buy gloves. Iphones are expensive as it is, and just using them for warming up your hands, isn't worth it. These apps should be banned for health reasons. Keep your Iphones in good hands, not as faux heaters.

Blog post #7

What we see online isn't really what the image portrays in real life. In our society, having the most likes, and followers is what makes or breaks you. 19 year old Australian model Essena O'neil, quit social media due to overwhelming feelings of just being an "Instagram photo." Social media puts a lot of pressure to being perfect, and portraying this image to show people that you're the best in what you do. What happens when you see someone in real life, and they don't look like their Instagram Photoshop photos? That's called being a realist. No one looks like they do on social media. This is why social media can be wrong in so many ways. So many young girls are feeling pressured to get ready for hours to take one single selfie, and post it. Girls will even go as far as not eating the whole day so they can look "skinny" for a photo. I think this is absurd to our younger generation. 19 year old Essena proved to all of us that behind her pretty face, and many followers, she isn't happy, and she doesn't feel confident with herself. How is that possible? Well social media makes us feel better when we get a lot of likes and comments, but what's really behind one picture can be really disappointing. I've had many thoughts about quitting social media because of this non reality image. My pictures may seem like I have a flawless face, but in real life, I'm actually a girl who is maturing, and I have pimples all over my face. I should feel proud that I have bigger thighs, and that you can't see my ribs. Social media shouldn't make us feel like we don't belong to society. This is why I find so much interest in this article, because sadly, I know the feeling that Essena had while being on social media.

Blog post #6

In the article "Factors Affecting Relationships of Turkish Adolescents With Parents and Same-Sex Friends.", I found the information to be true regarding how technology is affecting relationships, and friendships. So why did I chose it? I chose it because you can't argue that people AREN'T addicted to technology in this society. From personal experiences I definitely see relationships going downhill because of a like, or a post, or even a single comment. This article is from The Journal of Social Psychology. This article states how children don't have a strong bond with their families due to their phones. If you think about it, whenever you go out to eat, look around and see how many kids are not engaging with their family.  It's sad, but it's true-phones are taking over our generation. This article was reputable because it had a variety of data, statistics, facts, and further research. I think it stated some good statistics over the developing years. I will use this article as a counterargument for my essay because it is going against my topic which is : How technology is connecting people. Many can argue that in most cases, it doesn't.

My second source I used was from Tesh. This article argues that technology brings people closer. As a writer, I need research and articles that I can relate to. This article, I definitely related because I have family across the world. Staying connected by social media is the best thing that's happened because I can see my family not only through pictures, but developing through their lifespan. It's amazing how social context can make a family closer. This article is reputable because it argues a point, and states the points very clear. This article also states statistics, which is important while writing a research paper. I will use this as a source in my essay, because it has some great info regarding my topic, and it's relatable for anyone in my position.

Blog post #5

In this society, we're surrounded by technology every single day. We don't realize how technology is affecting family/relationships. When we're gathered around the table for a family dinner, most of us have our phones right by us. Family time becomes less and less important when we're engaged in texting, or scrolling through Facebook. It's hard to listen while commenting, and liking other peoples posts. So why do we do it? We're simply addicted.

Two people are supposed to be in a relationship, so why is there more people involved in relationships now? Cheating, flirting, and even secretly talking to other people while having someone else's trust is an issue. We do this because we think we can get away. Social media is ruining relationships. Even a single like, or a comment can question someones trust. If you notice, most breakups happen due to social media, and talking a bit too friendly with other companions. This is becoming a problem, because now people don't respect loyalty anymore.

As I'm getting older, i'm starting to realize that Facebook is just a waste of time. It's ruining friendships, relationships, and family connections. You can find out anything about anyone on social media. You can even track where they are! This is crazy, because if you're not telling the truth, social media does not have your back, and you will get busted. This is why I believe that social media, and technology should be used wisely, and for staying in touch with family, and friends. Social media shouldn't be so bad after all. Social media should help bring people together, not apart.

Blog post #4

When we hear the word "technology",we automatically cringe and think about all the problems that it's creating. If we look on the bright side, technology isn't bad after all. Technology is making progress in everything now a days. Robots Lab came up with a new technology that will hopefully change the future. ASK NAO(Autism Solution for Kids) was created by the Aldebaran Robotics for kids struggling with learning skills, and autism. These robots were created to help kids expand their knowledge by the help of a robot. Still think technology is bad?
With the help of technology, we can get help in anything we want. Whether it's math problems, or chemistry tutoring, you can find anything online. Technology can be useful if not abused, it's all about how time is being spent on it.
On the other hand, technology can be a problem if not used properly. From addictions, to bullying, to threats, and even fraud. People find technology super effective when they want to start a brawl. I mean, think about it. If you don't want to approach someone to their face, why not just type it? Hackers are starting to get smarter, and hack into bank accounts, private blogs, and even find out anything they want about anyone.
To be smart about technology, we must know that the internet is not our personal diary. We have to be careful what we post online. If there is any threats we sense, we should always talk to someone about what's going on. So why is it that technology is more of a problem than a benefit? It's because people take advantage of what they can do, and do it carelessly. This is why we should take precautions and be smart about how we approach technology, and how to use it with benefits to education and staying connected with friends, and family.

Blog entry #3

 In Sherry Turkles, "Connected, but Alone," TED talk, Sherry's purpose is to inform, and persuade the audience. She does this by informing the audience how technology is becoming a big part of our lives. Slowly, but surely, our phones are starting to become a problem. Turkle stated that people are lacking interaction skills. Turkle succeeded in her purpose by using ethos pathos and logos. She used all three to make the audience understand her point of view how it's affecting us, and others around us. She stated her facts, and backed them up with evidence, experience, and research. Sherry stated a good point that made me visualize what she was talking about. When her daughter had friends over, they all sat on their phones, not interacting or communicating. I can visualize this because this happens everyday, whether it's at home, work, or at school. She did a great job of persuading the audience how we should limit the use of our phones, and start disconnecting.

Turkle presented her studies she has done how people connect but still feel lonely. The reason that people turn to their phones is because they feel lonely. She applied everyday situations with the problem, and why we are the way we are. I agree with Turkles point of view. Watching this speech made me realize that I disconnect myself from reality, and my close ones, because of my phone. I agree that we should try to limit our use of phones. If all we're looking down is our phones, we miss all the little details in this world. Reading a post online that tells you to limit the use of technology isn't the same as a mother being sentimental during her speech. Turkle did a great job of informing and persuading the audience how technology is impacting reality and communication. 

Blog post #2

Sherry Turkle: A TED talk “Connected, but alone?”

In Sherry’s TED talk “Connected, but significantly alone?”, is the realest speech I’ve heard by far. Our generation is booming with the lack of communication skills, romance, and their self awareness. Sherry starts her talk with a story how she got a text from her daughter wishing her good luck. Nowadays, we don’t even have to see anyone, and still send them a text with a press of a button. The real question is, why didn’t she call? Sherry showed the audience a picture of her daughter and her friends being “together”. The girls were all sitting next to each other, but they were all in their own world of social media. What does that show us about people being “together”? Nothing. In this society, you can be in a room filled with people, and still feel alone. Sherry stated this is why we turn to our phones. Whenever we feel the need to escape, it’s super convenient to look down at our phones and feel connected. People are constantly complaining that our generation is lacking communication skills, being physical, and more productive. The adults of this generation are the problem, because kids absorb the adults actions. We see parents going out, taking emails, or texts in the middle of a conversation. When kids see that, it’s a bad habit they start doing when they get a hold of a phone. Sherry indicated a great point on how “we share therefore we are.” What we share online, shows a representation of us. Whether it’s our thoughts, feelings, or activities we’re doing. With the help of technology, people can easily know when it’s their friends birthday, without knowing it at the top of their head. Sherry ended the speech with a reflection that it’s sad how we will have to rely on robots in the future. If this doesn’t get you worried, I don't know what will.

Blog entry #1

Blog entry #1

What do you think “research” is?

Research is finding information online, and applying it into a paper. Research is giving credit to those who are responsible finding the information, and resources.

What is your experience with research writing in the past?

My experience with research projects/papers was a horrendous one. Last time I did a research paper, it had to be 15 pages long. I was constantly finding information, yet it wasn’t enough. I love writing about my own experiences, and knowledge. When I have to research something that isn’t in my interests, I panic. I never know how to write a research paper. That’s my only trouble. I have a hard time with paragraph placements, and overload on information.

What are you looking forward too, what are you dreading?

In this semester, I’m looking forward to getting stronger with research papers. I want to become a better writer. Last semester helped a lot, so my goal is to get even stronger with sentence structures, and paragraphs. I hope we get to chose our research topics, because my writing gets weaker when it’s about something I don't have interest in. I’m also looking forward to writing more papers about positive experiences, such as happiness.