Final Blog

Even after taking this class, I still believe that I am the same person that I was before I started this class. This class did not change the person I was, but it made me more mindful in being able to look at the world and different people in different ways.

After doing my community service, I have realized how lucky I am. My community service opportunity placed me in an environment that was completely out of my element so during my service hours I was constantly questioning the norms of our society, I normally wouldn't have done this before, and I learned to do that from this class. My community service assignment helped me to see how important volunteering was and how a little bit of my time could make someone else's day and that was very rewarding to me. I think teens take a lot of what we have for granted and we don't always put ourselves out there to help others.

This class has also made me realize how easy it is to get caught up in the American culture and materialistic things that people don't realize what else is out there in the world. Many people, especially teens, are influened a lot by the media in both positive and negative ways. Our own values help shape who we are and to not be so influenced by the media in wishing for the things that we do not have or want. I have realized from the different activities and units that the American culture continues to be made up of many people of different social class. Just because we live in a higher social class doesns't mean that there are not people around us that do not live in the higher social class. For example, the movie that we watched about the mother who had to walk miles in order to work at her job at Burger King shows that not everyone is as fortunate as we are and that our society is made up of many different social classes.

Sociology has helped me think of myself, my life. and the people around me in the world a lot differently. This class has not changed the person that I am but it has made me realize how influential every aspect of our lives can be. This class has also made me realize how grateful for what have and more aware that there are many people around me who are less fortunate. From this class, I have now left with a better understanding of our society and the different people around me. I am ready to look at the world in a different aspect.

Thanks for a great semester!