As part of our school's community service program,I volunteered at a family with a down syndrome child. For two years, I went to help the Jablons every Thursday right after school.I helped out with a variety of things including homework, bathing the little ones, and physical therapy with Nesanel. Sometimes it seemed as though I was on the giving end, however I was really the receiver. I have learned so much from Nesanel. From his precious smile, his determination, and his love for others. Nesanel loves friends. He doesn't discriminate between people from different backrounds or color. Nesanel is truly special. Working with him and his siblings has given me a new outlook on…
My greatest influences are my parents and my brother. My brother suffered from Guillain- Barre Syndrome when he was eight. He lived in the hospital on an artificial ventilation for 97 days and later he had to continue physical therapy for at least ten years as he was completely paralyzed. My parents and my brother devoted their few years completely for his treatment. Today, my brother is a successful engineer working in the bay area. I learned that with dedication, determination and diligence we can achieve our dream in life…
Time flows; things change. The development of technology enables people to both access the world and people more rapidly. We immediately know the news that happen all over the world because of the Internet; we make friends with people thousands miles away through social networks; and we can have artificial intelligence or applications like SimSimi to accompany us when we are lonely. With time, these connections can start to replace real face-to-face conversation. In comparing the two different kinds of communications --conversation and mere connection-- in her writing “Flight from Conversation,” the M.I.T psychologist and professor, Sherry Turkle reveals the trends of a plugged-in life that are part of in our technological universe; at the same time, she clearly shows that technologies provide the illusion of “companionship without the demands of relationship,” making people feel lonely even when they connect with others. Taking a stand as a partisan for communication as she states, Turkle not only worries about this tendency to substitute connection for conversation but also encourages people to have real conversation. Turkle also offers several solutions for our “alone together” state of being and urges us with “Let’s start the conversation.” I agree with Turkle that despite the fact that technology connects people more than ever, people forget to care, to listen to each other, and to cherish their friendship under the influence of mere connection.…
Since the use of texting and social media has become more normal, people are beginning to spend their time on their phones as opposed to interacting with their peers. When it comes to texting, there’s not too much pressure. You can take your time and think carefully about what you’re gonna say before you send it. On the phone it’s different; there’s pressure to say the right thing and to keep the conversation going. It’s also time consuming, “it demands their full attention when they don’t want to give it” (Birkenstein, Durst, and Graff 375). Phone calls seem to require a certain amount of time and commitment, something people seem to have neither of, and that’s why people would rather send a quick text or email than take time out of their busy day to take a call. Staying behind your screen also offers a protection that phone calls don’t. “It’s only on the screen that shy people open up,” Elaine, a teen that Turkle interviewed explains (Birkenstein et al. 373). “It’s a place to hide” (Birkenstein et al. 347). However there’s a danger that comes with that way of thinking; hiding behind social media causes damage to your psyche. In his article, The Dangers of Social Media for the Psyche, David Brunskill warns…
The advancement of technology has revolutionized the way humans exist. From the innovation of medical technology to the further development of phones and computers, it has proven to be life altering in many aspects. While it is true that the advantages of modern-day technology cannot, nor should be dismissed, some of the disadvantages must as equally importantly be acknowledged. Although many argue the contrary, there are many reasons to believe that phones, and texting in particular, can and have resulted in a disconnect within families, friendships, and an overall disconnect with the world.…
What comes to your mind when you hear the word hero? My kind of hero is one that will try as hard as they can even if they know they can’t do anything to help it or make it better. My kind of hero is one that will fight even if it wont get them anywhere. My kind of hero is one that will be selfless when it comes to others. And when I think of a hero I think of a very strong special somebody that will do anything for anyone just to consider there feelings. My kind of hero is my little man Wyatt.…
Recalling the past film and television works, mainstream theme constantly changing. However, some topics have become old fashioned film-making at its best and are still popular nowadays. Hero, is one of the classics of the film and literature.…
My whole life since the age of 3 revolved around sports. I excelled in soccer and continued to play at the collegiate level. During my high school years I wanted to be the best player I could so I started reading fitness magazine and as much about nutrition as I could. At 16 years old, I started to lift weights before school started and immediately fell in love with the combination of weight training and…
My actions are always a direct showcase of my personal characteristics. A few that are particularly important are having patience, being non-judgmental, and thinking creatively. I learned a majority of my patience through my position as a research position. Research does not have immediate results; a good experiment takes time. My seemingly menial tasks, such as entering data, eventually contributed to the final product. I learned to be non-judgmental in my time shadowing an obstetrician, where I interacted with patients with so many stories. To judge them would cause a disservice, and potentially harm them. Finally, I learned to think creatively during my time at the Guild for Human Services. Each student was unique in his or her problems,…
Does moving to a new place change everything you ever experience? Moving to a whole new descriptive place is like being pop out of your mothers belly again. Especially, when you move to a place where the language, the food, the people, school and everything else is brand new. Those type of situations, shape your way of living in a constructive way that will affect the rest of your lifestyle. That's the same situation that made me have a life change into a whole new story. Almost 15 years ago, my mother had to make a decision that will affect her and affect the love ones around her. An option that will make her leave everything she ever loved and wanted behind forever. The option was to leave her lifestyle, her family and leave a part of her own blood made from her flesh. The own blood was me, leaving me with my grandma so she could had gone to find a job and start a new journey. To have a way to support the her baby and her own family. Departing to the U.S.A when I was only one years old. Until a sudden burdens of death that was going to make my whole story, lifestyle, my whole childhood and the rest of my life changed.…
Have you ever been through an experience where you moved to an unfamiliar location by yourself? I had the opportunity to do just that when I left my hometown in Hong Kong and come to America for a better education. I was only thirteen years of age at the time. Giving me the chance to come the U.S was the greatest gift that my parent has ever given me in my life. I appreciated them for providing me this valuable and precious chance for my thirteen years old birthday present.…
As I was writing my personal narrative for my composition 1 class, it easily made my mind boggle. After I had got started on my personal narrative, it was easy for me to keep writing and keep following along the story line. The main strength of mine that the essay played to was my creativity and my flexibility for different writings, because I have never written an essay as serious and sad as this one, but I did have to add my happy ending when I finished the story. I wanted it to be very attention grabbing with a twist, but I also wanted it to be very emotional.…
Who am I? That has always been an essential question for as long as I can remember. I never really understood why we had to answer that question along the way, but I’m now a senior at SJPII and I still have no idea who I am. It really bothers me that for 16 years I still haven’t figured out who I am. Constantly going from class to class and making new friends I still can’t pin point who the “real” me is.…
Football has always been a big part of my life. As a young boy I would day dream of making insane touchdowns, making tackles that would leave man stuck in the ground, and even winning the heisman trophy. In 7th grade I had begged my mother endlessly to sign me up for pee wee football because she would always worry about the risks of football. After finally getting her to sign me up, we went straight into the season. I chose to play running back because as a 12-year-old I was remarkably fast having timed 5.3 in the 40 yard-dash. After a few weeks in the season we approached the playoffs and found out our opponent for the first round of the playoffs were the jaguars who were undefeated. Our team didn’t have the best chemistry on…
As Hannah knows, I had to take my car in for some unexpected repairs today so am a little short on money at the moment.…